The Army Officer Selection Board, more usually referred to as the A.O.S.B., is located at Leighton House, Westbury

Westbury, Wiltshire

Westbury is a town and civil parish in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, most famous for the Westbury White Horse.-Name:The most likely origin of the West- in Westbury is simply that the town is near the western edge of the county of Wiltshire, the bounds of which have been much the same...

 in Wiltshire

Wiltshire

Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, and runs selection courses which must be passed before being offered a place at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...

. Selection boards are run for entry into the Regular

Regular Army

The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...

 and Territorial Army. Other boards are also run for Army Scholarships, entry to Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College, Professionally Qualified Officers in the Army Medical Services

Army Medical Services

The Army Medical Services is the organisation responsible for administering the four separate corps that deliver medical, veterinary, dental and nursing services in the British Army...

, Army Legal Services Branch

Army Legal Services Branch

The Army Legal Services Branch is a branch of the Adjutant-General's Corps in the British Army. Before 1992, the branch existed as the independent Army Legal Corps ....

 and the Royal Army Chaplains' Department

Royal Army Chaplains' Department

The Royal Army Chaplains' Department is an all-officer corps that provides ordained clergy to minister to the British Army.As of 2007, there are about 280 serving regular chaplains in the British Army; these can belong to either one of several Christian churches, or to the Jewish faith, although...

, as well as for Army Cadet Force

Army Cadet Force

The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that offers progressive training in a multitude of the subjects from military training to adventurous training and first aid, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18 and 9...

 Officers.

AOSB Briefing

This is a two day course which must be passed before proceeding to the main AOSB. It is a relatively easy course intended to give potential officers an idea of what is required and expected on the main board. There will also be a series of three aptitude tests on verbal reasoning

Verbal reasoning

Verbal reasoning is understanding and reasoning using concepts framed in words. It aims at evaluating ability to think constructively, rather than at simple fluency or vocabulary recognition.-Verbal reasoning intelligence tests:...

, numeracy

Numeracy

Numeracy is the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts. A numerically literate person can manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life...

 and abstract reasoning

Raven's Progressive Matrices

Raven's Progressive Matrices are non-verbal multiple choice measures of the reasoning component of Spearman's g , which is often referred to as general intelligence. The tests were originally developed by John C. Raven in 1936...

. The results of these tests form an overall Officer Intelligence Rating, which will be carried forward to Main Board.

Before leaving the AOSB Briefing, candidates are assigned one of four possible categories:

1. Allowed to proceed to the main board as soon as desired.
2. Required to delay for between three and twenty four months (often awarded to younger candidates with potential ability but insufficient maturity, or for remedial purposes such as to improve upon Physical fitness
   Physical fitness
   Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
   
   )
3. The candidate is considered unsuitable on the basis of their showing at the briefing and it is considered highly unlikely that they would be successful at the Main Board. However, they are allowed to attempt the Main Board if, after further consideration, they believe they can achieve the required standard. It is rare, but not unheard of, for Category 3 candidates to be successful at the Main Board.
4. Rejected entirely, further applications will not be accepted. This is usually only awarded on the basis of an inadequate showing on the standardised mental aptitude tests (the results of which are the only aspect of the briefing to be carried forward to the Main Board).

AOSB (Regular) Main Board

This is a four day course consisting of many different academic, physical, mental and aptitude tests. It is designed to put the candidates under pressure whilst fostering their team spirit and competitiveness.

On arrival, candidates are allocated a number (used instead of one's name) and placed into teams. They remain in these teams for the duration of the board, making it common for strong friendships to develop during the process. As candidates are assessed against a standard and not against each other's performance (there are no set quotas for acceptance - if you meet the standard you pass), it is often found that strong teams will see all members meet the standard.

On the last night of the course a formal dinner is held for the candidates. In the past this was regarded by the candidates as another test, this time of their manners and social skills; it is not clear whether this was ever actually the case. Nowadays, the staff are at pains to point out that the meal is not an assessment, and no directing staff are present at the event.

The details of the physical tasks, command tasks, interviews and academic tests are not made public. It is known that the assessment consists of a physical fitness assessment, individual obstacle course, three multiple-choice tests on current affairs, general knowledge and military knowledge, three interviews, a group discussion and essay on current and moral affairs, a 5-minute lecturette, individual planning exercise, and both leaderless team tasks and a series of command tasks where an individual team member commands the rest. There is also an end of board team race across an obstacle course which does form part of the assessment. However, the winning team is not given any extra credit for the race victory.

AOSB (TA) Main Board

This is the course that is primarily intended for the selection of TA officers, run over a weekend. The qualities sought are the same as for Regular Service and are also open to Regular applicants who are unable to attend midweek and vice versa. The standard AOSB (TA) Main Boards were introduced in April 2004, replacing the various regional Territorial Commissioning Boards (TCBs).

The TA Main Boards are identical in content to that provided to Regular officer candidates midweek, with one universal AOSB Main Board Pass, valid for both Regular and TA Commissioning Courses. Since they are held in a little over half the time of the Regular Main Boards however it is more time pressured.

The Army Cadet Force Officer will also do the same course under the same time scale. The only difference being that they do not have to do the Physical tests.

Army Scholarship Board

The Army runs two Scholarship Boards each year for boys and girls aged between sixteen and seventeen. The board is similar in many ways to the Main Board, with a fitness test, interviews, planning exercise and leadership tasks. However, the Scholarship Board is only 24 hours, and the expectations are proportionately lower to account for the difference in age. The Board seeks to find examples of intelligence and leadership at a young age, with successful candidates broadly being described as 'a wise head on young shoulders'. Recipients of the award currently receive £1500 each year they are at sixth form, £1000 for each year they spend at university, and a £3000 bonus on completion of the 44 week Commissioning Course. By passing the Board, scholars have a guaranteed place at Sandhurst, and they do not need to pass the AOSB Main Board to enter RMAS.

Physical fitness requirements

The general fitness requirements for both Regular and TA officer entrants are:

• 44 press-ups (males) or 21 press-ups (females) in 2 minutes or less.
• 50 sit-ups (both genders) in 2 minutes or less.
• The Bleep test, or MSFT, to level 10.2 (males) and level 8.1 (females).
• Obstacle course "best effort" within 3 minutes, measured against an undefined minimum standard.

The Fitness requirements for the Welbeck Board and the Army VI form scholarship board are:

• Level 9.3 on the Bleep test, or MSFT for males and 6.6 for females
• Obstacle course as above

5.88 HT

External links

• AOSB Website
• The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
• ttp://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/AOSB_Scholarship_Board.pdf}