Royal Marines Training: Rehabilitation is More Effective than New Recruitment

Research Paper Title

Investigation of the Operational Effectiveness of Hunter Company, Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines.

Background

The aim of the study was to investigate the operational effectiveness of Hunter Company, Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (RM) in rehabilitating injured RM recruits, through the collection of demographic, medical, and performance data for one year’s intake of RM recruits (N=1115).

Methods

Flow models for progression through mainstream training and through Hunter Company were developed. The data were analysed to determine the week of training in which different injuries occurred and the duration and outcome of rehabilitation.

Results

60% of ex-Hunter Company recruits were successfully returned to mainstream training and graduated successfully.

Conclusions

Given that the median number of weeks in training before injury was 24 and the median time taken to recover from an injury was 14 weeks, it is more effective to rehabilitate a recruit in Hunter Company than to discharge him and replace him with a new recruit.

Reference

Munnoch, K. & Bridger, R.S. (2008) Investigation of the Operational Effectiveness of Hunter Company, Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines. Military Medicine. 173(2), pp.129-133.