RMP CP Course

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DarkKnight

Full Registered User
Stevie243RMP said:
Hi Guy's,

I am currently loaded on CPU, Longmoor. and looking for solid sound advice / Tips from ex- RMP that have been on course, either failed or passed.

regards
Stevie
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Stevie243RMP,

Hi mate, did my course at CPU last year, is a good course, just make sure your phys is up to standard, saying that, CPU are megga short and blokes are busy back to backing tours, so i'm under the impression at the moment that it's more of a duty attend course to get the numbers up!!! So dont worry too much about it!!!!

DK
 
DarkKnight said:
Stevie243RMP,

Hi mate, did my course at CPU last year, is a good course, just make sure your phys is up to standard, saying that, CPU are megga short and blokes are busy back to backing tours, so i'm under the impression at the moment that it's more of a duty attend course to get the numbers up!!! So dont worry too much about it!!!!

DK
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Whaat??? Okay DK this is a joke.....right??
 
DarkKnight said:
Stevie243RMP,

Hi mate, did my course at CPU last year, is a good course, just make sure your phys is up to standard, saying that, CPU are megga short and blokes are busy back to backing tours, so i'm under the impression at the moment that it's more of a duty attend course to get the numbers up!!! So dont worry too much about it!!!!

DK
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haha, tell that to the 12 that failed the last course of 28

People will always say it was harder when they done it. Times have changed and the security level everywhere is high (severe) so there is a high demand for CP operatives.
 
I heard a rummour due to the high demand off trainned personel there opening the course up to other people and reserves, have you heard about this?
 
I've heard of TA RMP applying for the course, and then signing a s-type contract where they are classed as a regular soldier for a period of time, prob 3 years.

I've never heard of other regiments but have seen other people on the course like civvy police and foreign royal/diplomatic BG's
 
I did the course in 1988. It is a damned hard course, lots of phys and mind games but well worth it. Just need to dig in and take anything they throw at you, mouth shut and do the job at hand. As for the idiots who claim that its just a duty pass due to the climate and demand for CPOs, wake up you tossers, do you really think the instructors would pass someone who isnt up to it.
I am with243 and knoe stavie well, his only problem will be his age, 41. I would not like to be on it now at the age of 41 but stevie is fit and I hope he passes.
 
Well Mally, Those 11 that failed must have been really useless.....Of the one guy that failed my course at the end, he returned on the next course and passed the whole thing on the first day after passing the phys test, How does that work??? Even though there was a female on the same course who was a much better operator, but she also had trouble with one element of the course but she wasn't given the same opportunity!! Plus I'm not here to slag either the unit or the personalities, the instructors are top notch and have plenty of experience, unfortunately they are overuled as is the norm by the top brass to pass people that wouldn't normally have passed, unfortunately i have first hand experience of this as i deployed with one particular operator that should never have passed our course, i'm not even going to talk about the rest of the team!!This is just how i see it, if anyone takes offence, apologies!DK
 
DarkKnight said:
Of the one guy that failed my course at the end, he returned on the next course and passed the whole thing on the first day after passing the phys test
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Since you speak from personal experience I'm not going to say your lying! I would say 100% that the instructors would mag to grid someone if they thought they were not upto the task. Many students though see a different side to other students when the instructors arn't about.Ref your above comment, sounds like that lad passed everything on the course but the final physical test time. Sounds fair to me if he passes that, that he does not take the place of another to repeat the rest of the 6/7/8 week course.You caould get onto a new topic of conversation and argument easily when disccussing fitness and times etc.. Look at the royal protection team, with a few guys in there 50's! Are you still in or out?
 
For my sins I'm still in!! We could debate this all day long, i think we'll have to agree to disagree on this, unfortunately it's extremely difficult for training teams in what ever service you're in to get rid now, which means you get more of the duty shit bloke getting through, it's just an unfortunate occurrance and with the tempo of Ops, the turnover of manpower is massive, the old I've done my war i'm out, sketch. It's unavoidable and will continue for the forseable future.

