Page 64 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021 (Crest)

Final Impressions on RMAS
OCdt Al-Binali
The ending of Senior Term marks the end- ing of Commissioning Course 202, and to say I would be able to give an impression of my experience here in the Royal Military Acad- emy Sandhurst would be an understatement – but what I can do is speak about the spec- tacular experience that OCdts and International OCdts alike go through during their time here in Sandhurst.
It all began on the 17th of May last year on ironing board Sunday, which we were able to perform in true Sandhurst fashion. There, we met all the new individuals that will soon be our colleagues for the rest of the Commissioning Course. There marked the beginning of the transformation from a civilian to a military cadet, and in true honesty that is the biggest shock to the system, as for the next five weeks life as we once knew changed, and to say the least it changed at a pace of 200 miles an hour.
This exact moment is where everything Sand- hurst planned fell into place, as the training and schedule is focused not only to train you to be a superb officer, but also to develop you mentally and physically substantially over the next three terms. And now looking back at it, it is amaz- ing how effective it could be sometimes. A prime example would be Ex LONG REACH, which was a very arduous march over the hills and difficult terrain of Dartmoor, where at times it would seem impossible to continue. But it was the mental resilience and co-operation that was in the train- ing programme just a week before the exercise begins to come into effect, which allowed all of us to complete it as a section and increase our mental robustness. Sandhurst brings out qualities in young OCdts that some did not even know they had, and therefore this Commission- ing Course is a unique and special one as every exercise has a particular objective and a certain training value. To say the training here in Sand- hurst is well thought out and planned is a very modest statement really.
To many International OCdts, the culture was a shock, especially considering that OCdts come here from all different walks of life and ethnicities, but many adapt to the culture here in Sandhurst
quickly. That is mostly attributed to Phase A and Phase B basic training that covers the basics and the culture which most of the International OCdts conducted before starting their Commis- sioning Course here in Sandhurst. The OCdts here are always more than happy to tell and inform us International OCdts about their culture, which we always find very interesting. Especially the culture surrounding Sandhurst and the rich history behind it, but as almost all International OCdts are speaking with their second or some- times third or fourth language, there is always a slight difficulty in understanding, but the staff and OCdts have done a very good job at accommo- dating these difficulties.
The global pandemic has affected this Commis- sioning Course severely, as we are known as the ‘Covid’ intake; the first intake to go through all three terms of the Commissioning Course in complete lockdown. Although it has changed many things, and quite frankly removed a lot of events that give Sandhurst the history it has, many argue that it is a blessing in disguise. These conditions have produced young officers that are fortunately very mentally robust. Being in lockdown, not leaving camp on Academy weekends and not seeing family are definitely difficult conditions, not to mention us Interna- tional OCdts that are thousands of miles away from home. Although that is one very important aspect of how Covid affected this course, the other is training; thankfully, all the training objec- tives have been met and that is due to the amaz- ing flexibility and risk mitigations imposed by the Academy and staff to be able to continue train- ing in a realistic manner.
To conclude, the Commissioning Course here at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst is a chal- lenging yet rewarding experience. This course develops you substantially as you will learn new abilities about yourself that you might have never known. Learning about the British Army and being able to train in it is an honour that not many have had the chance to experience. Look- ing back at it, I am personally thankful for every moment of it and wish the best for the next gen- eration of leaders and young officers to come through the Commissioning Course.
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