Skip to main content
HonestMOS
●InvestigationsCongress made VA disability claims free to file. An entire industry charges veterans anyway — and nobody can stop them.→

Royal Marines Commando

Royal Marines

Earns the Green Beret after the Commando Tests — arguably the hardest entry qualification in the British military. Operates from the sea, in the Arctic, in the mountains, and wherever else no one sensible would go voluntarily.

Thirty-two weeks. That is how long it takes to earn the Green Beret at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, Lympstone — and it is the longest infantry initial training course in NATO. Attrition is significant: roughly thirty to forty percent of recruits who start do not finish, whether through injury, voluntary withdrawal, or failure. The training is designed to be hard because what comes after it is genuinely demanding. A Royal Marines Commando is expected to operate in Arctic conditions in Norway, in desert environments, and in the maritime role the Corps was built for. Daily life in 3 Commando Brigade alternates between intense exercise periods and garrison routine. Between major exercises there are guard duties, maintaining kit and weapons, and the normal administrative requirements of military life that nobody wants to tell you about at the AFCO. The Corps is smaller than the Army — roughly eight thousand trained ranks — which means a higher operational tempo per person. You will likely deploy more frequently than equivalent Army counterparts. The maritime dimension is genuine: exercises with the Royal Navy, amphibious operations, working off ships. If you pass out of Lympstone and join a Commando unit, the standard is expected to be maintained indefinitely. Physical standards are not something you achieve at Lympstone and then coast on; they are a permanent benchmark of the job.

Training

32-week Commando Course at CTCRM Lympstone, covering initial fitness (9 weeks), basic military skills, field exercises including Exercise Final Commando on Dartmoor, and culminating in the Commando Tests: 9-mile speed march (90 minutes), Tarzan Assault Course, Endurance Course, and 30-mile march across Dartmoor (8 hours). Pass rate historically around 60–70 percent of those who commence training. Mandatory further training: Basic Parachute Course and/or specialist mountain leader qualifying courses are available post-Commando.

Day to Day

A typical week in a Commando unit: PT at 0630 most mornings (running, circuits, or unit-level exercises), followed by section training, weapons drills, or field exercises. Maintenance of personal kit and weapons is a continuous expectation. When embarked on a Royal Navy vessel the routine adapts to ship's timetable but training continues. Exercises with allied Commando forces (USMC, Dutch Marines, Norwegian Jaegers) punctuate the year.

Career Path

Acting Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) promotion typically after 12-18 months; Corporal by year four to five. The Corps has specialist qualifications — Mountain Leader (ML), Swimmer Canoeist (SC), Signals — that dramatically shape career paths. A Mountain Leader ML2/ML1 is one of the most prestigious qualifications in the British military. SBS (Special Boat Service) selection is open to SC-qualified Marines. Warrant Officer and late-entry commission routes exist for career soldiers.

Civilian Skills

The Green Beret is one of the most recognised qualifications in the defence and security sector. Close protection, maritime security, adventure training, and military instruction are common civilian paths. The physical and leadership standards developed command genuine respect from civilian employers who understand what Lympstone involves. The Corps Alumni network is active and supportive of resettlement.

Basic Training
Phase 1
Role Classification
trade
Recruiter vs. Reality
What the AFCO says
  • →32 weeks of training — the longest infantry programme in NATO. The Green Beret is one of the most respected military qualifications in the world.
  • →Global Commando Force: Arctic warfare, amphibious ops, jungle and mountain environments. You'll operate where no other infantry force reaches.
  • →The Royal Marines build the kind of mental resilience and physical capability that changes who you are permanently — and that employers and society recognise.
What it's actually like
  • —Commando training has one of the highest attrition rates of any infantry programme in the British military. The 32-week clock assumes you pass every phase and the Commando Tests with no remedial training or injury. Pick up an injury — and you will — and you're in PRC or rolled back. Medical hold is a real part of the training landscape.
  • —Small corps. Narrow career pool. Senior posts are proportionally constrained; competition for promotion is intense within a tight community. The brotherhood is genuine. The limited senior establishment is a real constraint if you're aiming for the top of the rank structure.
  • —AFCAS shows Royal Marines reporting higher op satisfaction than the wider Army — and higher acknowledged rates of stress and post-op mental health issues. The resilience culture is real and a Corps strength. It also creates documented barriers to help-seeking that are only slowly being addressed.
Based on common experiences · No verified reviews yetAdd your experience →

