Page 69 - Mind, Body & Spirit Number 104 2020/21

Blandford Garrison is the home of the Royal Signals, which has a plethora of units on site, including: HQ Defence School of Communication and Information
Adventurous Training – Sgt (SI) R Stevenson RAPTC
This year has been very challenging for any kind of Adventurous Training (AT) activity due to the Covid -19 environment. Although 11SR is still optimistically looking forward and engaging by holding regular AT meetings to discuss proposed funding and planning of AT activities as soon as the green light to go ahead is given.
The regiment did manage to conduct some mountain biking shortly after the first lock down. Cpl Ascot booked the mountain bike leader course (MBL) which provided the regiment with 6 new leader / instructors. Cpl Ascot
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11TH (ROYAL SCHOOL OF SIGNALS) SIGNAL REGIMENT
SSgt (SSI) J Peters RAPTC
Systems (DSCIS), 11th (Royal School of Signals) Signal Regiment, Blandford Garrison Support Unit (BGSU) –
which sit under DSCIS (and RAF command), 13 Signal Regiment (13SR) which sits under HQ 6th United Kingdom Division, and 280 NATO Signal Squadron
(280 Sig Sqn) which is a NATO signal squadron held @
R2 readiness. The Commandant of DSCIS is late Royal
Signals and is an OF 5, who has the additional role as
Head of Establishment (HoE) and works to Defence
College of Technical Training (DCTT) up to AOC 22Gp RAF. The complexities of the Garrison and the twin Top-Level Budget (TLB) dynamic is complex and training governance and assurance (from a PD point of view), at times is interesting.
The 11th (Royal School of Signals) Signal Regiment (11SR) is the Phase 2 (Initial Trade Training – ITT) and Phase 3 training (Subsequent Trade Training – STT) Regiment. The Garrison has over 2500 Soldiers, Officers and Civil Servants; and has a newly assigned RAPTC team. Capt (MAA) B R Sweatman, WO2 (QMSI) S Turner, SSgt (SSI) J Peters and Sgt (SI) R Stevenson, who all arrived later than planned due to the assignment freeze. Since arriving, the team have seized every opportunity to exploit areas that required developing across the garrison.
Whilst the pandemic has suppressed most Physical Development activities across the site. Through a PT lens, some of the initiatives that the P&RTC team (7 x AAPTIs and 7 x SIOs) have been focussed on is being upskilled in delivering the new APTS programme, which was rapidly implemented by the QMSI; coupled with the SSI sourcing PTE to support delivery and uplift of a Multi Activity Centre facility, APTS and the emerging Non-GCC Role Fitness Test. Switching focus to the other areas of PD, the SI has also been managing infrastructure projects and works across the site, coupled with a proposed AT plan after lockdown for 11SR trainees.
11SR P&RTC
Whilst PD activities have been limited, 11SR continue to hold a Training Deficiency for the AFT and restrictions to PT have been followed as per Air and Army policies. During the lockdown periods, the ITT’s that have been working remotely have been encouraged to conduct the Lone Soldier PT Programme (LSPTP) whilst those remaining in barracks have been conducting a Covid restricted PT Programme.
Whilst not directly under command of the Land Warfare Centre (LWC), the SO2 PD (Maj Lundie) kindly advises and assists 11SR for all PD matters and provides frequent downreps and inclusion on ITT PD working groups. This allows the team to be sighted on all relevant and extant PD policy and guidance.
Virtual Unit Health Fair &
Lateral Flow Testing (LFT) COVID-19
As lockdown restrictions are still in place with some service personnel working from home, it did not stop the P&RTC staff from delivering their normal roles and responsibilities. The team were tasked to deliver multiple events, which included; the Virtual Unit Health Fair which included delivering a PowerPoint presentation on the LSPTP, Preventative Health, Basic Principles of Nutrition, Mental Health and Wellbeing. Additionally, the team provided support to 4 Military Training Squadron by delivering a Physical Leadership Development PT lesson for the Royal Signals Instructor Selection Course (RSISC). Outside of PD, members of the team have been conducting lateral flow testing, acting as test operators within the P&RTC Gym facility.
Capt (MAA) B Sweatman RAPTC
and Cpl Sam went on to deliver a 4-single day AT package around the local area of Puddle town forest, Dorset. The area is a great place to deliver Distributed Training (DT) as it is home to various trails; from beginner to the more advanced cyclist, with obstacles such as bunny hops and track stands.
The plan for each day was to finish with a few short gnarly trails taking service personnel out of their comfort zone. Overall, the week was highly successful with minimum cuts and bruises and a few new experiences for all. The plan going forward is to run another MBL course so we can qualify more instructors to conduct DT within the regiment, coupled with an aspiration to enter a team into the MTBXC series, linking AT and Sport activities to best effect.
PCRF Blandford – SSgt (SSI) M Potter RAPTC
PCRF Blandford started the reporting year off in national lockdown. As with most other establishments we had to rapidly change our service delivery. We went from the normality of seeing patients face to face and taking large group therapy sessions to closed doors and only seeing patients in an emergency. As time progressed, we were slowly given new ways of working, allowing us to return to a limited or almost full service.
One of these big changes was moving all 7 clinicians out of a tiny office into what was our gym space. This meant procuring a new gym floor area which was achieved by asking the Garrison Youth Club to move to a different building giving us a 20m x 15m space to work with. The move into the new rehabilitation gym was swift, for MOD standards, but in doing so left us with a few legacy issues, the main one being the large bar / fast food kitchen taking up three quarters of the space. We now have an ongoing infrastructure project with the QM’s Department to transform the building from its multitude of past uses into a fit for purpose rehabilitation facility.
The PCRF OC, Capt D Briggs RAMC, deployed on EX AQUILA towards the end of Oct 20 which created an opportunity for SSgt (SSI) Potter RAPTC to step up as acting OC until Apr 21. This is a job that he has done before but this time round it was very different. Not only did he have the new complexities of managing a PCRF in the middle of a pandemic, but at the same time his wife deployed on OP ORBITAL leaving him home alone with their 4 young children. This was an extremely busy and stressful period of his life, one that can only make him stronger!
Sgt (SI) J Shaw RAPTC left us at the end of Dec 20 to start his new assignment at RRU Bulford. We wish him the very best in his new job. Sgt (SI) T Hansmeyer RAPTC has been assigned to PCRF Blandford to start a 2-year assignment.
In summary, the P&RTC Team have remained hugely proactive, focussed and motivated to deliver effective PD (where possible and policy allows) Looking forward; the team look forward to myriad of challenges that lie ahead; implementing the Non GCC RFT, planning and executing AT and the annual Regimental Boxing event to finish off, what can only be described as an interesting year.