DK
 
mally said:
I've never heard of other regiments but have seen other people on the course like civvy police and foreign royal/diplomatic BG's
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It's an important source of funding I'm afraid. Had two Jamaican Defence Force types on mine. Both of them sacked it due to the weather! Just too cold and wet!
 
hippy said:
It's an important source of funding I'm afraid. Had two Jamaican Defence Force types on mine. Both of them sacked it due to the weather! Just too cold and wet!
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Why does someone not contact the wing direct to ascertain who other than regular Corps members are being trained. I note that on the RAF Tactical Provost Website there is a footnote offering Close Protection Training.... If that is the case ... since the Tri service move to Pompey surely its the Wing training all 3 service police units....? As the TA is now part of the "One Army" it would seem only right that RMP TA units send guys on courses with vacancies .....

On the first course I did in 87 there were USMPs and RUC (I failed the first course @ week 7 due to having to attend an interview in Derry without biscuits with our brothers in arms the SIB:rolleyes:)

(The second course the far easier!!! 7 week course I passed in 89:D) On that course there were also USMPs and 2 Met SO19/PT17Insps who failed!

I consider myself fairly fit I am a Police PSU instructor UDT trainer and serve as an Aux in the RAF Regt and undertake the ROFA annually but @ 43 I would not relish doing the course again and good luck to the 41 year old about to attend only advice I can offer is start running now

And as a final footnote "the only easy day was yesterday";)
 
It is a sad state of the times. With a high level of soldiers wishing to quit the Forces and the increase in deployments and unit requirements it is fully understandable that a case of lowering standards to accept those through that otherwise would not a few years ago would happen. My view is that Longmoor should have and should always have a had a selection process which included psychometric as well as physical testing and which also included RTI. If manpower falls short then it should be open to 'All Arms' but with the same exacting standards. What they have done is compromise on standards to ensure the role is kept within the RMP and those other accepted units. This is seen across the board. The Regt (22), whilst they would never accept that standards have fallen, have to admit that the same has happened to their selection process albeit on a different level. Those individuals who got injured and RTU'd as a result would normally, a few years ago, have to complete the entire selection process again whereas now someone who is injured such as a tree falling on a candidates head during the jungle phase can now start where he left off when he is recovered.

RMPCPU should increase the standards to where they should be and if they experience a manpower shortfall to not fulfill their commitments, should accept 'All Arms'. As long as that individual has passed the necessary interviews and character assessements, psychometric and physical tests and all the necessary CP related tests then that individual should be allowed through.

It must be said that CP throughout the RMP, SAS and Police Protection Command is a case that remains horses for courses concerning the application of the role and could be argued for and against until the sun goes down but to reduce standards in a specialised role solely to ensure the longevity of the role of CP to RMP is a compromise too far and until a contact situation arises whereby the Principal is killed, nothing will be done.
 
I did the course back in 2005, im a very fit man, at times out ran the instructors, for which obviously the whole course got beasted for! it was all good fun though, but bloody hard! i think less than 50% of my course passed. When i got back to my unit i ran a CPFA and i think only 2 hopefulls passed, regardless 5 where sent on to CPU and only 2 passed the course.
There where alot of envious people in the unit who could never pass their BPFA's never mind the CPFA!!, i have now learnt that these wannabies, although growing in age and waist size, are now swanning round the world as proud RMP CPO's!
So in my opinion the course has got alot easier and standards have dropped, at a time when standards should be raised. And whats this about not being able to carry each other anymore?? the world has gone mad!
 
mally said:
I've heard of TA RMP applying for the course, and then signing a s-type contract where they are classed as a regular soldier for a period of time, prob 3 years.

