As Promised

Well, I've managed to get on for a second evening in a row now, so as promised here are a few more details.

As I was saying, the first week has been very focused on coaching New Entry Troop 1/07 through the basics of military life. The Training team have been nice and firm, but fair in how they're treating us, with the focus very much on training rather than beasting. Nothing they have done so far has been without reason, and even the small little things have been few and far between.

I myself have been fairing rather well in inspections so far, receiving very good comment on uniform in particular. Tomorrow, as I said sees the first of our locker inspections, so we will see if the weekends hard work has paid off.

This morning we attended church, all together as a troop. It was a good service, at St. Anne's. It's a church actually in the Dockyard. Very lovely building and an incredibly welcoming congregation. It turns out the Warrant Officer 1 Bandmaster for the School of Music also attends there, so am slowly building up a profile of Christians in the Band Service.

This week holds a few more challenges. We will be starting our rifle training this week, as well as spending our first night out in the field. That'll include the wonders of Wet / Dry Drills. More details on that later! PT will continue with a vengeance as well, with the first of our swimming sessions expected any day now. Emotions are running slightly wild. Sometimes excited, sometimes a little sad, mainly nervous and tired at the moment. But, still, looking forward to seeing what another week holds.

The guys in my room are pretty cool, getting on very well with them, having a good laugh and working together maintaining some degree of order with our kit etc. Slowly getting to know one another, filling each other in on our backgrounds which is good fun.

For now I should probably go, I need to report in with the Duty Corporal, and don;t want to annoy him by being late.

Do keep checking the Royal Marines Band website. They'll be more updates on there too, including diary entries and pictures.

Nathan


www.royalmarinesbands.co.uk