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Infantry Platoon Officer Infantry

Combat

You’re in charge of a highly trained rifle platoon, capable of operating in all environments and types of conflict. Fifteen months of training gives you the command skills needed to lead your platoon into combat. You’re responsible for training, operations and logistics, as well as for the morale, welfare and career development of your soldiers.

Are you right for this role?

You should be:

  • Sex: Male
  • Regular Army Age: 18 - 26 years
  • Territorial Army Age: 18 - 34.11 years

You should have:

  • Qualifications: 180 UCAS points and 35 ALIS points at GCSE, (including a minimum grade C in English, Maths and a science or foreign language).

You should like:

  • Taking risks and feeling the adrenaline
  • Taking the lead and managing people
  • Responsibility and decision-making
  • Outdoor activities
  • Working outside
  • Computing and technology
  • Target or game shooting

You should be interested or have experience in:

  • Combat
  • Management
  • Telecommunication
  • Human Resources
  • Security

Lieutenant Tony Bryant explains what it's like to be an Infantry Platoon Commander

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Infantry Platoon Officer

I’m in charge of fit, motivated, professional soldiers and it’s my job to lead them in training and on operations. Sandhurst was a great experience and taught me lots about leadership. The Platoon Commanders Battle Course was a great finishing school, and I’ve put all my training into practice. I’ve led my platoon on exercises in the UK and Kenya, and on operations in Afghanistan. It's the ultimate challenge!

 

Regular Army

Training

Your initial training will be at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) and takes 44 weeks. All Army Officers attend RMAS, it will teach you how to be a British Army Officer and how to lead men on and off the battlefield. If you are lucky enough to gain a place in an Infantry Regiment you will then attend the Platoon Commanders Battle Course. This takes place in Brecon, Wales, and lasts 16 weeks. The course focuses on producing tactically capable Platoon Commanders, who are physically and mentally robust. The course involves tactics and range work. The tactics phase takes 10 weeks and finishes in a 3 week overseas exercise, these have been to Malawi, Belize and Kenya. The ranges provide you with a qualification to conduct some of the most realistic training in the world using live rounds in may different environments.

Skills you can learn

Officer training helps you develop your existing skills as a leader and teaches you many new ones. You learn combat skills such as how to handle and fire a weapon, as well as basic infantry tactics. As part of this, you also learn how to think and act decisively under pressure, and how to manage people from widely differing backgrounds. You also learn how to make crucial decisions while moving across difficult terrain, how to command and lead your team in combat, and manage them in camp. Infantry Platoon Commanders are top of their game. They continuously learn new leadership and command skills, which prepare you for the rest of your career. You also master core combat skills and, where necessary, develop specialist, niche qualifications.

Qualifications you can achieve

  • Leadership
  • Chartered Institute of Personnel Development
  • City & Guilds certificate in Human Resource Management
  • Postgraduate certificate in Human Resource Management
  • Core Combat Skills
  • Chartered Management Institute
  • Edexel/BTEC certificate in Management Studies

Territorial Army

Training

To become a Platoon Commander in your spare time, you must first pass the Territorial Officer Commissioning Course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The two-week Territorial Platoon Commanders Battle Course then prepares you to take charge of your team. Further study is also a possibility. Territorial training is flexible, so you can balance it with other commitments.

Skills you can learn

Platoon Commanders continuously learn new leadership and command skills, which prepare you for the rest of your career. You also master core combat skills and, where necessary, develop specialist niche qualifications.

Qualifications you can achieve

  • Leadership
  • Chartered Institute of Personnel Development
  • City & Guilds certificate in Human Resource Management
  • Postgraduate certificate in Human Resource Management
  • Core Combat Skills
  • Chartered Management Institute
  • Edexel/BTEC certificate in Management Studies

Move up the ranks

  • Second Lieutenant

    On commissioning, you become a Second Lieutenant. You join your Regiment and take command of a platoon of about 30 soldiers. Your job is to ensure they develop into an effective team. You're also responsible for their combat capability, training, and welfare and career development.

  • Lieutenant

    You’re promoted automatically from Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant. The job doesn’t change, but your pay increases. At this stage, your main objective is to use your experience and leadership skills to the benefit of your platoon and company. You also begin to train for promotion to Captain.

  • Captain

    You learn more about military tactics and develop your leadership skills further. You take on new and varied roles, such as leading a small team of specialists, working as second-in-command of a larger unit, and being the principal advisor to the Commanding Officer on operations.

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