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My time at ITC Catterick
Cpl Ross 1 MERCIAN
Prior to my posting at Infantry Training Centre (ITC) Catterick, I held many typical beliefs about the level of recruits I would train and the role I would play as a Corporal Instructor. However, quite quickly after arriving, I realised many of my expectations did not match reality. I was confident I
knew how to instruct based on what I had learnt on my Section Commanders Battle Course, Skill At Arms course, and from my experience at Battalion. However, what I
did not account for, was the fact that I was used to training professional, experienced soldiers that had a good base knowledge of the subject. I was immediately struck by the fact that recruits are often very young and
in some cases little more than kids. They have no or very little prior knowledge or experience, not only on military subjects but also life in general. Making sure you set the example is vital because they will absorb everything you do and say. Getting them to transition from civilian to soldier has to be done with patience as some of the recruits come from rough backgrounds and are not accustomed to the level of discipline we expect; this, coupled with the steep learning curve are a huge shock to them at the start of the course.
Throughout the Combat Infantryman’s Course, the transformation you see the recruits go through is huge; this being
Cpl Ross doing his best to prepare recruits for the week 10 drill test, ITC Catterick, September 2017
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
said, it is worth noting that they are not the finished product when they leave ITC. They are at a basic standard of physical fitness, and a basic standard of soldiering. I came to ITC expecting to be passing out Class
1 soldiers that are ready to deploy to war, but the reality is they are trained in a short period of time to a good base standard and this sets the conditions for further role specific training at Battalion-the “training gap”.
My advice to Section Commanders that are hoping to be posted to ITC is, don’t worry about MATT instructor courses, there are opportunities to undertake these during your posting. I’d focus on getting advice from people who have been there
as well as making sure you’re all over your military knowledge – recruits ask all sorts of questions; you need to be prepared. When I first got to ITC it took some time to settle in and get used to the fast pace, but once
I did I really started to enjoy my time here. One of the most appealing aspects of the role is you can generally plan ahead so you can properly plan leave and your life outside of work.
In conclusion, my time at ITC has significantly improved my ability as a Section Commander within the British Army, I have become a more effective teacher, improved my professional capacity with qualifications, and I now possess a better understanding of the recruiting and training process.
A Section patrols through Catterick Training Area, ITC Catterick, September 2017