Army Recruit Training Centre - Frequently Asked Questions

After recruit training all full time soldiers will go on to complete their Initial Employment Training (IET) at one of the Army's Corps Schools. This involves learning your job within the Corps you enlist into. Depending on what job or trade you are enlisted in will depend on the length of your IET. As a general rule the training will be anywhere between 6 and 18 months duration. The Corps Schools are in various locations around Australia. Detailed information on most of the jobs and trades available in the Army can be found at the Stay Army website.

Yes. On the second day after their arrival at Kapooka, recruits will receive a pay advance of $100. This pay advance is to purchase items necessary to maintain military uniform and equipment. Subsequent pay will be placed into the recruits nominated bank account. Recruits should ascertain the current net rate of pay from their recruiting centre/unit and ensure that it is sufficient to cover all of their financial commitments. If it is not, recruits should make some form of alternative arrangements for these obligations. There is little opportunity to rectify these problems once the course has commenced. Particular attention should be paid to personal banking arrangements. There will be opportunity to visit a bank during training.

If I want to get my hair cut before joining what sort of hair cut should I get ?

All male recruits will have a haircut in the first week of training, this will be a number 2 all over. If you plan to cut your hair before arriving at Kapooka, be aware that you will have it cut again upon arrival.

Females are required to wear their hair in a neat, tidy bun on the back of their head if they have long hair. You may want to practice putting your hair up quickly and neatly before arriving. Bring some hairnets, bobby pins and plenty of hair bands with you. If you have short hair it must not touch the bottom of your collar or you will be required to wear it in a bun. Like long hair, short hair must be kept in a neat and tidy fashion.

You will be required to wear civilian clothes on a number of occasion whilst in training. These clothes should be neat civilian attire. For males this consists at minimum of jeans, a belt, collared shirt (polo shirts are acceptable) and leather shoes (not runners or skate shoes).

Females should bring the equivalent of male attire, do not bring any revealing or showy clothes as you will not be permitted to wear them. Ensure that you bring a pair of enclosed such as dress shoes, you cannot wear sandals.

ARTC intakes occur on Tuesdays and Fridays so your enlistment day will be either one of those. You may be required to attend the recruiting center on the previous day to conduct your pre-enlistment fitness testing. If this is required the recruiting staff will let you know.

The March Out from ARTC will occur 80 days after your march in if your training as a an ARA soldier and if your training as a reservist then 28 days after the start date. This is usually on a Friday or Sunday morning.

I am a GRes recruit enlisting part-time, which unit will I go to after my training ?

As a part-time recruit you have the choice to either go home after recruit training or possibly continue with your IET training. If you don't do your IET training immediately after recruit training you will have to complete it at a later stage. If you can afford the time off from work, then completing your IET course will enable you to participate in all aspects of your GRes unit training that is specific to the job you are being trained to do.

Do I really need any physical preparation, I am pretty fit already and play sport regularly ?

YES! You must ensure that you are physically fit before joining the Army. Regardless of what sporting history you have, the type of physical activity that is required by the Army is very intense and challenges even the fittest recruit. If you follow the 4 week training program on this website you will be off to a good start. If you find that the program doesn't challenge you, concentrate on running approximately 2.4km in the fastest time you can and your upper body strength. It is important to remember that with some reasonable preparation, recruit training is quite achievable for you.

If you find that this program doesn't challenge you, concentrate on running approximately 2.4 km as you will be required to complete a 2.4km run test at ARTC. If you can complete this run in about 10 min for males and 11 min for females you can then focus on building your upper body strength. You are also required to complete the Army Swim Test at ARTC. This involves swimming 30m fully clothed and then treading water for 2 min fully clothed. If you are a weak swimmer practice this test wearing heavy pants such as jeans to ensure you can pass it on arrival at ARTC.

If I really don't like the Army lifestyle after the first week can I just go home ?

No. If you decide that you really don't think that the Army lifestyle is for you after enlisting you will be required to go through a discharge process. You must complete 21 days of training before you are eligible to discharge. This means that all potential recruits should be 100% sure of their decision before enlisting.

I don't have a bank account set up, are there facilities to join a bank at Kapooka ?

Yes, you can join up as a member of either the Defence Credit Union (DefCredit) or the Australian Defence Credit Union (AusDef). They can open an account for you and have your wage paid directly into this account.

Yes. You can bring your mobile phone with you, but be aware that you will only be allowed to use the phone at certain times and cannot receive or make calls during training hours.

I wear contact lenses, will they be all right for the training I am going to do?

For recruits with glasses it is recommended that you don't wear contact lenses, as much of the training is not suitable for them. If you have an old pair of glasses bring those and a strap to hold them on your head for activities such as the obstacle course where you need to keep them on at all times.

I haven't worn boots very much, will I have to wear Army issued boots all the time ?

You will be issued boots upon arrival and you will be wearing these for up to 14 hrs a day. Your feet may develop blisters or rubbing as you wear these boots in. The Army will provide you with adequate blister treatment if this occurs.

During a normal working day at recruit training you will not have much time to yourself. You may get about 1/2 hour in the evening to do your own administration or write a letter but this will generally be all the time you will have. You will not get any weekends off during the period of the recruit course. During your third week you will receive about 3 hours off in Wagga Wagga to purchase any items you may require. In the later stages of the training there are some (limited) periods of free time during which some of the Kapooka facilities will be available to you. Please remember, the course is not very long and there will be ample opportunity for time off during your career in the Army once you have completed recruit training.

No. Meal timings are relatively short as the recruits mess often feeds up to 1000 recruits at a time. You should expect about 1/2 hour to eat your meal.

I am pretty fit, but a bit concerned about the pack marching and combat type fitness tests, what can I do to increase my fitness in this area and what can I expect to do in training?

You will be required to conduct pack marching and combat tests such as rope climbing as a recruit. To prepare yourself for these activities you can work on your overall body strength before arriving. One way to do this is to practice chin-ups, complete sets of 2-3 chin ups ensuring you bring you chest all the way to the bar. If you have never trained with a pack, you may want to do some bush walking with a pack. Begin by walking for 10 - 20 minutes and over the period of a number of weeks gradually build up to one hour. At ARTC you will be required to walk at a rate of 11 minutes per Km so try to keep this pace while training. This will give you and idea of what walking with a weight is like.