These exceptional soldiers have fought with distinction alongside British Regiments in many conflicts internationally since recruiting began. Most recently Gurkhas have played key roles during operations in the Balkans, East Timor, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq. The British Gurkha Camp in Pokhara is the focal point for all recruiting activities in Nepal and in December each year the culmination of procedures sees 310 young men being selected. Of these 310, approx 230 will go to the British Army and 80 to the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force. A very large number of interested individuals causes considerable competition for the relatively few places. The standards looked for by very experienced recruiting staff are extremely high and the process is very demanding for potential recruits. Selection of only the very best candidates and insistence on the highest standards is a direct reflection of the challenging circumstances in which British soldiers may find themselves; a dangerous world that demands of servicemen adaptability, robustness and determination. The selection process is purely merit-based. Final selection is determined by a number of physical and mental assessments, which demonstrate the potential of an individual to be trained as a soldier in the Brigade of Gurkhas. Only those who demonstrate this raw potential and those with the strongest assessment statistics will be accepted.
