My lad is getting very close to the point of choosing this as a career and I am trying to gleen as much info as possible from anyone who has any experiance.
Any info welcome or you can email me in my profile, just want the best for him as he wants to improve himself constantly while getting an apprentiship as well.
Cheers 😀
you need to be looking in this weeks radio times,as there is an article about RM training on a tv programe starting soon, and have a quick look at the picture , they failed to ban.
Hope you have a sence oof humour as does your son.
Don't look too close though... Lol
He needs to concentrate on his fitness & endurance, running and plenty of it, basic at first then start to use a rucksack with a small amount of weight in it and increase the weight, then move to some offload running with plenty of hills.
Circuit training too, a good call could be get him to train with a local rugby club for some strength and conditioning....... Above all, he needs to want & believe, and set himself some major goals..........
Go and talk to the RN/RM Careers guys, he'll get plenty of info from them, beauty about the RM is that they offer a wide range of different disciplines/trades as well as the opportunity to serve with some of the countries best.
Good luck.
I do a lot of work with the Marines and armed forces in general. The thing that normally sets the Marines apart is their intelligence and overall fitness ability.
He needs to focus on his fitness lots and watch all the videos on youtube on the correct way to do exercises. Being able to do a million pressups is useless unless they are the correct pressups etc.
He will be trained to do the soldier type stuff when he is in but his first few weeks are made a lot easier if he's a fit guy and doesn't get as knackered with the phys stuff.
I'm not military in any way but have worked alongside a fair few ex Marines, I personally think their all a little mad... but very strong characters who have a lot of self belief ingrained in them via their training, dependable - every one of them, when ever I've worked alongside one I've never had to watch my back. If its truely his thing then go for it.
No such thing as an ex Royal Marine. Once a Royal Marine always a Bootneck.
If he wants to do it then he needs to work on fitness. He also needs determination. Fitness is nothing without determination.
100% recommended. Also helps if your not 6ft 5in. Has he done the PRC yet?
During my time in the RN met plenty of BOOTNECKS a cut well above your average squaddie type,they are all slightly mad as mentioned above.
The fitness level required on entry is very high, would advise if he is serious training with this mob [url= http://britmilfit.com ]http://www.britmilfit.com/[/url] as many of the instructors are ex marines.
Good luck to him
Some good advice but dont let him overdo the running with weights and rucksack thing, he risks injury before he gets in and they will build him up slowly to that level anyway, if he wants to carry packs go for long brisk paced walks in the hils, ie average 4km per hours over 5 hours. Concentrate on upper body exercises such as chin ups, rope climbing if possible ie lifting your own bodyweight stuff and long (10) mile steady runs just to buIld up endurence.
If he fancies going for the Military proper he could MTFU and join the Para Reg. 😉
If he thinks about the paras, then he will have to include lots of shouting in his training regime 😉
Marines = thinking mans soldier
Paras = death or glory boys
He'll need to be extremely fit and strong. My younger brother tried out for the Marines; he got through the whole course then finished the final run 7 minutes late so they failed him. When I saw him a couple of days later he was absolutely shelled, bleeding from his feet, shoulders and the insides of his thighs where his trousers had rubbed, mentally shattered and a broken man. His calorie requirement had been massive during the course and he had trouble getting back to a normal diet; he is now a bloater and grossly unfit.
Concentrate on upper body exercises such as chin ups, rope climbing if possible ie lifting your own bodyweight stuff and long (10) mile steady runs just to buIld up endurence.
This is VERY good advice. I wouldn't recommend that he start doing anything with weight (and neither do RM). Loooong plods and loads of heaves, dips, press ups etc etc.
Marines = thinking mans soldier
Paras = death or glory boys
Wrong on both counts I'm afraid toys!
Oh and you have a PM
Superb info, thanks for the positive posts so far, may email the people who have emailed me in the near future. Thanks for the mail 😀
My lads only 15, so not even signed up yet but has told me you can sign up at 15 yrs and 9 months, thats how keen he is, and is reading everything he can on the net to get a head start. (bit brainy as well)
Hes a fit lad who plays rugby league at a good level so is very strong for his age, he gets drilled hard at rugby training with lots of circuit type training.He has started a weights training plan already which includes pull ups, press ups and sit ups. i have told him he needs to go swimming a few times a week as wel, maybe ? and increase his running a bit. He has seen a recruitment officer, may take him into town and see them again with me there. 😕
(bit brainy as well)
Don't rule out finishing A levels and going in at 18 too.
