Page 149 - RSDG Year of 2023

The Regiment currently enjoys strong representation at The Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment; Capt Gale as Operations Officer, Capt Snowball as a Training Troop Leader, Sgt Bates as a Training Troop Sgt, Sgt Mowbray as the Rehab and Discharge Cell NCO (soon to be SQMS), Cpl Wasasala in the Military Skills and Personal Development (MSPD) Wing and Cpl Shepherd in the RAC Junior Command Course (JCC) Troop. All have been at the very heart of an increase in activity as being pushed by Director Land Warfare to close the training and operational gap.
RACTR’s primary role is the instruction of Initial Trade Trainees (ITTs) through their Phase 2 courses; Part 1 & 2 Signals, CAT B (Car), CAT C (HGV, for those going Light Cav), Cat H and 120mm Gunnery (for those going on tracked vehicles) and finally Driving & Maintenance dependant on their chosen capability. Overall, a period, on average, of 30 weeks for each ITT. Courses are run concur- rently and so alignment of ITTs depends on their progress and availability. Between courses ITTs will find themselves in ‘holdover’ or MSPD which is where we look develop their personal and professional skills with lessons, ranges, exercises and cultural trips lead by RACTR permanent staff.
With Captain Gale (RACTR Ops) and Captain Snowball (RACTR Tp Leader), seemingly joined at the hip in the opinion of all those at Bovington, both arriving in June to take on new roles, the grey beret (mafia) presence at RACTR increased even further.
Quickly declaring himself self-elected Chairman of the ‘Good Ideas Club’ (or as the Tp Cpls have renamed it, the ‘Grief Club’), Capt Snowball has been integral in the increase of activity in the field, which has been a vital part of the Combat Manoeuvre Centre’s direction in order to prepare soldiers in training for the Field Army. Such schemes stemming from the ‘Good Ideas Club’, which frequently consists of newly promoted Sgt Bates, have included playing enemy for the SCOTS DG Patrol Competition, Bayonet Lanes, night navigation exercises
Task force Hannibal: Capt Snowball and Sgt Bates with those who survived the onslaught of midges on the SCOTS DG Patrol Comp
Sgt Bates and Cpl Shepherd enjoy a gentle stroll whilst the remainder follow on asking for the brand of Sgt Bates hair product
and most recently the March and Shoot competition. Sgt Bates, having moved from the RAC JCC upon promotion into his new role, has built an ethos that sees ITTs always following his every move, no doubt wondering how his hair can remain so immaculately untouched after the morning’s strenuous battle PT session.
Cpl Wasasala has continued to be a rock within the MSPD wing of RACTR leading ITTs through numerous lessons from personal development to observation post construction. Cpl Shepherd has also recently arrived as a RAC JCC Cpl, quickly stepping straight into the thick of it, impressing all with his knowledge and professionalism as he leads the development of the RAC’s future Cpls.
Sgt Mowbray, as RACTR’s version of The Great Escape character Henley, unanimously holds the title of ‘Regimental Scrounger’, with an ability to provide materials no matter how scarce and hard to come by with a grin and a firm response of “don’t ask” whilst all others look on in complete disbelief. He will shortly take on the role of RACTR SQMS with promotion and all of us look forward to seeing what other rare items he is able to procure.
It has been a very strong year for SCOTS DG personnel posted at RACTR and the future looks bright as we move into another year and more serials stemming from the ‘Good Ideas Club’.
RACTR
Capt A Gale
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