Mainboard
What Happens at Main Board.mp4Mainboard is a longer event than Briefing lasting 4 days. The Board is looking at the same 4 elements as Briefing but in greater detail. Mainboard is a pass or fail event with only 2 bites of the apple. There is an appeal process if you feel you have been unfairly graded.
You will receive your results from Mainboard following your last day at AOSB in the post.
If you are successful at Mainboard you will be eligible to attending the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) on a Comissioning Course.
Use the diagrams below to see the program of events at Mainboard. The events will take place of the day shown but the order of the events may change depending on your syndicate.
Day 1
Pre Board Admin
Civil Staff take a copy of your academic certificates and ID.
Welcome Address
Introduction of Mainboard and its purpose
MSFT, medical ball throw, mid-thigh pull
Same tests as briefing but more difficult with the addition of a memory test and personality profiling assessment.
45 minutes to plan and write an essay for a selection of 5 topics.
Multiple choice questions on Literature, geography, current affairs and art as well as Military capabilities and key personalities.
Day 2
Selection of topics from group and syndicate leader
About your hobbies, interests and biggest challenges.
Motivations and why you want to be an officer.
Questions on your qualifications, cultural events attended and two mental maths questions.
Command tasks without an elected leader
Introduction to the course, quiz on rules and then a race ageist the other syndicates.
Revision session on the Plan Ex.
Day 3
1 hour to produce a plan using the method taught to you at briefing. This is followed by group planning session and then individual questions on both group and your plan.
Command tasks with elected leaders with everyone taking turns to lead a command tasks.
Similar obstacle course to briefing but additional and slightly harder obstacles.
Presentation of 3-5 minutes from a topic in your CV.
Candidates Dinner Night
Formal dinner in the candidate mess.
Day 4
Slightly longer course than that of opening race.
Board Closing Address
Brief form the President congrualating you on getting this far. After this Mainboard is over and you can go home.
Mainboard Grading
The day following Mainboard you will receive a letter in the post with your result.
There are three grading from mainboard:
Pass - You have met the standard required and are eligible to attend a Commissioning Course at RMAS
Development - You will be invited to take part in a leadership development course at the end of which you will be assessed on if you are suitable to attend Officer Training.
Fail - You did not meet the required standard, if you this is your first attempt you are invited to re-attempt mainboard at a later date.
The structure of Mainboard has been changed due to coronavirus.
The diagrams below outline the structure of each day. As before the order of the events may change but the contence of the day will not.
Mainboard Hints & Tips
Have a read of the Mainboard diaries in the document vault which are full of advice from successful candidates.
Each of the events and how to prepare for them is detailed within the domains on the home page or click on the links for each of the assessment domain listed: