Young soldiers 3 - Countdown to Afghanistan 

These blokes are tough as. No question. Takes balls of steel to knowingly go into danger and put everything on the line. Respect from Australia 🇦🇺

Chuckles is a legend, clearly loves his troops

Absolute heroes, all of them. I'm ex-military myself, and miss it terribly! I hope all the men featured are doing well, wherever they may be now 🙏

It really hit me when Andrew said footballers are getting paid thousands of dollars but what soldiers are getting paid for sacrificing their whole lives and families are nothing compared to that. All brave heroes! Always wish them to return back as they are. Honestly it’s hard for them to return as themselves after going in to a war but I pray for them to survive and comeback.

The saying goodbye to the family bit is fucking tough.. My first time away I was living with my parents, the taxi came to pick me up and the last hugs & kisses were made.. I got into the cab and told him what barracks I was going to, I was still trying to hold my shit together but the cab driver knew and said something like ''mate, its tough. I've been there and done that, you'll be grand'', that broke the ice and put me back into army mode. Then you walk in through the gates and all the lads are still, and already you've begun your tour.

Can we just appreciate the high fidelity of that simulation? Those Afghans did an incredible job.

I love the fact in the middle of the video their uniform changed from the DPMs to MTPs.

Fantastic series, thank you for posting this

Thank you for making and sharing this series. Much apreciated! Hope they are all back safe now and enjoying their lifes with wife, kid(s), new girlfriend, mothers, friends and others. Love from Holland ❤

The way I see it we will always need soldiers, we will always need men and women like these and I have the utmost respect for every man and woman who sign on the dotted line to serve their country. Hell I can't wait to join them.

This series is brilliant we done men stay strong

Absolutely beautiful

I left the army before my old regiment was swallowed up by the rifles (ex light infantry). But watching this brought back some great memories of times gone by.

probably the best thing i have seen the bbc produce in decades, this is reality and this is what the public should be shown, not the x factor and all the crap that is on tv. i served with the devon and dorsets before the amalgamation, it was sad when it happened but seeing this means it's still going on, hopefully the lads will go far.

Oh to be young again…..that touched my heart, you’d just follow chuckles and his men wouldn’t you….. brilliant

When the bbc used to actually make good documentaries

Totally agree with what Forti said 😊

I crieds after watching all episodes

27:48 BLoody good effort by the civ pop! Well done!

I think this is the hardest but the best

Meads is so switched on. Smart young man.

Can't believe I'm just watching this on you tube, never saw it when it was first aired, it's a brilliant warts and all documentary about turning a civilian into a soldier and sending them to war. I'm ex Scots guards so can relate to the trials and tribulations of being a soldier and being sent on tour with a battalion.

I was a nine year old boy when my old man was first deployed, ten years old for the second deployment and eleven for his third, to the war in Viet Nam. I joined up when I was fifteen and a half. I understand, only too much, what these lads and their families went through. My great grand dad served in the AIF in WWI, my grand dad in the RAAF in WW2 my dad in Viet Nam, me in the "Cold War". Now, in my seventh decade on this rock, I understand the futility of war, the harm it causes to families, to friends to communities and to countries, no matter to whom what community or country one belongs. And so it continues ad infinitum. War is a crime against humanity.

IED lesson, on OP Banner ITA & PIRA used mechanical, pressure, pressure release, trip wire, don't pull unless with A&H line, do not cut tight string, anti lift and what the officer said, light sensitive switch (torches in dark areas) , there was also a switch, not often used, was cutting light out , tilt switch, electrical switch, delayed switch (2 electrode in a water bottle) with a 9v or a couple of AA's, radio control. Being a RE search commander as well as all our sapper work, I had the not so much pleasure of coming across all the above and a few I've forgotten. IRA and PIRA pretty good at placing booby yraps

The look Darren's Mum gives him at 52:11 is just heartbreaking. . .

You'll never loose the warrior spirit out of a uk man, its fortitude is ancient....i would have thought the guy from northampton would have gone to the poachers...

Gutted part 4 isn't on anything anymore, good series this

They need to pay for insurance of themselves and their kit?? What madness is that? Life insurance...maybe. But their kit? That's ridiculous!

Boy does all the predeployment activities bring back some painful memories

Watching this at the end of August 2021, just as the allies have scurried out of Afghanistan . It's, I don't know, real shame a lot of these kids died plainfully for fuck all.

I love Thetford!

The music at the end of this episode where they are shipping out/ mums are at home really makes you think. Starts around 53:26

Why does he want to be a soldier and not my daddy - fuck man that’s the saddest thing I’ve heard. I still have the copy of the gruffalo from when my parents used to read it to me

When I got to my first unit in the US Army, they were just getting BACK from 15 months in Iraq. Was a shitty time. Didn't have a deployment to prove myself. Took a while. The hazing went on and on and on haha. Made me strong though.

So is everyone here going to forget the fact the taliban have 100% control of the country and we lost men and resources for nothing.

The UK should never have gone into Afghanistan. There was no possibility of a 'win'. The country should be sealed off. Let them do whatever they want internally. No aid. Nothing. Let them self destruct.