No reviews yet

Served as Royal Marines Commando in Royal Marines? Be the first to share what recruiter or afco tell you about this trade?.

Add Your Experience
Royal Marines
Royal Marines Commando
the British Armed Forces · trade
OPSEC:Under the Official Secrets Act, do not disclose unit movements, operational planning, classified equipment capabilities, or force readiness figures. You can share your honest experience of service life without putting anyone at risk.
Ratings
Overall *
Training
Leadership
Work/Life Balance
Advancement

Optional — what were you told or led to believe about this role?

0/2000

Required — minimum 50 characters. Be specific and honest.

0/5000

Optional

0/2000

Optional

0/2000
Post As
FAQ

Royal Marines Commando (Royal Marines) — Frequently Asked Questions

Q01Is Royal Marines Commando in the Royal Marines (United Kingdom) worth it?
Recruiter messaging emphasizes: 32 weeks of training — the longest infantry programme in NATO. The Green Beret is one of the most respected military qualifications in the world.. Global Commando Force: Arctic warfare, amphibious ops, jungle and mountain environments. You'll operate where no other infantry force reaches.. However, service member accounts indicate: Commando training has one of the highest attrition rates of any infantry programme in the British military. The 32-week clock assumes you pass every phase and the Commando Tests with no remedial training or injury. Pick up an injury — and you will — and you're in PRC or rolled back. Medical hold is a real part of the training landscape.. Small corps. Narrow career pool. Senior posts are proportionally constrained; competition for promotion is intense within a tight community. The brotherhood is genuine. The limited senior establishment is a real constraint if you're aiming for the top of the rank structure.
Q02What does the Royal Marines tell recruits about Royal Marines Commando?
32 weeks of training — the longest infantry programme in NATO. The Green Beret is one of the most respected military qualifications in the world. Global Commando Force: Arctic warfare, amphibious ops, jungle and mountain environments. You'll operate where no other infantry force reaches. The Royal Marines build the kind of mental resilience and physical capability that changes who you are permanently — and that employers and society recognise.
Q03What is Royal Marines Commando in United Kingdom actually like according to veterans?
Commando training has one of the highest attrition rates of any infantry programme in the British military. The 32-week clock assumes you pass every phase and the Commando Tests with no remedial training or injury. Pick up an injury — and you will — and you're in PRC or rolled back. Medical hold is a real part of the training landscape. Small corps. Narrow career pool. Senior posts are proportionally constrained; competition for promotion is intense within a tight community. The brotherhood is genuine. The limited senior establishment is a real constraint if you're aiming for the top of the rank structure. AFCAS shows Royal Marines reporting higher op satisfaction than the wider Army — and higher acknowledged rates of stress and post-op mental health issues. The resilience culture is real and a Corps strength. It also creates documented barriers to help-seeking that are only slowly being addressed.
Q04What does a Royal Marines Commando do in the Royal Marines?
Earns the Green Beret after the Commando Tests — arguably the hardest entry qualification in the British military. Operates from the sea, in the Arctic, in the mountains, and wherever else no one sensible would go voluntarily.
🔒

Under the Official Secrets Act, do not disclose unit movements, operational planning, classified equipment capabilities, or force readiness figures. You can share your honest experience of service life without putting anyone at risk.

Other Roles in Royal Marines
Royal Marines Band MusicianMountain LeaderSwimmer Canoeist