It is possible to go in on an officer's comission at 18, after good A-levels.
Make contact with the RM now and they will support him through this, and it gives him good incentive too. And don't neglect the fitness in the meantime 🙂
If he fancies going for the Military proper he could MTFU and join the Para Reg.
+1 🙂
but the marines are the best of the Craphats.
I thought the forces were sacking everyone?
My parents live near a marine base and I will never forget a frosty morning where they were standing to attention in the pool underneath that rope they shimmy along. Minutes earlier they were hanging by their feet over said pool then had to jump in. A bloody long way up.
Definitely not for me but they seemed to enjoy it.
Another time they were doing manoeuvres in the sand dunes and the sargeant was shouting at a new recruit and my mum went over and told him to stop being nasty. Poor sod nearly died!
"but the marines are the best of the Craphats."
With a name like "Smudger" I'm guessing you're forces, but you can't be Para as you'd never even insinuate that the booties were any good! Either way, neither are a patch on my Gurks... 😉
Recruitment has always been low in the Marines. The pass rate is not high.
Agree on the running and weights, especially at 15. They will get you fit but you will need a high degree to pass the PRMC (or POC) (When did the M get added?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potential_Royal_Marine_Course
I can't emphasis enough the state of mind required. At 15 I would be looking for this. The rugby and circuit training is ideal grounding.
There was a series on Channel 5 (I think) about RM squaddie and officer training and subsequent deployment to Afghan. "Life on the Frontline" or something. Very interesting, gave a real impression (to a complete outsider) of what it was like. Might be worth seeing if it's on YouTube or the 5 website.
If he's got the smarts, it's got to be worth thinking about the officer route.
With a name like "Smudger" I'm guessing you're forces, but you can't be Para as you'd never even insinuate that the booties were any good! Either way, neither are a patch on my Gurks...
Or never been in anything, craphats are army, Marines are Navy.
Or never been in anything, craphats are army, Marines are Navy.
Funny old term "craphat". Apparently first used by army commandos to describe anyone else due to the fact that the commandos paraded in green lids whilst the remainder had peaked caps (parachute forces were originally formed from an army commando unit). Still VERY much used by army commandos as well as paras and just to add to toys post; also applied to the RAF and in particular the RAF regt.
On another note; your son will have an advantage if he can iron and perform basic domestic chores. Sounds stupid but you'd be amazed by the amount of kids who can't administer themselves.
Yeah just been chatting to a para who said that craphat was a paras only term. In my post above I was quoting my brother who was a Marine. Just called him and he swears its a marines term to describe the army...
Weren't you going to message me? Nothing in my inbox..
A "craphat" is anyone who's not done P Coy ie. if the beret's not maroon then it's crap, including green. It's all harmless banter anyway - they do different jobs so each to their own.
But anyway, back to the OP: make sure your son is clued up on the history of 3 Cdo Bde and their current structure and operational commitments. Also, make sure he knows why he wants to join the Bde instead of say, the Paras or "normal" infantry.
As for phys, he's still very young so doing free weights or tabbing with weight is more likely to cause problems than make him fit. As other people have said, rugby training is ideal as it also increases robustness and determination. If he wants to do extra, then press ups, sit ups, pull ups and running is ideal. Make sure he's getting the technique bang on as per the RM fitness tests as incorrectly executed exercises won't be counted if the PTI is doing his job properly. Email me if you want any more advice.
Oh, and good luck.
No toys, sorry I mailed kingkong. I can absolutely assure you that craphat is NOT a bootneck term. The bootneck term for the army is "pongo", army commandos and paras often refer to booties as craphats though.
As I said earlier "craphat" was originated by the commandos and used by No2 commando when they became the first airborne troops. It was adopted by the paras who mistakenly apply it to all and sundry. I don't think the paras would refer to 1st Parachute Battalion as craphats.
Ha ha, the minefield of military slang! Army = pongo; Navy= matelot; Marine = boot neck; RAF = crab; anyone not done P Coy = craphat; P coy but no jumps course = penguin (flightless bird!) etc etc
"but the marines are the best of the Craphats."With a name like "Smudger" I'm guessing you're forces, but you can't be Para as you'd never even insinuate that the booties were any good! Either way, neither are a patch on my Gurks...
