Army Training Unit

Army Training Unit
Army Training Unit
Active	2005-present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Role	Training
Part of	Army Recruiting and Initial Training Command (ARITC)

Army Training Units (ATU) provide Basic Training for a proportion of Army Reserve recruits in the British Army.

Description[]

Army Training Units (ATU) are commanded and staffed by UK Army Reservists. Along with Regular Army Training Regiments (ATR), they provide Basic Training to Army Reserve recruits, except those joining the Honourable Artillery Company^[1] and 4 PARA^{[citation needed]}. Reserves recruits are selected at an Army Recruit Selection Centre. They then undertake a short basic training course known as ‘alpha', over four weekends or a residential week. The alpha course is followed by a 15.5-day residential 'bravo' course to achieve trained soldier status. These generic courses teach essential elements of the Regular Common Military Syllabus 2014 (CMS 14). Recruits will then attend Initial Trade Training courses as stipulated by their cap badge / Corps. The Honourable Artillery Company currently runs its own alpha course twice a year.

History[]

ATUs were created as Regional Training Centres (RTC) - which were in turn created from Brigade Specialist Training Teams (STT) - to provide basic training and specialist courses for the UK Army Reserve (formerly the Territorial Army). They were originally commanded and administered by their local Regional Forces (RF) Brigade. From 2012 they were renamed Army Training Units and command of the ATUs passed to Initial Training Group (ITG), part of the Army Recruiting and Training Division (ARTD), now part of ARITC. ITG is responsible for all Army Basic Training, both Regular and Reserve, except Regular Standard Entry Infantry.

In 2013-14, ATU South moved from Malta Barracks, Aldershot to Pirbright and was then closed, with its staff subsumed into 2 ATR (a Regular unit) as its Reserves-only D Company. ATUs were further rationalised in 2017, with two units amalgamating to become ATUs North and West. ATU West Midlands retained its location but was reduced to a training company of ATR Grantham (a Regular unit that solely trains Reserves). This rationalisation also meant the removal of specialist course delivery and the deletion of the 'S' Companies at the ATUs (and hence the amalgamations). This training is now delivered by the relevant Defence, ARITC or Land Warfare Centre (LWC) Schools.

Locations[]

ATU North – Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall and Altcar Training Camp
ATU Northern Ireland – Ballykinler Training Centre
ATU Scotland – Redford Barracks
ATU West – Wyvern Barracks, Exeter and Maindy Barracks, Cardiff

Reserves Basic Training courses (ALPHA and BRAVO) are also delivered by:

Army Training Centre Pirbright (ATC P), comprising 1 and 2 Army Training Regiments (1 and 2 ATR) and HQ Regiment, located at Alexander Barracks, Pirbright
Army Training Regiment Winchester (ATR W) located at Sir John Moore Barracks, Winchester
Army Training Regiment Grantham (ATR G) located at Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, Grantham and Venning Barracks, Donnington

References[]

^ "Frequently Asked Questions". HAC. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2008. The HAC runs two Recruits' courses each year, beginning in February/March and September/October. The Recruits course lasts six months and involves training each Tuesday evening, roughly one weekend a month and a ten-day final assessment.

External links[]

Army Training Units at army.mod.uk

[1] "Frequently Asked Questions". HAC. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2008. The HAC runs two Recruits' courses each year, beginning in February/March and September/October. The Recruits course lasts six months and involves training each Tuesday evening, roughly one weekend a month and a ten-day final assessment.

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