The SAAF Forum

Share your experience with me please. Is it fun, difficult or what Just anything... M joining in May this year so m curious

Well I was navy so may be different to the other branches.


Ok to start I will give a chain of command break down for you.


Recruit. You and your peers. You are the lowest forms of life. Every body can kak you out.

Class leader. Aka a unlucky recruit. He is in charge. But has no real power other than ratting people out. And if the place is not ready he is in the most trouble.

Instructor. Gives classes, carry's out inspection and the main source of you sweating.

Senior instructor. The big shot. You will not spend to much time with him but he can make your life hell(or get a instructor to do it for him)

Divisional officer(or what ever they use on the army(. Just one more guy to make happy. Your senior instructor can be this guy has well. If you have any problems (death in family or you are fighting in the mess deck) he will try to handel it.

Training warrant. Course officers right hand.

Course officer. The guy in charge of all the MTR1


Training commander. In charge all training.

Officer commanding (commanding officer. For other branches) big shot boss.



Basic is not hard. Only think is the lack of sleep. I went from 0430 to 1900 the next day with only 45min of proper sleep and from 1900 I only slept 45 min (slept while standing by for security rounds only the class leader was awake. He woke us up when they got close.) On that event we stood out side in PT kit from 0000 to 0330. Doing nothing. That was the coldest I ever got. hit stage 2 hypothermia(when you so cold stop shivering witch is stage one).


Though people have gotten injured some badly. So be safe.

I did my basic training in another country so some things will be different.

Agree with sob on the lack of sleep. That was pretty much the only thing that I struggled with. Fitness is essential, if you don't like running or doing numerous pushups now - you're going to hate it in BMT! If you don't know how to use an iron, you're best to practice now. One very important thing is time management. If you've been given a certain amount of time to complete a task or be at a certain place, make a plan to get it done / arrive there five minutes earlier.

Listen to the instructors, they do not enjoy repeating themselves.

Don't volunteer for anything. Ever.

Don't be last!

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

Don't be first. Either unless you arrive in a group has first.


The instructors will show a human side. Do not mistake this for them becoming softer. Just because they now know where you from and that you have brothers will not stop them chasing you around.


Prepare for blanket punishment (One or guys talk or move in a squad you all get chased) do not I repeat do not get punished alone or in a small group. You will suffer.


Learn to polish your shoes and deck.


Drink water or coke or any thing (but alcohol).


Do not do rat your comrades out for small stupid things (like the stole a chocolate) you must still live with them.



Running is vital. You will do it a lot.

Yep, I remember as if it was yesterday. Did my basics in the SA Army in 1991. Things that stood out for me: Lack of seep, guard duty, inspections, the smell of brasso and floor polish, PT, kak food, being chased around the parade ground and of course Sergeant Major (RSM) Venter. The Corporal would ask you to fetch a leaf on a tree on the far side of the parade ground, when you return with the leaf he says it is not the one he wants and you must run back and fetch another one. Another thing that stood out for me is doing PT with a tank track. IMHO, I think the Navy okes have it pretty easy.

One person you stay clear of is the base RSM (Regimental Seargeant Major). That guy could make your life a living hell. I saw a Lt.Col being chased off the RSM's parade ground by the RSM.

I suspect you mean a link(s) in the track? I have never seen one person move a tank track let alone do PT with one

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

Tank tracks sound like fun. But the navy has the water. The Atlantic is cold in winter and dangerous all year round. More so with troops who seem to be able to do every thing wrong. And we have rocks I had to keep mine for the full PT period even swimming.

And there I thought pet rocks went out of fashion in the 70's.

Yep, I meant to say it was a tank track link.
Yah, the Atlantic is damn cold, but to experiance the cold of the Northen Cape in winter is quite something. I spent two weeks (about?) in the bush doing Ops exersises (Sweepslag or Excalliber... i think?) in Lohatla in winter. No showers for two weeks and sleeping in a fox hole. It's flippin' cold over there.

It's all about teamwork in basics. They break you down and build you up again. If you don't make it in time after going for a "run" and don't arrive back as a team the Corporal will say: "Quote, Julle maatjies werk nie saam nie! Daar gaan julle weer!". And off we went again and again and again... There was always a fat guy in the bungalow that got us in the twang.