Or never been in anything, craphats are army, Marines are Navy.
Para's a long time ago. And with the perspective that the years allow, I can appreciate the attributes of all the elite forces. And yes, the Gurkha's are pretty good for craphats too. So Toys can wind his neck in a bit.
On another note; your son will have an advantage if he can iron and perform basic domestic chores. Sounds stupid but you'd be amazed by the amount of kids who can't administer themselves.
This! although he will be taught to do it properly when he gets in. Para/Marine/Gurkha attitude/mindset is crucial rather than any particular skills upfront.
Good luck to the lad.
I've not read all the above, but what I would add is how much does he want to be a RM? And what are his motives and expectations?
I only ask because a mate joined about 3-4 years ago, passed the necessary selection/training etc, and then realised he no longer wanted in. They made it nigh on impossible for him to leave and that included bullying etc. Thankfully two of our mates (one an older ex-RM and another with shall we say "covert" experience) were able to support him emotionally until he finally stood his ground and left. He felt that without them he would still be there.
Wasn't a nice experience he said. Just my tuppence.
Man up Smudger, you have to be able to recieve as well as give. 😉
😉
This! although he will be taught to do it properly when he gets in
He will, but (particularly during training) there is a huge advantage in having good admin. It can often be the difference between getting a good nights sleep or not which will influence his performance the next day when there may be tests. Courses like P-Coy, divers, Cdo course etc are pain enough without making it difficult for yourself.
Maybe get him used to wearing boots, too (not necessarily running in them). His feet will need toughening up, a lack of huge weeping blisters is also an advantage 😀
He doesn't want to train too much as he'll risk injury and end up sweating like a para on a spelling test 😉
In serious mode tho I didn't think you could join RM at 15y 9m I know you can the army but not RM at least you couldn't it is/was 17 with parents permission or 18 worth checking to be sure but I wouldn't have thought they would have dropped it due to the nature of the course
lINKY TO A NEW TV PROGRAME STARTING THE 30 JAN 2012
http://www.radiotimes.com/programme/pb4fc/royal-marines-mission-afghanistan
rugby training is ideal as it also increases robustness and determination
This. I never played rugby as a lad and really wished I had. Just gets you used to taking knocks and picking yourself up again. Infantry training is basically one long process of finding out exactly what your mind and body are capable of.
I was Army infantry and loved it but to be honest if I had my time again I would go RM. Really is a huge difference in the calibre of the average soldier in my experience. Our guys were great but were basically a huge gang of lads from the rough side of the tracks. Most Marines I know have a bit of a hinterland of their own, are into climbing or mtb or canoeing and are generally a lot brighter.
mcboo, you say most Marines are into mtb'ing, check this out.. 😛
I think the programme in Project's link is made by the same guy as made the ITV one I saw. I'll be watching it.
The harbour at Poole!
How things change; we had no safety jackets, no safety line, no safety diver, had to backflip into the oggin and wear webbing!
Doing this in January is not good for morale.
😆3:09 PM, 24 January 2012
Radio Times would like to apologise for a picture that has inadvertently been published in the new issue of the magazine.It has come to our attention that an apparently innocent photo of the Royal Marines’ 42 Commando unit – printed by Radio Times in good faith and issued by Channel 5’s publicity department to promote the documentary Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan – contains the sight of one of the marines playing a prank.
"I know that British soldiers serving in Afghanistan are well equipped, but seeing the roll call of Royal Marines gives the expression a whole new meaning,” wrote one reader in a letter to RT this morning.
The unnamed marine is, like the rest of his unit, posing for the photograph dressed only in shorts. What we took to be the marine’s finger proved, on closer inspection, to be another part of his anatomy.
We have redacted the picture above, but the 28 January issue of Radio Times magazine – on sale today, priced £1.40 – went to press before the mistake was noticed.
"We apologise for any upset caused to readers by the rogue member of 42 Commando,” said Radio Times editor Ben Preston.
Ha! PMSL at the Radio Times anecdote. 😛
Make sure your son gets some practice in at naked roll-mat wrestling.
i remember my brother tried to get into the marines way back in 1982. dad took him down, my brother goes into interview dad waits outside, 15 minutes later my brother comes out , head down.
my father was asked into the interview room, he basically told my dad that your boy was too 'nice' and wouldnt hack it.
when pressed he went on to say they prefered kids from rough backgrounds.
i still wind him up to this day as he cried all the way home in the car
Make sure your son gets some practice in at naked roll-mat wrestling.
