Page 36 - Bugle No. 17 Spring 2021

5 RIFLES
This is not the first or last time that a
Danish company has been integrated into
a British battlegroup, but this has been an easy process. We have all adapted, and we have felt very welcomed. The willingness to accept the differences between our cultures, and the ability to keep our task in focus has helped us all. We feel like a natural part of the eFP BG.
When we are on operations, it is natural
for us to have attached UK callsigns. It works perfectly, and we can assist one another to solve any problem effectively and efficiently. There will always be problems with interop- erability, particularly from a communications perspective, but on CABRIT 7 we have found a good solution. The eFP BG works well. Together we are aggressive, hard to kill and well-inte- grated. It has been great to get to know our British colleagues as much as possible. Our platoons often link up with British platoons to play FIFA, drink coffee, eat cake and talk about everyday life both in Estonia and back home in Denmark or the UK.
VIDAR Coy has also had Sjt Malcolm attached to us as a liaison officer, able to help us with interoperability and planning training together. Sometimes it is very helpful to have
a Brit embedded, to help us Danes understand the British way of doing things. We use the same doctrine and procedures, but there will always be some minor differences. Sjt Malcolm
DANCON battle PT
It is very helpful to have a Brit embedded, to help us Danes understand the British way of doing things
quickly adapted and learned the
Danish way of conducting battle
drills, and how our company works when on operation. It has been a pleasure to work with him and his team.
We will go home in January, but we will always remember the eFP BG and especially 5 Rifles as a very competent, hospitable and professional battlegroup. It has been a pleasure.
Maj Mads Rasmussen, Vidar Company
Vidar Coy practice their
urban live fire drills
Those who deployed on CABRIT 1 would have been familiar with the steady stream of VIP visits, and CABRIT 7 has been no exception, albeit fighting the increasing complexity of international travel restric- tions.
Back in October the Battlegroup welcomed the President of Estonia, Her Excellency Kersti Kaljulaid. The President has been in post since before CABRIT 1 and was particularly pleased to be welcoming back the 5th Battalion. Those that were fortunate enough to chat with the President were impressed
by her interest in how the Battlegroup had prepared for its mission and her detailed knowledge of the threat and tactical issues.
With the Battlegroup recently returned from Latvia and Lithuania, we received a number of high profile visits in quick succes- sion, including: the Chairman of the Military Committee NATO, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach GBE KCB DL; Commanding General of
US Army Europe and Africa, General Christo- pher Cavoli; and Deputy Commander Field Army, Major General Celia Harvey OBE TD VR.
The impact of these visits shouldn’t be underestimated, especially during these challenging times. They provide the BG with an opportunity to show the product of its hard work and dedication and provide the opportunity to discuss any challenges or improvements. The best assets to deliver the BGs key messages are our Riflemen of all cap badges and ranks, and visits have almost exclusively been conducted amongst soldiers in the cookhouse or down the vehicle sheds.
A picture paints a thousand words and
on occasion the Battlegroup likes to put
on a show. For those that don’t follow @ CO_5RIFLES on Twitter (shocking that anyone might not), D Sqn QRH demonstrated their awesome capability by inviting the Secretary of State for Defence, The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, into the turret of a Challenger II for the
Bugle Pl welcome the
President of Estonia
36 RIFLES The Bugle
VIDAR COMPANY
VISITS