Small Arms School Corps The Small Arms School Corps ( SASC ) is a small corps of the British Army responsible for maintaining the proficiency of the army in the use of small arms , support weapons and range management . History . Prior to 1851 the majority of British soldiers were issued with the " Brown Bess " Land Pattern Musket , a smooth - bore , muzzle loading musket which had seen duty in one form or another since 1704 . Lack of accuracy was compensated for by the practice of firing in volleys . Musketry , as shooting was known , was more like parade ground drill and as such was a matter for the Drill Sergeant . More accurate rifle s did exist ( indeed the principle of rifling the barrel had been known about since 1515 ) but took so long to reload that it was deemed unwise to have them on general issue . At this point only a few regiments had been equipped with rifles , notably the 60th and the 95th whose special rifle drill stems from this time . In 1849 a Frenchman , Claude - Étienne Minié , produced a rifle named after himself which , although still a muzzle loader had an expanding bullet that greatly reduced the time required for reloading a rifle . Re - equipment of the Army with this new weapon began in 1851 . The consequence of this was that the Army now had a weapon that was not only more accurate , but had a longer range . For the first time since the demise of the bow and arrow true marksmanship was possible . Shooting ceased to be a drill and became an art based on personal skill . Elevation , windage and ballistics now played a part . In order to study these new problems and introduce a shooting doctrine for instruction in Rifle Shooting it was decided to form a special Corps of experts , who would also develop and improve the rifles . In March 1853 the Army Estimates included the princely sum of £1 , 000 ( about £ today ) for Lord Hardinge to form an " " Establishment for the instruction of the Army in rifle and target practice . " " Foundation . In June of that year Colonel Hay arrived at Hythe , Kent with a small staff of officers . On 1 August the first instructor , CSgt MacKay of the 19th Foot , was appointed . By 15 September a further three instructors were on strength . They were Sgt . Ruston ( 3 Gren Gds ) , Sgt . Lobes ( 2 Gren Gds ) and Sgt . Morris ( 97th Regt ) . The first mention of the establishment of the School was in the Army List of 1854 when it was referred to as the School of Musketry , a name it bore until 1919 when its name was changed to the Small Arms School . In September 1855 a Corps of Instructors was added to the establishment , consisting of 100 First Class and 100 Second Class Instructors who , as soon as they were sufficiently experienced ( except for three who remained at Hythe ) , were distributed to Depot Battalions and Regiments as required . These men were the Corps of Instructors of Musketry , a misnomer as muskets were being withdrawn from service . World War I . The Machine Gun Training Centres had been established in 1914 at Grantham and by the BEF in Wisques , France . This was followed on 14 October 1915 by the creation of the Machine Gun Corps ( MGC ) . Originally equipped with the Maxim gun , these were replaced by the Vickers machine gun shortly after formation of the Corps . In 1926 the School expanded to include the Machine Gun School at Netheravon , in 1931 absorbing the Chemical Warfare School at Winterbourne Gunner as the Anti - Gas Wing . Badge . The original badge of the School was crossed rifles surmounted by a crown . In 1929 the present badge was introduced , consisting of crossed rifles and a Vickers machine gun , surmounted by a crown and surrounded by a laurel wreath . The title Small Arms School Corps came into being at this time . On the occasion of the centenary of the Corps in 1953 , " March of the Bowmen " from the Robin Hood Suite was adopted as the Corps March . In 1969 the School moved from Hythe to Warminster where Headquarters SASC remains to this day . Recruiting . The SASC does not recruit directly from civilian life , but only accepts applications from soldiers already serving in the British Army . All its members hold a minimum rank of Sergeant . Volunteers transfer to the SASC from All Arms and Services , although primarily from the Infantry . The principal source of volunteers is successful students attending School of Infantry Phase 3 courses at Infantry Battle School at Brecon , Infantry Training Centre ( ITC ) Warminster , SASC Training Advisory Group ( Germany ) and the Armoured Fighting Vehicle ( AFV ) Gunnery School at Lulworth Ranges who are identified as having the potential to be future members of the SASC . In addition , any eligible soldier holding an appropriate instructor qualification , such as All Arms Skill at Arms Instructor , may apply to transfer . Selection . Phase 1 - Selection and Training . Phase 1 takes place at Land Warfare Centre , Warminster and lasts for 11 weeks . Candidates are assessed to see if they have the ability and capacity to instruct Skill At Arms to the standard required by the SASC . The phase consists of how to train the trainer in the instruction of Small Arms , Defence Instructional Techniques ( Trainer ) , Command , Leadership and Management training and Small Arms design principles . Candidates are also trained to assess instruction and conduct de - briefs . Their suitability to undertake the role of an SASC Instructor at a Phase 3 Training Centre is also assessed . The candidates conduct the The Live Firing Tactical Training ( LFTT ) course at the Infantry Battle School at Brecon which is an additional 5 weeks in duration . The LFTT course is conducted either at the end or about half way through Phase 1 . Phase 2 - Probation . Phase 2 usually takes place at the Infantry Battle School at Brecon . Probationers will instruct , under the guidance and supervision of an SASC Staff Instructor , on the Section Commanders Battle Course or the All Arms NCO Skill at Arms Course . Probationers normally wear the SASC cap badge and rifle Green Beret , but no other regimental insignia . On completion of Phase 2 , successful candidates will be transferred to the SASC and awarded their stable belts and regimental shoulder flash .