It's normally more like an attempt at boxing. Certainly more whacking than grabbing. He will have to update his wardrobe with plenty of female attire......you wait and see.
Had a couple of mates who were Marines, went to one of their stag do's.
Local pub 7pm start; i walk in the door to find them already on the table dancing with flaming toilet role hanging from their arses.
I have no recollection of the rest of the evening.
An evening out was always entertaining!!
Dance of the flaming arseholes - a true classic!
Dammit, I miss the green stuff!
What musical instrument does he play? If you're going to join the Marines you need to be able to play an instrument.
Only kidding, just winding the booties up!
I would question his desire to join up at such a young age. Firstly from a maturity point of view and secondly watching all your course mates getting drunk on a free evening isn't as much fun as joining in with them....
Some interesting advice being flung around, PM inbound for the 'gen'
Holy thread revival Batman!
[img] 
[/img]
Spam advertising websites will not bring you customers - it will annoy people.
im annoyed.
or it might be confused, i always get those two annoyed
Great, now it looks like I revived the thread...
Ah well.
Thought I would give a little info, as im in the process of the application. Recently came back from PRMC, which is the final 3 day fitness assessment before being invited to start training. I was unsuccessful in my attempt, but not by much I made it through day 1 with no problems day 2 was the hard part. This consisted of a bottomfield workout as they call "functional fitness" full of carries, drags, plenty sprints and plenty press ups, squats and burpees. Got through that with will power and determination. I thought that was hard but the endurance course was honking phys. 7 mile endurance run with lots of crawling and circuits thrown in. This was done for around three mile then finished of with a 4mile run back to camp, this is where I was pulled out by the sergeant major, I collapsed about half a mile from the end I tried to continue running but my legs were gone after all the sprints and squats on the endurance course. The sergeant major told.me to stop and.i was to wait to be picked up by the truck behind us. I was heart broken when I was told this because after everything I had failed not far from the finish. I will be going down to smash I to smash it next time.
So the best advice I can give your son at 15, is to get as fit as possible before starting the application, this will make things easier on him when tests start flying his way. Also I would suggest he waits a few years 18 years old at the earliest, maturity is a bit thing he needs.to have a good head on him as this will certainly help him through.all the tough times during training. If he is truly set on it, then he should go for it it will help him to become a great person and open alot of doors in his life with everything the corps has to offer.
If you would like any other info just ask, im happy to help as I know now how my parents feel about it and I know you will go through the same as my parents.
You got bottle to admit that publicly galezomega. You now know what's expected of you so you have an even better chance of succeeding next time.
This has undoubtedly been a set back for you but you seem to be responding in the desired manner for a Royal Marine. Keep your focus, train harder, train smarter and remember when you go back the DS will know it's your second attempt so will expect to see that you have trained appropriately, BUT keep in mind, they LIKE to see people come back for the second try. It PROVES you have balls and desire for the green beret.
Remember...the sixth core value of a Commando is cheerfulness under adversity. You have the adversity, now lets see the cheerfulness and I look forward to hearing of your successful completion of PRMC in six months time.
(FWIW...I only allowed myself one attept at PRMC. Today, every time I see a Commando Flash, something deep inside me aches in a way I can't describe. Don't follow me down this path.)
I loved the endurance course. Ace fun.
Royal Marines or Ex Royal Marines
Well I like Royal Marines but on the other hand I also like ex-Royal Marines, but which is best. There's only one way to find out.....
[s]Fight[/s]
Actually on second thoughts maybe not a good idea.
More on [url= http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Naked_Rollmat_Fighting ]rollmats[/url]:
[img] 
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The funny thing about that episode was, while the public reacted with horror, those of us that have had anything to do with Royal reacted along the lines of "yes, they're Marines, they do stuff like that".
Andy
Good luck to the lad. Preparation is key IMHO - not just the training to get in, but awareness that day-to-day Infanteering/camplife can be boring/humdrum. Be aware that an alternative is the Engineering element to the Army (RE/REME) allows doing the All-Arms Commando course (to suitable canditates) after getting into the chosen Corps - a bit less intense than the direct RM route. Just an option...
