What an inspirational, funny and genuine insight into your experience. No airs or graces, just a true account from another true Legend. Cheers Phil, breath taking.
Oh my God brother I have never laughed so hard and been intrigued so deeply listening to any selection story, but yours truly takes the cake. The imagery in your storytelling is phenomenal and your country was blessed to have a good hearted, mostly honest, hardened soldier like yourself. Love from Florida, keep going with the podcasts man you're killing everything still. Really good shit man, hats off to you!
Great series, extremely well told. As an Ex-RAF Aircraft Engineer, it really brings home the "right people for the right job" ethos. I was never tough, but loved the institution. Listening to Phil echos the same feelings. Definitely the right attitude in what seems to me an impossible 6 months. Respects
That’s a fantastic and funny story Phil. I can totally relate to that. I was a SNCO in 15 coy 4 Para. I had just done basic Para and went straight to an exchange, with the Fallschirmjager’s, I was handed a T10 and a T10R, with no ground training, no fight swing training or aircraft drills. My muckers were pissing their selves at me because I didn’t know how to use the belly strap for the T10R, so i just tucked it in my smock pocket, thank fuck I didn’t need my reserve. We loaded up into the C160 , i was No 1 in the door and was looking for the red/green light, I didn’t know jack shit about the clackson. Great times
Hi Phil, You just made my day. Laughed my head off. I cannot believe the RAF did not cover exit flight and landing drills in the hanger before you drew and fit chutes. Being stood there and thinking what the f,,,,ks this thing!!! I nearly fell off me couch laughing at your predicament. I jumped skyvan with equipment years ago just as balloon was getting canned. On landing and going to manifest for another jump ( meant to be clean fatigue training. I was mad keen and took my cspep preped bergan along and pji did not bat an eye lid). He quietly told me to bin my cspep and forget I had just jumped! Followed by im not cleared for equipment jumps yet. You must be first bloke in Military to lob out of a sky van with equipment.I I thought EHHHHHHHHHH. Those were the days.Billy M...E the one that painted pictures was the PJI. Not sure if you would know him. I did not know you had this pod cast so will be watching the rest. I watched you cooking beans etc last year. cheers.
Haha! What a great story teller you are. Thoroughly enjoyed your short videos. I did experience the 'Trees' during my time with the Gurkhas and have taken some young people on a jungle expedition via Sarawak and Sabah, later on. I probably didn't get tested as much as the selection test, but living in the rain forest does require unique skills in terms of personal management.
Certainly did enjoy it....the parachuting into the sea really made me laugh. We see guys parachuting into the sea quite often off the Poole coast. What a fab series of broadcasts that was. As a non serviced person who has enjoyed meeting so many military guys over the years, I can generally spot them from the way they talk....self confidence, cracking sense of humour, no airs and graces...just saying it like it is....I think the British have a mindset that makes for superb military prowess. It's one thing we do very well.
Great Insight Phil, I love the fact the badging was as casual as could be, kind of fitting really. Did you ever work alongside any other Countries SF and who stands out
Great watching these Phil. As an ex Matelot I'd love to know about the career path from Submariner to SAS. I'm guessing Commando trained Medic or Communications? (or a f@(£ing steep learning curve) When will you get to the underwater knife fighting course? Was pissing myself at your jump story 😂😂
in 3 para most blokes would spend the day trying to dodge shit jobs. counting ski poles or painting fences. the trg program was pretty gumpf, you were treated like a child and thats because most blokes were pissied up dickheads. in the eve blokes would hit the gym then drink then smash the block up. im not joking. lots of blokes were on gear so they had massive rages not only in the lines but downtown also. there was some arctic and jungle trg, making ieds from icecream tubs with bolts ballbearings and pe, good fun until one bloke got his foot blown off. lots of blokes left and didnt know what they would do outside, most blokes got into fibre optic cable laying as there was a big call for this at that time, humping and dumping heavy shit all day, paras are good at this. not great when you are 50-60. this is when i realised i should have joined the marines, thinking soldiers. i decided to get a qualification i could take to civvy street. who needs a paratrooper that can setup mortars or sf gpmp, exactly no-one. tfo to ramc, completed trg and became anaesthetic and surgical practitioner, has served me and my family well. i work as locum in the nhs earning six fig salary and take plenty of time off to spend with kids, we would not have this lifestyle if not for getting out of para reg. being despised by 650 men for being a 'hat cunt', it was worth it. i wonder where most of those blokes are now. i cannot comment on a normal day in the regt as i was not a member although i did spent a few months attached to H as med support and actually met quite a few ex 3 para lads that were badged, small world!
@@paulreeves1787😂😂hi mate, hope all is good? I can also confirm this mentality amongst a lot of the blokes, I was 9plt C coy and left in 1997 best thing I ever did...... Glad I joined the best Regiment in the Army but also glad I had the sense to call it a day 👍🇬🇧🟩🆎
@@LYSS89this is special forces Tier 1 mate. Equivalent of Hell Week gets done when you’re entering Paras (who make up most of the SAS) or Royal Marines (most of the SBS). Royal Marines basic training is the longest and most arduous of none special forces units globally. Check out Gritty Soldier doing the Fan Dance - he’s a very fit operator and trains like a madman, he was still way, way off the pace of the usual front runners.. and some of the U.K. SF guys have done near 2 hour times in full kit with weapon, after being flogged, not fresh and ready to go. It’s a whole different level, and their mindset is something else - again, the mindset is what separates an average of 7 men out of 200+ or so to pass. It’s the top 1% of the top 1%.
