Passing the Army Interview: CDRILS and Values Explained

You’ve trained for the bleep test. You’ve practiced for the Army Cognitive Test (ACT). But there is one final hurdle at the Assessment Centre that trips up many prepared candidates: The Interview.

The British Army interview is not just a chat about your hobbies. It is a character assessment. The recruiters are looking for specific traits that prove you can be a soldier. These traits are codified in the Army's Values and Standards, commonly known by the mnemonic CDRILS. If you don't know what this means, you aren't ready.

What are the CDRILS?

CDRILS stands for the six core values of the British Army. You should not only memorize these but understand what they mean in a military context.

C - Courage: This isn't just physical courage (bravery in battle). It is also moral courage—the ability to do the right thing even when it is difficult or unpopular.
D - Discipline: The glue that holds the Army together. It means obeying orders instantly, but also self-discipline: keeping your kit clean and maintaining fitness when no one is watching.
R - Respect for Others: Treating everyone with decency, regardless of race, gender, or rank. The Army relies on teamwork; you cannot build a team without respect.
I - Integrity: Honesty and truthfulness. Soldiers must be able to trust each other with their lives. If you lie about small things, you cannot be trusted with big things.
L - Loyalty: Supporting your team, your family, and the Crown. It binds the Army together.
S - Selfless Commitment: Putting the needs of the mission and your team before your own interests. It is the "service" in "military service."

How to Weave Values into Your Interview Answers

The interviewer will likely ask behavioral questions like, "Tell me about a time you faced a challenge." A generic answer won't score points. A great answer weaves in the CDRILS.

Example 1: Demonstrating Integrity

Question: "Have you ever been in a difficult situation at school or work?"

Weak Answer: "Yes, I had a difficult customer once, but I fixed it."

Strong Answer (Using CDRILS): "I once found a wallet with £50 in it at work. My friends told me to keep it, but I knew that showed a lack of Integrity. I handed it in to the manager. It required Moral Courage to go against my friends, but doing the right thing was more important to me."

Example 2: Demonstrating Selfless Commitment

Question: "Why do you want to join the Army?"

Strong Answer: "I want a career that offers more than just a paycheck. I believe in Selfless Commitment—working as part of a team towards a goal bigger than myself. I want to serve my country and rely on the Loyalty of my squadmates."

Current Affairs: Know Your Army

Part of showing Discipline is doing your homework. The interviewer will expect you to know where the British Army is currently active.

Operations: Know about deployments in places like Estonia (Operation CABRIT), Cyprus, or Kenya.
Equipment: Have a basic idea of the equipment used by the corps you are applying to (e.g., Challenger 2 tanks for RAC, Trojan vehicles for Royal Engineers).

Don't just say "I want to fight." Say, "I am interested in the peacekeeping work the Army is doing in [Location], and I want to contribute to that stability."

Don't Let the Cognitive Test Hold You Back

The interview is your chance to shine as a person, but you won't get there if you fail the computer-based tests first. Intelligence gets you to the interview; values get you past it.

Many candidates spend hours memorizing CDRILS but fail because they underestimated the Army Cognitive Test (ACT). Don't make that mistake. Use the Army Cognitive Test App to sharpen your mental agility, so the cognitive part becomes a breeze. This frees up your mental energy to focus on learning your Values and Standards perfectly.

Conclusion

The Army interviewer wants you to pass. They are looking for potential, not perfection. By memorizing the CDRILS and preparing examples of how you have demonstrated these values in your own life, you show them that you are already thinking like a soldier. Be honest, be prepared, and be yourself.