Page 52 - Bugle Autumn 2023

RTT
RIFLES TRAINING TEAM
As we embarked on another New Year, the RIFLES Training Team (RTT) continued to
do what it does best – focus on developing and mentoring service personnel from across The Rifles and wider Army. We were a well-rested team after Christmas leave, and we had a spring in our step, ready for another busy 12-month period, focused on safeguarding the future of our fine regiment.
We started the year with a review of all course content, and from this we fined tuned certain elements thanks to the constructive feedback the RTT continues to receive at the end of every package.
In the first half of the year we have delivered five Rifleman’s Cadres, which is shaped and designed to fill the gap between Field Army and Riflemen joining their respective Battalions. A huge amount of focus is given to educating the next generation on The Rifles, our leadership, ethos and how the regiment works. This is an area which is missed at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick because the recruits are no longer trained as a RIFLES Division.
March saw the first edition of the JNCO Leadership Development package, which has been put together purely focusing on in-camp skills. There is an agreed consensus that we as the Infantry are fantastic at training our soldiers for battle, but terrible at setting them up for success in barracks, which is an area we as a regiment are now looking to work on. The course covered discipline, report writing, fitness and health plans, a visit to RHQ, and the QM’s procedures. The most impressive area was the digital skills package, which highlighted the many courses and systems that are available for Riflemen to help develop themselves. The majority had never seen or been briefed on this before.
The Tactical Navigation course had its first run out of the year under CSjt Clark and Sjt Deal, who have spent a lot of time investing in
52 RIFLES The Bugle
the preparation to ensure it catered for more ability levels. The students covered over 60km in week two alone and we were delighted with the feedback on the new structure and delivery.
CSjt Clark and Sjt Deal have been stalwarts of the RTT in this first period focusing a lot of effort into developing every course we run. A new Physical Training Instructor, LCpl Hawkes has arrived, with a whole host of new ideas
to improve what we already deliver. But in addition the team is about to undergo a huge change of personnel: WO2 Hamilton is being replaced by CSjt Brunt as the RTT Serjeant Major, CSjt Clark (Chief Instructor) is being replaced by CSjt Nichols, and Sjt Deal is off with his replacement not yet announced!! Its great to see the talent from the RTT staff being recognised with both CSjt Clark and Sjt Deal moving on promotion. Lastly Cpl Podmore, the RSDC, is being replaced by Cpl Alright who has huge boots to fill.
We started the year with a review of all course content, and from this we fine tuned certain elements
A massive thank you to all four who have been exceptional members of the RTT, and who fully invested into the RTT and every course we ran, ensuring that our Riflemen want for nothing and leave here better prepared than when they arrived.
To qualify that, in March we heard that six of the eight Army-wide candidates who attended the RTT Sandhurst CSjt Instructor Pre-Course were successful, a huge pat on the back for the team for helping prepare them.
The first six months have been busy and we have worked exceptionally hard. Probably the most enjoyable factor of being part of the RTT are the amount of Riflemen we get to see from across the regiment. Nearly all who attend, regardless of the course, are highly motivated, showing a will to learn and a desire to develop and improve. This makes being an instructor at the RTT an absolute pleasure.
Captain Lee Jones