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A new Army Initial Foundation Training continuum undergoing trials could accelerate recruit training at Kapooka to be completed 25 per cent faster, according to Defence officials.
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The new continuum is designed to be a common pathway for full and part-time recruits and started its second stage of trials at Army Recruit Training Centre – Kapooka on 22 August.
Once completed, the continuum will be reviewed for effectiveness before being considered to fully replace the current Army Recruit Course in January 2024 and become part of initial entry training for staff cadets entering the Royal Military College in Duntroon from January 2024.
The course has three, 21-day modules to progress recruits from induction through to combat behaviours and foundation warfighting; matching skills delivered on the previous Army Recruit Course.
Module A, for both reserve and full-time recruits, focuses on embedding combat behaviours and meeting mandatory training requirements.
Module B covers service mastery, application of combat behaviours, physical conditioning, resilience training, weapon qualifications, and combat marksmanship continuum up to Rifle Practice 3A.
Module C prepares full-time recruits with foundation warfighting skills and qualifications needed to move onto Initial Entry Training for their respective corps or trade.
Commandant Land Combat College Brigadier Jason Groat said updates to training were needed to ensure more soldiers could be trained quickly if required and the modularised nature means recruit training could be quickly adapted to changing strategic circumstances.
“The trials we are running at Kapooka are showing us that we can continue to generate well-trained soldiers in less time by making some changes to the way we have done business in the past,” BRIG Groat said.
“If there are areas where we need to make adjustments, we will do so.
“Army could rapidly generate Module A qualified soldiers in response to a large-scale natural disaster or pandemic.
“Another possibility enabled would be the rapid upskilling of Reserve soldiers in response to other strategic circumstances.”
Full-time Army personnel have previously undertaken around 12 weeks or 35 days for Reservists at Kapooka for physical training, weapon handing, shooting, first aid, drill, and field craft.
