Royal Marines Reserve

Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility, the joining process is as follows:

• Submit an application

  Your first step is to fill in an online application form. If you have any questions beforehand, you can phone us on 0345 600 3222

• Presentation

  You will be invited to attend an Initial Maritime Reserves Presentation (IMRP) at your nearest Unit. This is your chance to have a look around, meet the team, ask any questions and find out about life in the Reserves

• Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA) and interview

  You will be invited to your nearest Armed Forces Career Office (AFCO) for an interview, where we will check your eligibility and outline the joining process. You will then sit the DAA, which assesses: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Work Rate, Spatial Reasoning, Electrical Comprehension and Mechanical Comprehension.
  To prepare, you can practise the DAA

• Join your local Unit

  You will then be invited to join your Unit for Attestation. This involves swearing allegiance to His Majesty The King and signing the Official Secrets Act. At this point you’ll be join a holding troop, and will attend weekly drill nights, however you won’t be able to start formal training until you pass your medical and fitness test

• Basic Fitness Test (BFT)

  The BFT is a three mile outdoor run completed in under 22 minutes 30 seconds

• The Potential Royal Marines Course (PRMC)

  This two-day introduction to life in the Royal Marines Reserve is your opportunity to show you have what it takes to cope with the rigours of Basic Training. You’ll need to complete a number of physical tests to progress

Once you’ve passed the recruiting process you’ll begin Basic Training at your unit and at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) in Lympstone. Here you’ll learn the skills you need to become an elite amphibious soldier.

Basic Training Phase 1a – Carry out field exercises, starting with basic skills like camouflage, concealment, and weapon handling, while also developing leadership skills.

Basic Training Phase 1b – Gain more specific skills like marksmanship, map reading and helicopter drills, as well as mastering team tactics and extending your leadership skills even further. This course culminates in a two week Reserve Forces Commando Course (RFCC).

The RFCC includes an endurance course, a nine-mile speed march, a Tarzan assault course, and a 30-mile march. If you pass them, you’ll earn your coveted green beret. You’ll then become a Rifleman for the first two years of your career.

 Continuation Phase 2 Training - This includes Field Firing, Survival Exercise, Modernised Urban Combat and an advanced operational shooting package.     

There's also a swimming test, so if you can't swim, make sure you learn by the time you join us.

Typically, after serving as a General Duties Rifleman, you can choose an area of specialisation and train for roles such as Heavy Weapons, Landing Craft, PTI, Assault Engineer and Swimmer Canoeist. And the higher up the ranks you climb, the more options you’ll have open to you.