INFANTRY BATTLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

MAY 2009
Welcome to the 1st edition of the Inf Battle Sch Newsletter. Please distribute this widely to all ranks within your Unit. COMMANDING OFFICER Infantry soldiers do extraordinary things in difficult and dangerous circumstances. The commanders that lead these feats are trained at the Inf Battle Sch. Set in a contemporary context, the training is pitched at the Rifle Platoon in a Company Group context and focussing as much on the Brecon brain, as the brawn, providing a foundation of fundamentals and principles of Infantry operations readily adaptable to different operational theatres and demands. The aim of this newsletter is to enhance awareness of our business. INFANTRY BATTLE SCHOOL TRAINING BATTLE COURSES Section Commanders Battle Course (SCBC). SCBC is a promotion qualifying cse for all Rifle Coy Sect Comds. Skill at Arms (SAA) phase; 8 wks; delivered by Inf Wpns Div. Tactics phase; 8 wks; delivered by Junior Div. Of all candidates completing the 16 wk cse, 98% pass first time. Platoon Sergeants Battle Course (PSBC). PSBC is a promotion qualifying cse, to sub Sgt, for Rifle Coy Pl Sgts. Tactics phase; 7 wks; delivered by Senior Div. Cse capacity is 90. Live Firing Tactical Training (LFTT) phase; 5 wks; run by Inf Wpns Div. Passing the Tactics phase of PSBC is a pre-requisite for all candidates attending the RMAS Instructors Cadre. Of all candidates completing the 12 wk cse, 98% pass first time. PSBC is both mentally and physically demanding. Students receive the highest level of tuition and testing to ensure that they are fully prepared for the rigors of Command. Platoon Commanders Battle Course (PCBC). PCBC produces tactically capable Inf Pl Comds who are physically and mentally robust. Tactics phase; 10 wks; and delivered by Platoon Comds Div. LFTT phase; 5 wks; and delivered by Inf Wpns Div. Tactics phase includes deployment on Battle Camp in Belize. Battle Camp is the framework which gives the Young Officers a Mission Rehearsal Exercise: expeditionary; immersion training; challenging terrain/climate; and realistic live firing. DISMOUNTED CLOSE COMBAT (DCC) COURSES AA Skill at Arms (AA SAA) Instructors Course. AA SAA awards the SA(B)90 instr qual and is run by the Inf Wpns Div. AA SAA is designed to qualify NCOs, from All Arms and Services, in becoming weapons instructors and supervising live firing ranges. This course is 6 wks long and delivered twice per year. Inf Wpns Div runs a short version of this course for the TA: it is 2 wks long, runs twice per year and qualifies TA NCOs as SA(K)90 instrs. AA Live Firing Tactical Training (AA LFTT). AA LFTT awards the SA(A)90 qual and is run by Inf Wpns Div. AA LFTT is aimed at Offrs and SNCOs, from across the Army, to qualify them in planning and conducting LFTT ranges. This cse is 5 wks long and is delivered once per year. Inf Wpns Div runs a short version of this cse for the TA: 2 wks long, once per year and qualifies TA Offrs and SNCOs as SA(C)90 instrs. Platoon Tactics Course (PTC). PTC trains TA Pl Comds, Sgts and Sect Comds to comd and admin a Rifle Pl and a Rifle Sect, in order to meet the op reqts of the TA. PTC is a 2 wk cse; run twice per year; and delivered by Junior Div. PTC delivers: special to arm training for Infantry TA Pl Comds and promotion qualifying course to sub Sgt and Cpl for TA Infantry units. PTC is broken down into 3 streams, Pl Comds, Pl Sgts and Sect Comds, who combine to form platoons for field trg. Dismounted Close Combat Trainer (DCCT). DCCT is designed to qualify NCOs and Offrs, from All Arms and Services, in operating and maintaining the DCCT. Inf Wpns Div delivers: 5 System Manager cses per year and 8 Advanced Operator cses. Basic Tactics Course (BTAC). BTAC is designed to train NCOs, from Other Arms and Services, in basic Infantry tactics; and qualify them to conduct BEs and BLs. Students must be Defence Instructional Techniques (DIT) qualified. BTAC is 2 wks; runs 11 times per year; and delivered by Junior Div. OTHER COURSES Infantry Warrant Officers Course (IWOC). IWOC is designed to train Inf WOs in the mandatory CLM Pt 2 and Service elmnts; to deliver operational and administrative duties of an Inf WO, in order to meet the op reqts of the Field Army. IWOC attracts many outside speakers to ensure exposure to wider defence policy issues. IWOC is run 4 times per year; one wk long; with a capacity of 40. Target audience is CSgts about to assume WO appointments. Operational Shooting Training Team (OSTT). The OSTT delivers Close Quarter Marksmanship Advisor Courses (CQMAC) for Op HERRICK units. CQMAC aims to train and qualify SNCOs as CQM Advisors for deploying and training units. CQMAC is 3 days long, delivered by OSTT and comprises of SASC personnel (lead by the SMI from Inf Battle Sch). SAS Infantry Skills Course (ISC). SAS ISC is an inf skills cse for all non-infantry candidates loaded on SF Selection. The cse capacity is 40. This cse is run twice per year, lasts for 4 wks and is delivered by Senior Div with direction from DSF. Bespoke Pre-Deployment Training (PDT). 60mm Mor trg for units on PDT. Anti Structure Munitions (ASM) trg for PDT units. INFANTRY BATTLE SCHOOL COURSE APPLICATION Infantry Courses Handbook. Dates for all courses run at Inf Battle Sch are published in the annual Infantry Courses Handbook. Course Applications. Applicants for Inf Battle Sch courses must apply through their respective Training Wing to Courses Cell Warminster. HQ Inf will prioritise candidates. Joining Instructions. For those students awarded a place on a cse; the Joining Instructions (JIs) and course information can be found at https://www.armynet.mod.uk/club/pages/menu followed by typing IBS in the search bar. INFANTRY BATTLE SCHOOL POSTS The Inf Battle Sch is established for 300 Mil Pers: 37 Offrs (18 Instr Posts) 106 Sgt WO1s (76 Instr Posts); 157 Pte Cpls (Inf, RLC, REME, APTC, RAMC). Promotion prospects are extremely good for instrs. A quarter of the CSgts were selected for promotion to WO2 on the last board. Half of the CSMs were selected to fill RQMS appointments. Not just for Instructors: Inf Battle Sch caters for those younger indivs who are looking for a break from the norm. There are a myriad of posts avail to those with skills in the CIS, Asslt Pnr, G4, MT, LAD and Armr worlds.

PLANS Inf Battle Sch endeavours to update courses with the latest equipment and TTPs used on operations. Recent Developments Incorporated Into Training. 6xSN2 for COE trg during LFTT/SAA/BTAC courses. Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG). Rifle Hand Rail Adaptation for Marksmanship Trg. 60mm Mortar for PDT & T3 trg for deploying units. FOB usage during Command Courses. Osprey Body Armr. Anti Structure Munitions (ASM) drill rounds. Income Generation. Short Term Training Teams (STTTs) deploying overseas to assist foreign forces. Foreign Students loaded on selected courses. Infantry Battle School Website. https://www.armynet.mod.uk/club/pages/menu http://www.army.mod.uk/6932.aspx