Exclusive: Crisis call over future of 300 recruits at Army Foundation College after admin error
A major administrative blunder at the Army Foundation College has thrown the future of 300 recruits into doubt – with some informed they must now remain in basic training for six months longer than expected, BFBS Forces News understands.
The college, near Harrogate, is one of the British Army's most prestigious training establishments and home to 16- and 17-year-olds who have joined the military. Junior Soldiers, as recruits are known there, complete either a six- or 12-month course of phase one training, depending on their academic ability.
But due to a significant error during the onboarding process, 330 recruits were placed on the wrong course. It means some will now complete far less training than expected, while others have seen their course length doubled to 12 months.
A college insider described the situation as a "massive mistake", adding that the chain of command is braced for some junior soldiers to withdraw from training altogether.
Announcing news of a "reorganisation" on its Facebook page, the Army Foundation College said: "Alamein, Burma, Peninsula, and Waterloo Companies are due to undergo an internal reorganisation on 4 Oct 25.
"Registered next of kin are invited to read the email and letter sent directly to their inbox or check their respective company Facebook groups for more details.
"Cambrai Company are unaffected by this reorganisation."
The post drew criticism from some parents who said they were not receiving important updates about the knock-on effect on their son or daughter's training.
BFBS Forces News understands that the parents of the 330 recruits affected are invited to join a conference call with Commanding Officer Lt Col Jules Russell later today (Tuesday).
Parents of Junior Soldiers at the Army Foundation College maintain the right to remove their children from the organisation – as they are under 18 years of age.
Moving 330 recruits out of their sections and platoons just three weeks into basic training is seen as a major disruption.
A source added that the reshuffle comes just as friendships and teams have begun to form – bonds which will now need to be rebuilt in new parts of the college.
The source added: "The training calendar doesn't allow for such disruption, so the recruits are having to make the move over the weekend during what should normally be well-earned rest time."
It is thought that the process of placing recruits onto either the short or long course is carried out by recruitment professionals before training begins.
However, it remains unclear precisely where the blame lies for the error. A senior figure said the Army would be working to establish what went wrong and ensure lessons are learned.
In a statement, an Army spokesperson said: "All recruits will receive the planned training and educational experience, central to the offer of the world-class Army Foundation College, Harrogate."
Capita, a company used by the MOD for recruitment activities, has been approached for comment.
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