I passed the commando course in 2001 and have since left and set up my own fitness company so quite well placed to offer realistic advice. if you would like any advice for him then email me(address in profile) and I'll be happy to help
[b]KingKongsFinger[/b] my cousin was in them. He has replied below. Been waiting for his response as he is currently on his honeymoon! He says let me know if you want any more advice and he will email you direct. Hes a great lad, about 30 now. Hope it helps with your lad.
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Difficult to answer this question without writing an epic!! But if i was going to give what I think are some decent tips for passing training, which is the hardest part of being a Marine; they would be:
1- No matter what happens, its all a big game.....just play along with it, no matter how bolloxed you are no one is going to die. Its training after all.
2- Be the grey man. Dont be the best at things, but at the same time don't be the worst. Either of those positions gets you on someones radar and you'll be in for some extra scrutiny. Save all you best work for when you pass out and go to a fighting unit, and get the praise it deserves rather than a beasting.
3- Keep reasonably fit but not too much. If you run 5 mile without the need for an oxygen tent at the end that will be enough as a base. Too many potential marines get excited about turning up on day one as a Mo Farah/Arnie cross breed!! They instructors will get you to this point. Turning up like this will only prolong the agony. The idea behind commando traing is not to see how splendidly fit you are , but to see how you perform when physically exhuasted!! The fitter you are the more times you will have to run up big hills in order for the instructors to see how you deal with pain and exhaustion.
4- When you reach the above point, and a they ask you for more they want to see a "will to go again" not an actual end product.Just attempt it even though you know you wont complete. The instructors are looking for this quality more than any other ( I was an instructor eventually, so I should know) Be more of a Roy Keane than a Ronaldo, for want of a better expression.
you should now see what I mean by it being a "big game!!!" and the advantages of being the "grey man".( I was the biggest of grey men, when I finished my training I was still shit at push ups and pull ups but made sure i wasn't the worst in the troop)
Hope this helps Nick, forward this to the lad in question. get him to mesasage me if he wants to go more in depth.
That is absolutely spot on advice above.
The only thing I'd re-stress is KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. It should be like a test to say as little as you can get away with.
There is a reason that you have [b]two[/b] ears and [b]one[/b] mouth.
rumbledethumps has got it spot on but.....get him doing his washing, ironing & cleaning his room too!
& make sure he can handle the homesickness
Thanks very much indeed for all the new posts, some superb information All passed over to my lad, its all upto him now.
Many thanks again. 😀
Hi,
this is my 1st post on this site, so firstly hellotoyou all.
I'm trying to trace a Royal Marine commando who served with 42 in Borneo in 1963-64, does anyone know the best way of going about this
many thanks for any replies
Try the London Gazette.
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/
Try the commando veterans association.
http://www.commandoveterans.org/site/
Try the royal marines association. http://www.royalmarinesassociation.org.uk/
Probably in reverse order.
Dance of the flaming arseholes - a true classic!
aye, an old singapore tradition in bugis Street, sadly all gone now !!
They send all the nutters to 45 commando!
Marines = thinking mans soldier
Paras = death or glory boys
Yep this is the wrong way round I'm afraid.
The Marines are really brave lads, and great people, BUT. I would steer him towards the army. He would be better off in the Paras than the Marines from my pov.
Got loads of mates in the army and my brothers going into the Army Air Corps very soon. Tell him the more grades/ levels i.e. gcses, a levels, nvq's college courses etc. he goes in with, the more leverage he has to say "I would like to do this", if you don't have many grades/go in straight out of school, they put you where they want you, not the other way around.
They send all the nutters to 45 commando!
This is pretty much true. Marine training is pretty much none stop drill, PT and fighting each other. One of my mates dropped out of the Marines and transferred because he wasn't being taught anything. If your lad just loves boxing running climbing swimming etc. then he'll go far in the marines. If he wants a more rounded entry route to the armed forces - army all the way. You get so many more options and you aren't stuck on a single path.
One of the exercises the Marines do a lot of for example - part of their so called 'controlled aggression' consists of recruits punching each other in the face as hard as possible until one falls over. You are not allowed to give up. You either keep punching or you fall over. They very rarely do this in the regular army because they seem to focus more on training them as tactical thinkers rather than focusing on making them hard as nails.
