The Small Arms School Corps (S.A.S.C.) has its headquarters at Warminster where the Depot S.A.S.C. is part of the Small Arms Wing of the SCH.INF. (School of Infantry), the Commandant of SCH.INF. is also Commandant of S.A.S.C..
The S.A.S.C. is a small corps which number only some 150 officers and other ranks. It role is to assist Regular and Territorial Army Infantry training units and battalions to achieve and maintain training standards for Small Arms and Support Weapons as decided by the Director of Infantry.
Some of the secondary roles of the S.A.S.C. are : -
br Small Arms and Support Weapons training;
Small Arms Range Courses and Support Weapons concentrations (the get togethers of as many Support Weapons personnel as possible, held on designated ranges ideally once every year);
Range Safety and the associated danger areas;
The Development of Small Arms and Support Weapons.
In addition to all the above the S.A.S.C. assists the various Arms and Services (other than the Infantry) to achieve the training standards laid down by the Arms/Services Directors for the handling of personal weapons and range safety.
To carry out all of these functions the S.A.S.C. is formed from within the Army. Soldiers recruited into the S.A.S.C. are already highly experienced and must have reached the rank of Corporal (although exceptionally Lance Corporals are accepted). If they are accepted in the Corps they start as Sergeants. Their introduction to the Corps is by a Students Course, where they are taught how to teach and instruction which is their primary function. It that course is successfully completed there follows a six month probationary period during which the trainee carry out training under the supervision and guidance of other more experience S.A.S.C. instructors. At the end of this period the newly established member of the S.A.S.C. be posted to any of the locations where the S.A.S.C. operates.
About 20% is of the S.A.S.C. is made up of officers (who are commissioned from within S.A.S.C.), 10% are W.O.1s and the rest W.O.2s, Staff Sergeants or Sergeants. They may find themselves posted to a number of locations. Some are posted to the SCH.INF. at Warminster or its Support Weapons Wing at Netheravon. Other are located within the T.A.G.s at Aldershot and Strensall, while some may be posted to the Infantry Trails and Development Unit (I.T.D.U.) at Warminster. More S.A.S.C. personnel will be found at Infantry depots and the various Divisions, Commands and headquarters throughout the Army and at training establishments such as the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.
The S.A.S.C. is involved in the testing and development of new weapons and equipment at the I.T.D.U.. Any new weapons that enter service does so only after being extensively trailed and tested under the supervisor of the I.T.D.U..
The S.A.S.C. provides instructors and advisors for the Sultan of Oman's armed forces and at any time exchange postings are being carried out with similar establishments in Australia and Canada. Exchange postings are also carried out between the S.A.S.C. and the Royal Marines.
Regimental march - "March of the Bowmen".
