P Company – The Ultimate Test of Airborne Grit
L – R: Signallers Bijay Gurung, Helson Sambahamphe, Niraj Khatri and Anjil Rai
All Arms Pre‑Parachute Selection, universally known as P Company, is the demanding course that soldiers must pass to serve within the British Army’s airborne forces. It is the gateway to units such as The Parachute Regiment and other airborne elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team. The aim of the course is clear: to assess whether a soldier possesses the physical robustness, mental resilience, determination, and teamwork required to operate in high‑readiness airborne units.
I, Signaller Niraj Khatri from 242 Gurkha Signal Squadron, Queen’s Gurkha Signals, and three others from the Squadron attended the course in February 2026. Test Week consists of a series of physically punishing events designed to push candidates to their limits. One of the challenges is the Ten‑Mile Tactical Advance to Battle (TAB), during which candidates must complete the distance carrying a 35‑pound bergen and rifle within a strict time limit of 1 hour and 50 minutes. Immediately afterwards comes the Trinasium – an elevated aerial confidence apparatus featuring ropes, a shuffle bar, fireman’s poles, illusion jumps, and the well‑known “Superman” punch.
The Log Race is a demanding team event in which groups of candidates carry heavy wooden logs over 1.9 miles. My team began with eight soldiers, but only six of us crossed the finish line due to the sheer physical strain. The Steeplechase and the Two‑Mile Best Effort Run follow, combining high‑intensity obstacles with a final test of speed and endurance. By this stage of the week, candidates are already fatigued from the cumulative demands of the course.
The 20 TAB is widely regarded as the most challenging event of P Company. Candidates must again carry a 35‑pound bergen and rifle and complete the march in approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes. Teamwork is further tested during the Stretcher Race, where groups of candidates carry a loaded stretcher over roughly five miles. One of the most iconic events is Milling. This is a one‑minute, full‑contact boxing contest between two candidates. The assessment is not based on boxing skill but on controlled aggression, determination, and the fighting spirit expected of airborne soldiers.
Completing P Company stands as one of the most demanding yet rewarding experiences of my military career. Standing on the parade square to receive the coveted maroon beret is a moment of immense pride for every soldier who earns it. I found the course to be neither easy nor impossible; rather, it was a fair but uncompromising test of physical endurance, mental resilience, and personal determination. It pushed each of us far beyond our comfort zones while strengthening the bonds between candidates and reinforcing the values of perseverance and teamwork. Completing P Company alongside three fellow soldiers from 242 Gurkha Signal Squadron – Signaller Helson Sambahamphe, Signaller Bijay Gurung, and Signaller Anjil Rai – made the achievement even more meaningful. Earning the maroon beret remains one of the proudest milestones of my career, and it is an experience I will carry with me throughout my service.