The above post is wrong , youve written that as if the army is the paras , if it were a choice of army or RM then army is better in SOME respects ie trades that can be utilized once out of the forces but if its a choice between paras and RM then gotta say marines every time
He would be better off in the Paras than the Marines
part of their so called 'controlled aggression' consists of recruits punching each other in the face as hard as possible....[b]They very rarely do this in the regular army[/b]
😀
Please completely ignore what nuke proof has written. It's utter bollocks.
You've put it so much more eloquently than I did 😉
One of the exercises the Marines do a lot of for example - part of their so called 'controlled aggression' consists of recruits punching each other in the face as hard as possible until one falls over. You are not allowed to give up. You either keep punching or you fall over. They very rarely do this in the regular army because they seem to focus more on training them as tactical thinkers rather than focusing on making them hard as nails.
I Lol'd a bit.
Good luck to the OP's lad.
It's utter bollocks.
Why so angry? Wasn't intended to offend anyone. Sorry if it offended you, although I realise in hindsight it reads as anti Marines which It wasn't intended to be lol - promise! I should have read through it before posting haha.
All I wanted to stress - most of which comes from my mates - one of whom went through Marine training, is that it's not for everyone, and the OP's son may well be better suited to the regular army who do things differently.
I did hear a story about a Marine self defence instructor who regularly taught his recruits how to rip their enemies ballsack from between their legs though, which may well come in useful at some point but I'd rather spend weeks on the shooting range lol 
I was lucky enough to spend my last 6 months in the RN working with the SBS at RM Poole. Amazing bunch of blokes. Get your lad to aim high and do his utter best all the time. It will pay dividend in the end.
nukeproofriding - MemberMarines = thinking mans soldier
Paras = death or glory boysYep this is the wrong way round I'm afraid.
The Marines are really brave lads, and great people, BUT. I would steer him towards the army. He would be better off in the Paras than the Marines from my pov.
Got loads of mates in the army and my brothers going into the Army Air Corps very soon. Tell him the more grades/ levels i.e. gcses, a levels, nvq's college courses etc. he goes in with, the more leverage he has to say "I would like to do this", if you don't have many grades/go in straight out of school, they put you where they want you, not the other way around.
They send all the nutters to 45 commando!
This is pretty much true. Marine training is pretty much none stop drill, PT and fighting each other. One of my mates dropped out of the Marines and transferred because he wasn't being taught anything. If your lad just loves boxing running climbing swimming etc. then he'll go far in the marines. If he wants a more rounded entry route to the armed forces - army all the way. You get so many more options and you aren't stuck on a single path.
One of the exercises the Marines do a lot of for example - part of their so called 'controlled aggression' consists of recruits punching each other in the face as hard as possible until one falls over. You are not allowed to give up. You either keep punching or you fall over. They very rarely do this in the regular army because they seem to focus more on training them as tactical thinkers rather than focusing on making them hard as nails.
Mate, take this as gospel as i spent 12 years at 45, everything you wrote is pretty much the biggest load of bollocks i have ever read.
All second hand nonsence. My mate said this, my mate said this.
Milling is what you are calling the toe to toe boxing and it had been well and truly scrapped by 97 when i went through lympstone.
Oh and as to the non stop drill, PT and fighting each other. I generally find all these negative attributes are spoken by people who have a chip on their shoulder for whatever reason and it in no way resembles the truth. There is a very strong possibility that your "mate ;-)" really didnt have what it took to complete training so has some strong negative feeling towards the corps.
But it did give me a great big chuckle on my long nightshift 🙂
OP, good luck to your lad and his chosen career whichever way he wants go.
everything you wrote is pretty much the biggest load of bollocks i have ever read.
there is plenty more on other threads 😉
Why so angry?
I'm certainly not angry. I'm not going to dissect your post, I have nothing to gain by making you look silly.
mactheknife has covered it. If you've not personally been to Lympestone, Aldershot etc, I'm afraid you're not qualified to comment.
nukeproofriding - MemberMarines = thinking mans soldier
Paras = death or glory boysYep this is the wrong way round I'm afraid.
The Marines are really brave lads, and great people, BUT. I would steer him towards the army. He would be better off in the Paras than the Marines from my pov.
IME you will also find that most, if not all, in the Army who are not Paras but have completed both P Company and the All Arms Commando Course are more proud of having got the dagger...
Not necessarily dave. IME, it's whichever they got first. I reckon it forms their mentality and attachment to a particular mindset (Airbourne or commando). Some swap between units just to avoid going to hatland.