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It has been another busy year with HCR. The Regiment’s main focus over the last 12 months has been centred
around deployment, with two concurrent operational tours (Op TOSCA 38 and Op ELGIN 11 & 13), and all the training and pre-deployment exercises that go with it. As the RAPTCI my main effort was to get the Regiment physically ready for deployment and ensure all our deploying troops were in date for their core fitness requirements.
Once all the pre-deployment noise was over and the troops were out the door, the CO tasked me with launching Project Novus, which was focussed on injured and downgraded personnel. The aim was to give these Service Personnel (SP) the best possible opportunity to recover from their respective injuries and get themselves fully deployable once again. Project Novus was a resounding success and proved that given the space and time to focus on rehabilitation, most SP will recover from their injuries and return to full fitness.
Once I had reached the targets set by the CO on Project Novus, I then joined the troops in Cyprus on Op TOSCA 38 for the second half of the tour. This was a great four months in the sunshine and the kind of opportunity I joined the Army for. Not only did the troops gain great experience on their daily patrols of the buffer zone, but also got to enjoy plenty of adventurous training and experience Cypriot culture in their down time.
Op TOSCA 38 Medals Parade
Whilst most of the Regiment was patrolling the buffer zone in Cyprus, C Sqn had returned from Kosovo on Op ELGIN 11, enjoyed some well-earned post operational tour leave and then began preparations to deploy on Op ELGIN 13, which is a great tour that not many units get to do.
My time at HCR is almost up and three years have flown by with a very busy Forecast of Events (FoE), but the opportunities have been immense, I have enjoyed every minute. The Regiment now shifts focus to AJAX and hopefully some exciting deployments in the near future.
HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY REGIMENT
“Strong in will / To Strive, to seek, to find and not to yield” SSgt (SSI) T Hansmeyer RAPTC
SSgt (SSI) T Hansmeyer on Op TOSCA 38
Troops conducting PT in the buffer zone on Op TOSCA 38