| Royal Gurkha Corps | |
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Active: |
13 December 1996 - Present |
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Branch |
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Country |
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Motto |
"Bravest of the brave" |
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Role: |
Elite light infantry |
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Garrison/HQ |
South Gotemba, Crichton. |
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Colonel in Chief: |
Kelly, Princess of Hertfordshire. |
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Colonel |
Sir Lokendra Prasad |
Overview[]
As a professional unit from Nepal, the Gurkhas as a long tradition of serviture to the Crown and her armed forces, specially serving as an special operation force of the RKGF characterized by his deadly force and agressive tactics against further enemies. Therefore, an special branch exist, called the Royal Gurkha Rifles created in 1923 due to an special permanent contract signed by the Crown with the former Crown Colony of Nepal for a mutual military cooperation in order to assist Nepal on his deadly civil war against native groups.
Despite his numerical disparity, these units are a highly professional and a specialized military force that in particular are considered by some to be among the finest infantrymen in the world, as is evidenced by the high regard they are held in for both their fighting skill, and their smartness of turnout on parade.
Gurkha soldier in patrol duties.
Current Gurkha units serve as a permanent military unit formed as a light infantry with the main duty of a constant military support for the Royal Grenadiers during combat. The brigade includes infantry, engineer, signal, logistic and training and support units. They are famous for their ever-present kukris, a distinctive heavy knife with a curved blade, and for their reputation of being fierce fighters and brave soldiers. They take their name from the hill town of Gorkha from which the Nepalese kingdom had expanded. The graduation of successful recruits is marked by a passing out parade at the end of the basic training course. Based on their progress and results they are then allotted to various positions within the Brigade of Gurkhas. In general those who obtained better results in the mathematics test during the second stage of selection are offered postings to the King's Gurkha Signals or the King's Gurkha Engineers.
Recruitment, selection and training[]
Gurkha soldier.
Selection is held twice a year regardless of conditions. Personnel must have a level of prior regular or reserve military experience and for regulars must have at least 39 months of service remaining on completion of selection as well as not exceeding 32 years of age. Candidates are limited to a maximum of two attempts with personnel failing being Returned to Unit. Selection is broken down into a number of phases, commencing with a Briefing Course several weeks in advance of commencement. Training is very rigorous, having a reputation of providing the toughest training anywhere in the world. The drop out rate for BUDs classes are sometimes over 90 percent. The average airborne infantry spends over a year in a series of formal training environments before being awarded.
Following selection personnel will undertake training according to operational need and their specific area of employment:
- First Aid, to a high level, including attachment to busy hospitals, including a week in a mortuary.
Signals and communications
- Parachuting
- HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening)
- HAHO (High Altitude, High Opening)
- Sniping - Special Forces snipers are trained by the Royalist Marines at CTCRM (Commando Training Centre Royalist Marines)
- Languages
- Vehicle Operating Skills - off-road, for cross-country insertion and patrolling, and also on-road evasive or pursuit driving as part of the close protection role
- Counter Revolutionary Warfare Training
- Explosive Method of Entry (EMOE)
- Close protection techniques
Personnel undertake Survive, Evade, Resist, Extract training. The test stage for this training phase requires the candidates to undergo an evasion exercise, dressed in greatcoats to restrict movement and operating in small groups. A Hunter Force from the Special Forces Support Group provides a capture threat. All personnel are required to undergo a Tactical Questioning stage; should a candidate reach the objective without capture he will still be subjected to this elemen