Page 105 - RSDG Year of 2021 CREST

EAGLE AND CARBINE 111
in the enormous Churchill hall to catch up on some sleep. The staff were knees to chest again at this stage accumulating all the relevant paperwork in time for the Regimental Selection Boards. Mid way through the second term this is a nerve-racking time for the cadets as they process through the final interview boards for the regiments they aspire to join. A lot get a reality check during the selection process. It is brutal and a real eye opener for many. I was very lucky that CoR SCOTS DG (Brig Allfrey) honoured me and empha- sised the family nature of our Regiment and the impor- tance of a SNCO’s perspective by inviting me to act as a board member alongside the CO, Lt Col Turpin, the Regimental Secretary and RSM. It was a real honour and I felt very privileged. Following the Regimental Selection Boards, cadets know which regiments they are joining and the grind of the course continues with a week on Transition to Live Fire Tactical Training focusing on IRSR and pairs fire manoeuvre, as well as a log race on Barossa Training Area over 4 miles.
Following leave, the platoon returned and finally the third and final term was upon us. The term started with a notable exercise called Ex TEMPLAR’S TRIUMPH. During the week the intake is deployed to Longmore where the Company and Platoons rotated through rural, urban and civilian population phases; cadets get roles to play and they take it very seriously. The best I saw was either the ‘tramp’ played by our poshest cadet (joining the SCOTS GUARDS) or one of the journalists for the famous DON TV. He played the role extremely well and got under the security forces’ skins at every opportunity. This was Ex BROADSWORD in old money (public order exercise). The exercise is used to test cadets under extreme pressure in a close environment. Most have never been in a fight in their lives so having someone grabbing them and screaming and shouting at a close
proximity really tests their command, control and com- munication skills, sometimes even their physical cour- age. Next came Ex DYNAMIC ESTIMATE where the cadets are tested on their orders and estimate, whilst the platoon staff are tested on patience and discipline after having being forced to listen to a lot of back briefs! This directly lines up with the final exercise of the course after a year of training: Ex DYNAMIC VICTORY in Germany at Hohenfels and Graffenwoehr. The first week of the deployment was Live Fire Tactical Training and was on some of the tank ranges I remember from being a young trooper training for Op TELIC. Running down them on foot is a big difference to my previous experiences and bounding after a fire team 10m at a time instead of 200 in a tank seemed to take ages. The troops fired up to section attack by night led by them- selves which I thought was impressive after less than a year in training. Week 2 was an accumulation of eve- rything they have learned over the whole course, end- ing with a battlegroup attack, with all the appointments covered by cadets, apart from Commanding Officer and Regimental Sergeant Major. Combined with support from air assets and some AFVs from the US Army, the attack went well, ending in the cadets having the oppor- tunity to celebrate the final exercise ending with the wearing of their Regimental berets and a champagne breakfast. After a lot of cigars and salmon we could not resist getting a Regimental photo; it has been some time since 3 x Officer Cadets commissioned into SCOTS DG from one intake.
The final 2 weeks of the course are among the most important; cadets learn about subordinate develop- ment, career management and report writing. Finally, the results of the Sovereign’s Banner are released. We finished second...