I've never heard of other regiments but have seen other people on the course like civvy police and foreign royal/diplomatic BG's
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Hubby has just retired from the Really Large Corp, Ex RCT. He refreshed a couple of years ago down at Longmoor. And he wasn't the only one who wasn't RMP Corps.

As an aside, the chuckle factor was when hubby and a couple of lads were going back to base in BFG and got stopped at the Eurotunnel for the 'swab' test on the steering wheel etc. Hubby didn't want the hassle and felt sorry for the lad to warned him it would be positive, ID's were shown etc, and said chap came back all a quiver as he said he'd never seen such a positive result!! Bless.
 
First impressions are that DK is arrogant and seems to have separated himself from 'others' on the basic course incase they were detrimental to his progression, then when I read that on his FIRST tour he didn't want to talk about the rest of his team (impression being they didn't know what they were doing), well it sort of confirmed things. Consider how you write things in the forum DK, it's not what you have to say but, how you come across when you say it.
However, I can side with the fact that over the years the standards have gone up and down and also with the fact that if the instructors had their way then more would be failed then actually pass, such as the officer who, decided to have a snooze in the car on final ex, as BG and whose VIP sat in the back waiting for him to wake up. He was failed by the instructors but passed by higher pay scale personnel, oh, and the other officer who had an ND on final ex and subsequently went on to be an OC of CPU. I'm not picking on officers, what about the girls? Now we've had some cracking operators from the fairer sex, but the one who failed the IBG shoot, twice, and then couldn't carry her principle during another exercise, was failed by the instrucors, then passed by those above and then to cap it all, was seconded to an det where the role at the time was predominantly IBG work! A classic! It'll never be right but, I know for a fact that standards on courses go up and down, including certain other 'selection' courses.
In answer to Rich H's comments, RMP used to make candidates carry out physcometric testing, indeed 'Upcheckonetwo' was on the course with me when this was done on the first morning. If you failed it, it was instant RTU and quite a few did.
In addition, R2I was brought in, in 2001. My team plus an extra 2 went through the experience. It took 2 yrs to get clearance to bring it in but, by 2003 it had been discontinued again because of short sighted individuals sat in K. House who couldn't see the benefit of the training, at least that was their excuse.
Anyway I've waffled enough...

Neil
 
upcheckonetwo said:
Why does someone not contact the wing direct to ascertain who other than regular Corps members are being trained. I note that on the RAF Tactical Provost Website there is a footnote offering Close Protection Training.... If that is the case ... since the Tri service move to Pompey surely its the Wing training all 3 service police units....? As the TA is now part of the "One Army" it would seem only right that RMP TA units send guys on courses with vacancies .....

On the first course I did in 87 there were USMPs and RUC (I failed the first course @ week 7 due to having to attend an interview in Derry without biscuits with our brothers in arms the SIB:rolleyes:)

(The second course the far easier!!! 7 week course I passed in 89:D) On that course there were also USMPs and 2 Met SO19/PT17Insps who failed!

I consider myself fairly fit I am a Police PSU instructor UDT trainer and serve as an Aux in the RAF Regt and undertake the ROFA annually but @ 43 I would not relish doing the course again and good luck to the 41 year old about to attend only advice I can offer is start running now
And as a final footnote "the only easy day was yesterday";)
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RAFP have been attending for years. There was a couple on my course.. I hadn't realised some gates had VIP status!

And as for doing the course at my time of life... God forbid... Can feel a bad back coming just thinking about it!
 
Its a hard course, and so it should be! Guys & Girls who trip up on the CPC(Close Protection Course) should have at least a min of 4 years service, over 24 yrs of age prior to the course. Also they should all be pro-active, self motivated, self -disciplined and mature, not like some of the operators out there at the moment. Its a great course that should only be offered to those individuals who can meet the correct criteria!!!
 
Think my course notes are faded given they were done in pencil cica 1978 ! No nasty comments please. My only advice is to keep smiling and learn to cook (very useful on 12 month FCO tours)
 
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