Page 25 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021 (Crest)

The regimental system lies at the heart of the British Army’s fighting spirit, serving as the key administrative component that provides soldiers and officers alike with a sense of iden- tity and comradeship. In essence, each regiment acts as a military family and brings with it its own traditions, history, and most importantly, peo- ple. Selecting the right OCdts for each of these families is the job of the Regimental Selection Boards, wherein Senior Officers from each regi- ment interview OCdts to attempt to understand their character and suitability.
For some, the RSB process begins well before their arrival at Sandhurst on the infamous ‘Iron- ing Board Sunday’, as those who have a good idea of where they want to end up, may have already visited their desired regiments before attending the Commissioning Course. However, for those that haven’t, the process begins with an expression of interest day where OCdts are introduced to representatives from each regi- ment and get hands on with their kit. Even for those from a military background, the diversity of units on offer is impressive and the opportunity to see an apache helicopter take-off up close certainly draws a crowd.
Once OCdts have narrowed down their choices to just two, the next step is attending visits. Usu- ally taking place at the end of Junior Term and the beginning of Intermediate Term, visits are a great way to get a feel for a regiment outside of the RMAS bubble, and for many they provide a first insight into life in the Field Army. Unfor- tunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, visits for CC203 were limited to just one, but were none- theless insightful.
Following visits, the cutting commences. Spaces at regiments are limited and therefore competi- tion can be tough. Due to this, a number of inter- views take place throughout Intermediate Term that act as a filter to select individuals to take forward to the final RSB interviews. Whilst this process can be disappointing for some, OCdts are free to pick up other regiments they may be more suitable for. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to be taken forward to RSBs by both of
OCdt Evans
my choices, the Corps of Royal Engineers, and the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
To alleviate some of the nerves during the RSB process, regiments often invite OCdts to infor- mal drinks nights throughout. Unfortunately, this was another area that suffered due to the COVID pandemic; however, regiments did their best to work around this through virtual events and socially distanced gatherings. They provided OCdts with another forum in which to ask ques- tions and also a great opportunity to get to know other OCdts across the intake applying for the same regiments.
The penultimate week of Intermediate Term nor- mally serves as the crescendo for OCdts nerves as RSB interviews arrive. However, for CC203 our nervous wait was extended until the second week of Senior Term.
There are many myths surrounding the RSB interviews themselves, and nearly all of them contain some random question or another that seems impossible to answer. However, in reality the interviews are just that... an interview. Whilst it’s certainly true that sitting across from a num- ber of high-ranking Officers is daunting, once the initial nerves wear off, the interview quickly turns into a conversation. Your motivations for joining a certain unit, alongside questions about your wider interests, hobbies and skillsets are cer- tain to come up, but contrary to popular belief they’re not trying to catch you out but rather just gain a picture of you as an individual.
I was extremely fortunate to be offered a place in both of my choices. However, for some a nerv- ous wait follows their interview, as they wait to find out if their conditional offer will be upgraded to an unconditional, as other OCdts decline their spaces in favour of another.
Unfortunately, although the vast majority of OCdts finish the week knowing where they are going, the nature of RSBs means that some enter the clearing process. However, in the end a place is found for everyone and I have no doubt that my fellow OCdts share my excitement at what the future may bring.
Regimental Selection Boards
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