This seemed like one of the best times to be a soldier am not sure why anyone would join today given that no major action apart from humanitarian missions is going on. Must be frustrating to do all that training yet not able to put it into action.

where can i watch the other 2 episodes really like this series

My partner is an ex soldier you never really come back from the wars he has bad eyes from grenades exposure and deafness nightmare s and alot of guilt just for surviving

When somebody mentions them going on tour it sounds like they are talking about a music band, there's nothing exciting about the type of tours they young lads will be experiencing. And especially how it ended. Terribly frustrating.

You can find other the other episodes by other uploaders as well they are are just worded different in the titles, I've just watched a few mins of episode 5.

Wonder what they are doing now fab documentary

sad seeing jonathan mckinlay at 34:15

Need episode 4

The eyebrows on that lass are noodles

Felt sick watching the last 10 minutes of this. Something i'm glad now thay i didnt have to deal with, leaving a family.

Ah man. I remember that feeling of being the new lad. Feeling home sick for Catterick😂😂

45:24 man couldn’t help himself 😂😂👀👀

Excellent but where's Episode 4?

I noticed there a Royal Marines Officer, maybe attached as a Troop Commander. How do I know he was an officer, the split cap badge

EYEBROWS

Respect 2 all of english soldiers God bless you all

Chuckles and his misses look so much alike. I think thay maybe brother and sister!!!

What a load of bollox. Piss poor pay £29 - £30 a day. Then you got get insurance for yourself & your kit. What kind of country is this when you have to get your service personal to insure themselves. So wrong!

It kills me that these brave men and women went to fight for nothing. The Afghanistan pullout destroyed everything that these people died/put their lives for.

So anyone know what happened to Young Soldiers 4? Can't find it anywhere!

Where is episode 4 😬

@41:47 - That's exactly why I hate sports people like footballers as they are given money, they dont 'earn' it. A Soldier more than earns their pay.

Where is episode 4?

The narratieve that they fight for there country is like they fight for the power of oil metals

Episode 4 please

Can't you get 4/5 uploaded

When you have 18 years old you are an Adult to make dicisions to do or go wherever you want...

Hats off to all our armed forces who are definitely underpaid and underappreciated by some 👏👏👏

I realise that this video is a decade old but seeing the accommodation that they are provide with is a disgrace to the British Army, the M.O.D and to the British taxpayers, I left service life behind in 2003 and I only ever had one single persons accommodation in my 24 years service, and it was superb, that was back in 1980, single room, well built with a decent amount of storage space, built in desk and sink, shared ablutions and common room and a door that I could lock for privacy and security, and yet these guys have little more than a a bed, table and chair, lockers and NO door, a curtain for goodness sake, NO privacy and NO security, and to cap it all the HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, deducted from their salary alongside food, prisoners in jail and illegal immigrants get better accommodation and food FREE OF CHARGE, unless the system has changed, which I doubt, I find it offensive and disgusting how they are treated, shame on you the British Army and M.O.D.

Where part 4 please

Someone link me the next episode plz

That OC, chuckles, what a soldier. What a great family man too. Decent human being, who organised a good - GOOD - pre tour training package and got involved with his company ... a far cry from the fucking ruperts we endured and, on tours, fucking ignored because they were arrogant and high handed and pompous and knew fuck all about real soldiering! I grew up in 1 Para and only ever spoke with my OC on the day I left the Reg. Stood in his office as he read out what he'd written in my red discharge book, telling me what an exceptional Paratrooper I was, how good I'd been etc etc and all I was thinking at the time was 'how the fuck would you know, you prick?!' Joined as a schoolboy and left as a capable man and all I remember of the ruperts was that they couldn't ... whatever it was, they just fucking couldn't do it.

What is the title of the outro music?

20 years in Afghanistan, all that blood, treasure and lives wasted for nothing

Do you have the last two episodes

I'll be there soon

Are the Soldiers mainly Darren and Andrew are still in the Army today?

47:00 Jodies going for her

woee,, just heard 2 para mentioned, best reg ever

Hats

Hi

43:17 "Commanidng Officer?" There only one CO in a battalionand that's te Lt-Col! Bloody civvies! The on Officer Commanding or a Company Commander, not a CO. It's the British Army not the US Army!

When will you be putting the next episodes up?

i think i would be more scared climbing aboard that Lockheed Tri-Star aircraft than fighting taliban. blimey, it was obsolete by airlines in 1980's where the hell did the RAF get that from?

Whats the song at the end?

This is so sad with the benefit of hindsight. As I write this, the Taliban are back in control of Afghanistan and these lads risked, even lost, their lives for very little.

What is the name of the song in the credits at the end?

Next episode????

They're devorced now

I'm watching a British program in England and the subtitles are American English . ?

Why does a Darren already have his Afghan Medal at the wedding but has yet to deploy???

Small battallion 110 men think that means company

25:58 looks like a normal day in england 🤣🤣

You still active?

Plz do u have episode 4

One lad prodding for booby trap with his face almost directly above any explosive charge. Get on the ground, flat and extend your arm full length, do you feel, light hand Brush checking for anything out of the ordinary. Then should, the charge go off you only lose your hands and some arm, as long as it's a small charge

do soldiers get paid more when being deployed to Afghanistan

Will anyone be there in 4 year if so leave your Instagram and we’re your from

Bet she did wait for him...🤔

Meeting a chick you really like before you head off, would be bloody tough!!!!!!

38:08

The spouse is on their own, like a single mom...don't forget this

Is anyone thinking of joining this year I’m turning 18 soon

They juat came out of basic training so they should be fit as fuck compaired to the old sweats