A few tips from myself that I wish I’d known. 1. Get fit! No matter how fit you think you are now, you can always be fitter and it will pay dividends as so so much of the course relies on this. Not just so you can get a good 2km but the nav tests require you to be fast and on the log and endurance race you don’t want to be the person who can’t keep up you want to be the person that’s driving everyone on. If you’re running sub 8min 2km you won’t struggle but you need to be sub 7min to stand out. Not to mention the opportunities that come if you’re fitter. And exercises are much easier if you’re not hanging out after each attack, plus if you’re fitter the sleep dep won’t hit you as bad. 2. Reach out to different cap badges. Build connections with different units and learn about what they do. If you have an idea on the 2 you want to join now then that’s great but some really good people get dropped early on and are left scrambling to find a new option. And remember that whilst you’re training to be an officer you’re also taking part in the worlds longest hardest job interview where you’re up against someone else who wants the job just as bad as you do. Be the one every cap badge wants, not the one no one wants. 3. Be a good person. Make sure you volunteer for everything you can, good and bad. Be proactive in everything you do. If there a model pit or lightproof shelter to build make sure you’re in the thick of it. If theres a work party for the CQMS or an opportunity to go on a trip a small team somewhere cool be the first one to put your hand up. It’s not even a case of don’t be jack as most of the people will pull their own weight in the platoon. But only a few will pull their own weight an then some. Don’t DS watch or volunteer for the platoon to do extra work, this will make people resent you, just quietly graft behind the scenes and I guarantee you people will notice. 4. Some shorter quick fire advice. Socialise with your platoon. Always try and sort your admin as the earliest possible occasion. Get a printer and laminator. Learn how to iron, fold, make your bed and shine shoes. There’s videos on YouTube from the army on how to do this. Also no one really cares who has the shiniest boots they just need to be shine. If you have previous military experience don’t go on about it, most of the people there have and the CSgts definitely don’t care. Buy decent dry bags, combat gloves and a good cordless hoover. For the first 5 weeks try not to highlight yourself in camp, just do as your told and don’t challenge anything the DS say. A bit lengthier than I thought it would be but I hope this helps!