Page 5 - Chiron Autumn 2017

101 MWD Squadron – Annual Continuation Training (ACT)
With all the planning in place the time had arrived for the second ever Annual Training Camp for 101 Military Working Dog Squadron, the only Reserve Squadron in 1 MWD Regt. The ACT was to be conducted in 3 distinct phases, Adventurous Training (AT), Battle Craft Syllabus (BCS) camp one (the old, CT1 or military skills) and BCS camp 2, special to role training.
Phase one saw the Reserves practice their navigation skills in earnest whilst hill walking in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, map reading using route cards and Silva compass as aids, no SATNAV! Our Reserves con dence also put to the test with a couple of days Mountain Biking with green, blue, red and black routes available dependant on abilities; with the thrill of speed, real challenge, danger, technical ascents and descents. As with all great AT this allowed everybody to get to know each other well and build on 101 Squadrons cohesion.
After a brief transition from AT clothing to combats, phase 2 was underway and a Troop strength deployment in to eld conditions. Our soldiers had 4 days of remind and revise sessions, for the most part reserves teaching reserves, stripping right back to basic soldiering capturing the new learning objectives of the BCS, putting the soldiering skills very much rst. By the end of this phase all reserve soldiers had been conducting harbor area skills, duties of a sentry, throwing grenades, rehearsing helicopter enplaning and deplaning, section battle drills and up to re team re and manoeuvre to name but a very few. This was a priceless few days with all agreeing that it had “dusted off the cobwebs”, even for those with time served in the Regulars; whether Infantry JNCOs or otherwise, all now RAVC Reserves with an attitude to ght, protect and sustain in the eld. Not a complex environment such as an urban setting but more than enough to hone basic soldiering skills by day and night with enemy forces.
BCS camp one was great preparation as the nal phase would come hard and fast. After a day of orders and equipment preparation the sections were instructed to form ‘sticks’ on a grassed area outside the Squadron Headquarters with all equipment and MWDs. Then the realization as soldiers heard the unmistakable sounds of the Chinook rotor
By WO2 Darren Garratt RAVC
Pte Cooper and MWD ready for the ight to Nesscliff
blades approaching. The excitement on everyone’s faces was clear to see as the adrenaline began to pump and the need to reassure our canine colleagues, the downwash lled the airspace as the Chinook ew overhead and landed in front of us. Ramp down and thumbs up from the crew we boarded and a 45 minute ight time to Nescliff Training Area for the nal 4 day exercise focused on consolidation of specialist to arm soldiering skills, handling a Patrol dog whilst based in a Forward Operating Base (FOB).
The rst 24 hours was designed as
“The instructors recognized the various levels of experience and skill in the Reserves taking part and each tried to adjust to suit all needs of experience”
an authorisation period evaluating both knowledge and practical skills whereby the MWD Team conducted both day and night patrols applying rules of engagement as they encountered 5 serials. This was followed by 3 further days of patrolling and FOB security and routine with call signs encountering various situations, including friendly forces, local civilian population and enemy forces. All management fell to the reserve soldiers with the Troop Commander being expected to work ‘one-up’, also Section Commanders and 2ICs getting to grips with organizing a section or re team; all being given the freedom to exercise their initiative.
Ready for the off – SSgt Luke Jones and Heros
Our Reserves bonded well learning each other’s strengths and where they tted into the team; mistakes were made in controlled environments whereby the soldier could mature, gaining con dence, experiencing rsthand what it is like to deploy in to the eld with a MWD as part of a team and how dif cult it can be to administer BCS when the MWD comes rst most of the time.
101 Military Working Dog Squadron continues to develop, re ect on the basics, both military skills and our trade dog handling, getting the balance right so that our Reserves are effective, are able to fully integrate and ful ll our role in today’s Army. 101 Squadron Reserves are already planning the next ‘deployment’ for ACT 18. Covering much the same skills, building on the basics, the battle craft syllabus, nurturing and developing all our Reserves by ensuring demanding, but progressive military training very much alongside ‘the tools of our trade’ the working dogs.
SSgt Luke Jones and MWD Kidd
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