Select Committee on Defence Written Evidence


Memorandum from the Ministry of Defence

CARE FOR SERVICE RECRUITS AND TRAINEES

  This memorandum provides a broad outline of the principles underpinning the Department's training policy and procedures. The statistical and other detailed information requested by the Committee follow this memorandum.

INTRODUCTION

  1.  The United Kingdom's Armed Forces, both Regular and Reserve, have justifiably gained a world-wide reputation for their professionalism, proved across a wide spectrum of operations, including war fighting, peace support, and counter-terrorist operations. Britain's Servicemen and women have invariably risen to these challenges. While there are many factors that have contributed to their success, one of the most important has been, and remains, the high quality of individual training and education that Service personnel undertake throughout their careers.

POLICY

People

  2.  Our people are our single most valuable asset. As one of the UK's largest employers, we seek to recognise and value all employees and the individual contribution they bring to the organisation. We seek to develop their skills and talents, irrespective of their religion, race, gender, sexual orientation and their cultural or social background.

  3.  The Armed Forces train for war. They require individuals to perform tasks ranging from the highly technical to the intensely physical, at their most demanding under the stress of combat. We draw personnel from across the whole of society and the educational attainment of recruits varies from personnel with literacy and numeracy deficiencies to those with postgraduate qualifications. The training system builds on this diverse intake to develop the individual and to ensure they are equipped to fulfil the diverse roles they will perform throughout their careers.

Training

  4.  The overall defence personnel objective is to ensure the provision of sufficient, motivated and capable personnel to deliver defence capability.

  The individual training and education opportunities available within the Armed Forces are key factors in recruiting, retaining and sustaining personnel. Regardless of the level of personal ability on joining, the Services seek to maintain a training environment in which all individuals can realise their full potential.

  5.  The Services are the single largest training and development organisation in the country, and a high proportion of this training is delivered to adolescents at the beginning of a very challenging career. Today's recruits generally have less understanding than previous generations of the unique challenges and demands of service in the Armed Forces, and of the opportunities available. The Services remain a demanding profession, requiring self-discipline, dedication and, potentially, self-sacrifice in a variety of unfamiliar and stressful situations. Military training requires uncommon levels of fitness, commitment and determination. Thus, for many recruits, the transition to a military culture represents a decisive moment in their lives and substantial change takes place over a short period of time. The training environment is their first introduction to the military way of life and inevitably shapes their attitude to a potentially long career. It is thus essential to establish desired attitudes and behaviours from the outset.

Care

  6.  We take our responsibilities to care for recruits and trainees very seriously, as is shown by published policies and instructions, training and management of instructors, the supervision by unit commanders at all levels and the provision and ready availability of medical and welfare support.

  7.  Part of that responsibility to care for trainees is to provide them with training that is as robust as possible, to help them to take their place in a physically and mentally demanding operational environment that may be unpredictable, violent and dangerous and which may require them to apply lethal force in a disciplined manner. Teamwork and discipline are paramount to success, but the training must also enable individuals to have the confidence and ability to take the initiative, when and where circumstances dictate.

Responsibilities

  8.  The Service Chiefs of Staff are individually accountable to the Secretary of State for the delivery of operational capability, which is achieved through the effective combination of a number of "pillars", including personnel and training, equipment, doctrine and concepts, logistics and force structures. Training is delivered through individual and collective elements, the latter being the responsibility of the operational Commanders in Chief (and General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland), to meet their own military output requirements and those of the Chief of Joint Operations.

  9.  Some 50% of individual training is provided through 5 Training Agencies (the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency, the Army Training and Recruitment Agency, the Training Group Defence Agency, the Defence Medical Education and Training Agency and the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre). The operational commands are the principal customers of the Agencies and also deliver the balance of individual training. Education for personnel is provided across the Department.

  10.  The Director General of Training & Education provides the central strategic policy focus for Defence-wide individual training and education. He is also the MoD focal point for other Government Departments, external education providers and auditing authorities. The Director General of Training & Education may, from time to time, be responsible for the delivery of discrete individual training and education change programmes.

PROVISION OF MILITARY TRAINING

  11.  The military training system is designed to produce personnel, in each of the Services, who are trained for high intensity conflict. This training provides the foundation for training for the less intense, but equally demanding, peace support operations.

  12.  In order to achieve these complementary tasks the Services ensure that the training that they deliver follows the following broad principles:

    —  Inculcating, from the outset, an understanding of the Armed Forces and the demands they place on the individual.

    —  Understanding the specialist role and skill required of the individual at a given position in the structure.

    —  Command, Leadership and Management training conducted at all rank levels to foster an operational working relationship of intelligent teamwork.

    —  Developing, on an ongoing basis, mentally and physically robust individuals who have the flexibility to cope with the range of challenges they may face.

    —  Specialist training across the wide range of career avenues required to generate the operational capability of each Service.

  13.  To meet its complex training commitment the Armed Forces use a combination of individual and collective (or team) training. Initial training focuses on providing the core single-Service competences to give recruits a sense of their own Service's ethos as well as the confidence to function in the operational environment. Phase 1 training is delivered on a single-service basis, although training must also allow individuals to adapt quickly and efficiently to a changing operational environment. More joint deployments and joint force structures require greater exploitation of training synergies across Defence and, to that end, the planned formation of the Defence Training Establishments, where some Phase 2 (specialist skill) Training will be delivered in the Joint Service environment, is an essential development.

