Officer Cadet Zara Ferguson shares her experience of Week 3 of the Royal Naval Reserve's (RNR) "Accelerated Officer Programme" (AOP). Based at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, and at sea, AOP is a fast track, intensive training course for the Royal Navy's Reserve Officers. It condenses up to two-years of initial training into an 8-week, consolidated programme. AOP takes place across the summer months each year between July and September. This year there are 39 Officer Cadets, 3 Reserve Chaplains and 6 full-time Royal Navy Chaplains participating. The course is specifically designed to accelerate the training and careers of its participants, encompassing the core elements of Initial Naval Training, including Militarisation, Marinisation, fire-fighting and sea survival, leadership and Initial Sea Time. AOP culminates in a Passing Out Parade, which will be held at HMS Excellent this year. Course attendees come from a diverse range of civilian occupations, including teachers, police officers, civil servants, and various other jobs. There are also students, from the University Royal Navy Units across the country, who have transferred to the RNR in order to be able to attend the course, and who will be able to transfer directly into their local RNR units on completion of their university degrees.

• published: 14 Aug 2020
• views: 266