Navy Command FOI Section Navy Command Headquarters MP 1-2, Leach Building

Whale Island PORTSMOUTH PO2 8BY

FOI2020/11148 E-mail: [email protected]

Mr J Douglas [email protected] 28 October 2020

Dear Mr Douglas,

Release of Information

Thank you for your correspondence of 5 October 2020 in which you requested the following information:

‘Please could you provide me with a lists of the courses and their duration (preferably in weeks) which are provided at/by the Commando Training Center and Royal Marines ’

Your enquiry has been considered to be a request for information in accordance with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000.

A search for the information has been completed within the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and I can confirm that information in scope of your request is held. However, it is considered that some of the information you have requested falls within the scope of the qualified exemption at section 26 (Defence) of the FOI Act.

Under section 26(1)(b), information is exempt if its disclosure would or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of any relevant forces. As section 26 is a qualified exemption, the decision to withhold some of the requested information is subject to a public interest test. This has now been conducted and it may help you to understand our decision if I outline the factors that were considered.

While it is recognised that there is public interest in the types of training undertaken by military personnel at MOD sites, divulging information in relation to the training received at Royal Marines (RM) Poole would prejudice the capability, effectiveness and security of those personnel based at that specific site. Consequently, it has been concluded that the public interest test balance favours withholding information relating to RM Poole in its entirety.

The information I am able to provide you with in respect of the courses held at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines and their duration can be found at Annex A to this letter.

If you have any queries regarding the content of this letter, please contact this office in the first instance.

If you wish to complain about the handling of your request, or the content of this response, you can request an independent internal review by contacting the Information Rights Compliance team, Ground Floor, MOD Main Building, Whitehall, SW1A 2HB (e-mail). Please note that any request for an internal review should be made within 40 working days of the date of this response.

If you remain dissatisfied following an internal review, you may raise your complaint directly to the Information Commissioner under the provisions of Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act. Please note that the Information Commissioner will not normally investigate your case until the MOD internal review process has been completed. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. Further details of the role and powers of the Information Commissioner can be found on the Commissioner's website at https://ico.org.uk/.

Yours sincerely

Navy Command Secretariat – FOI Section

ANNEX A to FOI2020/11148 dated 28 October 2020

Commando Training Centre RM Courses and Duration:

COURSE TITLE DURATION RM Commanding Officer 2 Weeks Warrant Officer (WO) 1st Class 4 Weeks WO 2nd Class Leadership Development 4 Weeks WO2 Tactical Sub-Unit Planner 1 Week Senior Non-Commissioned Officer 2 Weeks (SNCO) Leadership Development SNCO Tactical Commanders Course 5 Weeks Junior Non-Commissioned Officer 4 Weeks (JNCO) Leadership Development JNCO Tactical Commanders Course 7 Weeks Defence Workplace Trainer 3 Days Marine Leadership Development 1 Week Course RM Subaltern 60 Weeks Senior Corps Commission Officer 11 Weeks Recruit Orientation Phase 4 Weeks Trained Marine 32 Weeks All Arms Commando Course 11 Weeks Military Revision Course 2 Weeks Military Analysis Module B 1 Week Naval Analysis Course 1 Week Potential Commando Physical 3 Days Assessment Gibraltar Cup 4 Days Cautley Cup 1 Week Pringle Trophy 1 Week Potential Officers Course* 1 Week Potential Royal Marine Course* 1 Week RM Cadet Basic 2 Weeks Look at Life Course 1 Week Look at Life Work Experience 1 Week Look at Life Cadet 1 Week Look at Life Officer 1 Week Naval Recruiters Briefing 1 Week Teachers & Influencers 1 Week RM Visibility Team Induction 4 Weeks Royal Marine Reserve (RMR) Phase 1 2 Weeks RMR Battle Physical Training Pass Out 4 Days Weekend RMR Reserve Forces Commando 2 Weeks Course RMR Part 1 2 Weeks

RMR Part 2 3 Weeks RMR Skill at Arms 2 Weeks Royal Marines BOWMAN COMBAT 1 Week Information Manager 1’s 8 Weeks Information Manager 2’s 4 Weeks Information Manager 3’s 4 Weeks Drill Leader Class 1 6 Weeks Drill Leader Class 2 7 Weeks Drill Leader Aptitude 2 Days Assault Engineer Class 1 10 Weeks Assault Engineer Class 2 9 Weeks Combat Breacher 5 Weeks Assault Engineer Aptitude 3 Days ISTAR Awareness 1 Week Mountain Leader Class 1 39 Weeks Combat Intelligence Selection 1 Week Mountain Leader Class 2 32 Weeks Mountain Leader Selection 2 Weeks RM Combat Recce Operator 5 Weeks Urban Climbing 2 Weeks Combat Intelligence Class 1 6 Weeks RM CC Instructor Trainer Level 1 3 Weeks Combat Intelligence Class 2 18 Weeks HW Mortar 3 4 Weeks Mortar Second-In-Command Course 3 Weeks Pre-Warminster Mortar 2 Weeks RM Javelin A Qualification 2 Weeks Physical Training Class 1 8 Weeks Physical Training Class 2 17 Weeks Physical Training Selection 1 Week PT&SO Course 17 Weeks Signaller Class 1 13 Weeks Signaller Class 2 10 Weeks RM Combat Communicator 6 Weeks Telecommunication Technician Aptitude 1 Week Pre-Warminster Anti-Tank 2 Weeks Heavy Weapons Anti-Tank Class 3** 6 Weeks Platoon Weapons 1 11 Weeks Platoon Weapons 2 8 Weeks RM Scout Sniper Class 3 13 Weeks Platoon Weapons Class 3 (Machine 2 Weeks Gun)** PW (Sniper) Selection 2 Weeks RM Skill at Arms 8 Weeks RM Field Firing Safety Supervisor 2 Weeks Combat Marksmanship Coaching 1 Week Defence Trainer 2 Weeks Defence Trainer Supervisor 1 Week RM Band Initial Military Training 10 Weeks RM Band IMT Phase 2 4 Weeks Coaching & Mentoring Level 5 1 Week

M3 Musician 120 Weeks High Altitude Trg / Exercise ICEFLIP 5 Weeks M2 Musician 2 Weeks M1 Musician 12 Weeks B3 Bugler 90 Weeks B2 Bugler 2 Weeks B1 Bugler 12 Weeks Drum Majors 4 Weeks Bandmaster 45 Weeks Source: Commando Training Centre Royal Marine Notes: *Potential Officer Course/Potential RM Course – Due to COVID, not run until March 2020. ** To be replaced by Combat Fire Support Group Operator Course