Gorilla:
For those of you who weren't originally NCA and therefore didn't suffer some of the human rights abuses meted out on AAITC I suggest you look elsewhere.
Oh dear... Here comes the Airborne in this Aircrew.
Do you really think that anything that was done/said to you on AAITC was an "abuse of human rights"? The course was not really that physically demanding and while they messed us about they never really pushed us. Actually, it was much more about us having to push ourselves, motivate our mates and generally demonstrate a modicum of leadership and self discipline. The bolloxings: To be honest, until you've been berated by a Regiment Instructor you haven't been berated anywhere in the RAF. I've seen people physically beaten for outright demonstrations of weakness and lack of intestinal fortutude - and, to be honest, they deserved it and it had the required effect - they quit. We won't even discuss pre-pre Para and Pre-Para because you clearly wouldn't "get it", but I can assure you that, while making AAITC look like a Sunday afternoon in the pub, human rights were not abused. Actually, I'm unsure if your human rights can be abused if you have the option to walk into the Flt. Cdr's office and say "I quit".
AAITC was a good course, well balanced between taking youths that had completed only 6 weeks at Swinderby and "old sweats" with 10 years in and determining if they had what it takes to be NCA. It was a selection course, plain and simple. There was nothing you learned on AAITC that was of any use to you in the remainder of your career, that came later, (except maybe that pine poles are a pain)...
Lastly, I agree... Cranwell was for girls...
