In the two years that follow completing the Commando course and passing out of recruit training, newly assigned Royal Marines soon discover just how tough it is being part of the most elite amphibious organisation in the world. But equally, new and exciting opportunities start to present themselves. The natural progression for a Royal Marine is to start out as a General Duties Rifleman before making another life-changing decision 24 months later: which role to specialise in. Mountain Leader, Vehicle Mechanic and Armourer are three of such ranks available to specialise in, but for some, becoming a well-respected and established Physical Training Instructor (PTI) is the next step. That was the path taken by WO2 James Smith, chief instructor of the Potential Royal Marines Course (PRMC) and who admired the PTI that guided him through Royal Marines training. "When you go through recruit training, one of the main guys you look up to is the PTI," explained WO2 Smith. "They're educated and their physical ability is second to none. These guys have worked so hard themselves, so I just wanted to be part of that group." PTIs are primarily responsible for making sure would-be Marines meet the physical requirements of the Corps, identifying their strengths and weaknesses throughout the 32-week training course at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM). WO2 Smith added: "PTIs have a recruit troop - sometimes two and sometimes three - that they are responsible for. They take the guys from day one, week one all the way through to week 32 where they pass out to become trained Marines. "Every day they'll be involved with that troop, making sure their physical training programme is conducted properly and making sure every recruit is at the right physical level to pass the Commando tests." Ultimately, it's up to PTIs to determine which recruits possess the required 'State of Mind' to become a Royal Marine.