Phase 1

  14.  Phase 1 Training is the initial training in basic military skills and the inculcation of single Service ethos required by all personnel. Trainees spend, on average, 12 weeks in Phase 1 Training. Whilst there are some differences in the delivery of the Phase 1 Training determined by the particular environment in which each Service operates, there are many common elements, which assist the transition from civilian to Service life.

  15.  Many recruits are living away from home for the first time, and have responsibility for all the personal administration that they may previously have taken for granted or left to others. Learning to live together, building self-reliance and the instilling of teamwork are paramount, together with the essential, parade ground drill, which helps to bond individuals into a team instilling pride and help discipline. Everyday living skills are also covered to ensure that all Phase 1 recruits attain the highest personal standards and take a pride in both their appearance and their surroundings. Physical education and sport feature in all these initial courses, but academic subjects are not neglected. The skills that are needed to survive under field conditions are taught and tested through mini exercises.

Phase 2

  16.  Phase 2 Training is the initial specialist training, which gives Service personnel the necessary skills for their first employment. On completion of Phase 2, which normally follows on directly from Phase 1, Servicemen and women join the trained strength of their Service and are employed in their chosen skill area. The time spent in Phase 2 Training varies from a few weeks to over a year for highly technical training. Whilst there is no universal template for Phase 2 Training, some common threads exist across all courses. These include the teaching of essential elements of academic knowledge, together with the practical skills that the trainee will need to employ in his or her front-line employment. Additionally, Phase 2 Training recognises the newness of the recruits and continues to build their military skills and knowledge and to reinforce the ethos of the Service they have joined.

Phase 3

  17.  Phase 3 Training develops the skills of Service personnel for further employment and greater responsibility throughout their career. It increases their skill base, meets career aspirations, through both training and education, and aids professional and personal development. The training ranges from short courses dealing with specific aspects of leadership and management through to extended periods learning how to operate and maintain highly complex and specialist equipment. As with Phase 2, the time spent on Phase 3 courses varies.

Collective Training

  18.  Collective Training is aimed at improving the ability of teams, units or formations to function as a cohesive entity in order to deliver operational military capability. This training is usually conducted under the auspices of the Front-Line Commands. It seeks to develop performance of units at all levels, often in realistic field conditions. Examples of such training are: RN Operational Sea Training conducted by the Flag Officer Sea Training and Army Combined Arms Battle Group training in Canada. More complex collective training includes joint exercises conducted on either a national or multi-national basis.

Defence Training Reviews

  19.  The Defence Training Review (2001) and the Directorate of Operational Capability have examined, from different perspectives, the training provided to UKs Armed Forces. The Defence Training Review was a fundamental examination of military training, which led to a comprehensive change programme based upon some 200 recommendations. The Directorate of Operational Capability (2002) conducted an independent, cross-cutting examination of initial training of non-officer recruits in all three Services (including initial and basic specialist training). It focused on ethos, transitional mechanisms (from civilian to Service life) and welfare aspects. The initial study was followed by a second review in Summer 2003. The results of both appraisals are being taken forward at present. A further reappraisal to confirm progress is being conducted later this year.

CARE

Welfare/Supervisory care

  20.  We have a legal obligation to care for the well-being of recruits and trainees. The Commanding Officer of every training establishment is directly responsible and accountable for ensuring that a pragmatic supervisory care regime is in place for the recruits, trainees and other students within his establishment.

  21.  "Supervisory Care" is the expression used to define the moral component of the MoD's duties as a responsible employer. It is the provision of an appropriate military, pastoral and welfare regime that goes beyond merely the delivery of military, technical or specialist training and education; it includes the inculcation of professional military ethos and mentoring of trainees by military staff.

  22.  The MoD recognises the importance of selecting role models as Phase 1 and Phase 2 instructors, who are experienced, enthusiastic and motivated, well-skilled in their specialist subject and highly professional in attitude. This includes pre-employment training, so that instructors understand the problems and issues that are important to today's young adults, as well as the development of more advanced training skills such as coaching and mentoring. The newly formed Defence Centre for Training Support is taking forward initiatives to provide even better training for the trainer.

  23.  In addition to their chain of command staff and trainees have access to a network of other agencies to help them deal with personal or welfare problems. These agencies include the Women's Royal Voluntary Service, the Council of Voluntary Welfare Work (which run non-alcoholic cafes), chaplains, and the individual welfare services.

Bullying and harassment

  24.  The Armed Forces diversity goal is to achieve an environment free from harassment, intimidation and unlawful discrimination, in which all have equal opportunity and encouragement to realise their full potential.

  25.  We have a commitment to the principles of Investors in People, with zero tolerance for bullying and similar inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. Depending on the strength of evidence, disciplinary or administrative action may be taken against perpetrators.

  26.  It is the responsibility of Officers and senior ranks/rates to preserve good order and discipline, and all three Services have set up confidential helplines for use by personnel in complete confidence should they be subject to harassment or bullying.

CONCLUSION

  27.  The MoD is proud of its training organisation and of the way it cares for recruits and trainees. Over 20,000 recruits pass through it each year and the success of the training, in operations at home and around the world, speaks for itself. Recruits, many of whom join the Services without qualifications and from a disadvantaged background, acquire new skills and abilities that serve them well both during the Service career and on their return to civilian society. Where failings occur, either at an individual level or in terms of process, we are eager to identify these promptly and we are committed to doing all we can to remedy them.





 
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Prepared 14 March 2005