This is an examination and an analysis of the systems of recruitment, selection, education and training for junior officers in the British Armed Forces. It is a study based around four core institutions: The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, The Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, the Department of Initial Officer Training, Royal Air Force College, Cranwell and the Officers Training Wing, Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines, Lympstone. The conclusions reveal the enduring dilemmas involved in the preparation of officer aspirants for entry to the British military profession.

Between 1496 BC and 1861 AD (a period of some 3,357 years), there were 227 years of peace and 3,230 years in which wars were fought; a ration of 13 years in war for each year of peace. The number of wars in progress in any one year averaged about 12 in the 19th century and rose to about 40 in the second third of the 20th century. Despite the year of peace breaking out of 1989, the 1990 Gulf crisis demonstrated that it would be most precipitate to believe that soon we will escape the seeming certainty that members of our societies will be required to sally forth and defend our lives and property with their skills, knowledge and ultimately their lives. We have a serious need to know how the young men and women who will lead these actions in our defence are prepared of this task. Not only does society have a need to know, it has a right and an obligation to understand and scrutinise the processes by which a lay person, in most cases, is transformed into a professional military officer and leader. For indeed, as in the past, and as surely in the future, it will be the sons and daughters of society who will be placed under the command and direction of such people in what portend to be