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Royal Marines Commando Officer Selection Course

What is it?

Royal Marines Officer Selection Course

The fact you want to get fit to become a Royal Marines Commando Officer says a lot about you. It says a lot about your character. The level of physical exertion required to earn the coveted green beret is more than most people can take.

The Royal Marines Officer Selection Course (RM OSC) is a two-and-a-half-day course at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM), Lympstone, accommodated within the Officer’s Mess. Your AFCO will arrange for you to attend the course.

Your one-way train ticket will also be purchased for you. Your time here will push you to your absolute limit, both physically and mentally, clearly showing if you have what it takes to lead a team of highly trained Commandos.

What will I do?

The course includes:

Physical assessments:

  • VO2 Max/Bleep test

  • Press ups, sit ups and pull ups

  • Swimming assessment

  • Overnight field exercise

Confidence and Determination assessments on the:

  • Endurance course

  • High obstacle course

  • Bottom field assault course

You’ll need to work efficiently under extreme pressure, making considered decisions, even when you‘re fatigued and well outside your comfort zone. That’s how you show real leadership and the unique state of mind that is required to be a Royal Marines Commando Officer. This is also assessed through:

Practical Leadership Test, assessing:

  • Critical thinking

  • Communication skills

  • Leadership ability

Delivery of a two-minute vignette on a randomly allocated subject, such as:

  • World politics

  • International relations and geopolitics

Where is it?

The Commando Training Centre, also known as CTCRM, is the principal training centre for the Royal Marines.

Based at Lympstone in Devon CTCRM selects and trains all Royal Marines Officers, recruits and reserves.

CTCRM is unique in that it also provides all Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) command training as well as training 70% of all Royal Marines specialists. On average, 1,300 recruits, 2,000 potential recruits and 400 potential officers attend training courses and acquaint courses at CTCRM every year. In addition the Training Wings run upwards of 320 courses a year for a further 2,000 students.

Address:

Exmouth Road, Lympstone, Exmouth EX8 5AR

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