Enlistment date

Moxie SG

well as far as i know yep, mono-intake is the only way. or at least as far as i've seen. like obersturmfuhrer says there may not be any specific directive saying so but just the same i've never heard of it happening.

Now that I've slept on the topic, I still think it's possible. Don't quote me on it, though ~lol~

SISPEC training is still split beween BSLC & ASLC, right? If that's the case, I don't see how it could hinder the continuation training for, say, a physically-qualified Sardaukar who wanna sign on with the CDOs when doing his BSLC. Just like the top BSLC trainees could be siphoned on to OCS, a newly-contracted regular could be transferred on (rather than do ASLC to complete infantry/guards specializartion).

Or are things so rigid that they make him redo BMT at Hendon, or exclude him totally for not progressing via the mono-intake route? That's far-fetched.

[NB. Not advocating advancing conscripted BSLC trainees on to the CDOs, even as an incentive.]

ORD'd a long time ago; my understanding was built from the days when they were all under 7 SIB: 1st GDS/SAFGU, 2nd GDS/8 SIR, 1st CDO, 10th CDO, School of Commando Training, & later 3rd GDS/7 SIR.

Those changes were about 5 years before my time, at the start of the '80s or so. It came roughly together with the introduction of the IPPT system, if I recall.

Browsed through some reference book & spotted the differences between then & now.

Now :- HQ Infantry takes charge of, for both infantry & Guards, the training of its recruits (via BMTC), specialists (via SISPEC) & reservists (via ITC & BCTC). The CDOs, as well as OCS, are outside of this organizational structure.

Then :- 7 SIB, while one of 3 "active" brigades, was very much the personification of "kings of combat." It had elite elements like the CDOs & SAFGU (along with 7 SIR & 8 SIR) & also, as I remember, took charge of ITD (predecessor of BMTC) training as well. Its sub-unit, the SCT, led the way in instructor training, particularly grooming NCO trainers who would mentor for the RDF conversion. The CDOs, thus, was very much a prominent "conventional" team player then.

Also, the SAF emphasis of those days that all servicemen must go through the same BMT - Army, Air Force, Navy; combat, technican, service; elite, non-elite - was one thing that distinguished us from other armed forces, believe it or not. That's why I presumed there could be some flexibility in training-course continuation, esp. for new regulars (don't make sense if not). With the NSFs, it's certainly applicable, as said, for the top SISPEC trainees-to-OCS route.

Obersturmfuhrer SG

Yes, I can be certain of it coz a few of my friends got posted to the battalion after commissioning as PCs. And NO, I am unable to share further info since a few of them proceeded into classified unit.

While there may not be instances of BMT recruits joining Cdo, as long as there are no directives forbidding that from happening, I dun see why there won't be any such instances in future since the chance is always there. Which is why I will not put it as impossible.

nismoS132 SG

i had been told by some ex cdo friends that going down personally to CMPB and Hendon camp to make known your wish to enter Cdo helps alot.

Geforce3 SG

normal bmt quite rare in bmtc now, bmtc normally reserved for poly and air lebel students

quivalen SG

personally that sounds extremely suspicious to me, but if you say so...

see, thing is, cdo offrs don't go to ocs straight from bmt like in bmtc, but rather after their bmt they do basic cdo trg (bct), then the more outstanding guys will be selected for commando section leader course - conducted locally i.e. in hendon by the now notorious cdo trg wing and not in sispec - and then the best of the cslc go to ocs after clearing basic airborne mod 1.

so if, as you say, an officer who started out in bmtc is posted to hendon as a cdo offr, he would only go through the cdo offr conversion course (cocc) by ctw (which normal cdo offrs also have to do when they return from ocs). certainly i've never heard of an officer doing bct nor does it sound plausible at all. so the problem is, how can what is basically a vanilla infantry officer be expected to function as a cdo offr with just a month long cocc as training? plus he'd likely get scant respect from both his men and his colleagues.

just the same it seems that nobody here has any proof that it has happened before and so i think sardaukar can forget about this route (if it even exists).

quivalen SG

i was talking about posting to cdo as an nsf (something i've taken pains to emphasise in my posts).

Or are things so rigid that they make him redo BMT at Hendon, or exclude him totally for not progressing via the mono-intake route? That's far-fetched.

[NB. Not advocating advancing conscripted BSLC trainees on to the CDOs, even as an incentive.]

certainly as a regular its totally different. what you say about continuation training is both true and untrue - having gone through SISPEC before signing on as a cdo spec won't hurt in that extra training is always useful, but it is also unnecessary because no matter what your rank is, you're still going to have to do the normal cdo trg with a mono-enlisted coy from bct onwards. i myself know a qualified ndu diver, already a corporal who signed on as a cdo spec - he joined 2 coy from their bct onwards. a 2sg also did bct with 5 coy after signing on.

just for extra info a nsf, non-cdo officer who successfully (i.e. passes atcor) signs on as a cdo offr will just do cocc and bac. however he in all likelihood (i'd say definitely; except that i don't have proof) would go to the crf for more training first before being posted back to the battalion to do his pc tour etc,

not sure if its possible to sign on as a cdo offr if you're not already an officer or in ocs.

nismoS132 SG

what from i know, CRF is supposed to be a classified unit. and regulars only.

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