Page 66 - RADC 2016

Adventurous Training – What’s It All About?
By Lt Col A K THOMAS
Adventurous Training (AT) is not an
excuse to get away from the surgery for
a week of outdoor activities interspersed with drinking and socialising, it is an important part of military training. It complements individual and collective training, and enhances the performance
of our personnel during operations. It has been all too clear to me over the years
that medical units on operations require dental personnel who have additional skills, other than their primary role, so
that they become a valuable asset to the unit, not simply an additional burden to
be administered. Quite simply these skills cannot be gained within the dental surgery!
The aim of military AT is to provide challenging outdoor training for Service personnel in speci ed adventurous activities that incorporates controlled exposure to risk, in order to develop leadership, teamwork, physical tness, moral and physical courage, as well as other personal attributes and skills that are vital to the delivery of operational capability.
It is well recognised throughout the Services that AT provides valuable training in planning, organisation, leadership, man-management and administration
for those involved in its preparation and delivery. Additionally, the opportunity,
particularly for young of cers and non- commissioned of cers, to take part in the conduct of expeditions all over the world, often involving real risk, is a key element in the preparation of young service personnel for operations. As such, AT is a G7 training activity and those taking part are regarded as being on duty throughout. It is essential that the ‘expeditionary’ element of this training is retained at every level and that physical and mental challenges are met
and overcome throughout the planned activity. It is this element of challenge, requiring the individuals involved to develop qualities of tness, courage and endurance that distinguish AT from sport. As the perception of what is challenging changes with experience, so AT is designed to be progressive, leading Service personnel through a series of levels from an initial Foundation level introduction, to ultimately a valuable Joint Service AT leader/instructor.
Higher Formation Direction
Commander Field Army (CFA), directs that 33% of a regular unit ‘must attend’, and 15% of a reserve unit ‘must attend’, at least 5 days of AT each TY.
CDO(A) AT Policy
An AT Directive has been written and distributed to provide the CDO(A)’s direction. CDO(A)’s AT Policy is that all RADC personnel within DPHC(D) must attend at least 5 days of AT every three years and
that CFA’s targets are to be met, operations permitting. In order to achieve this, each RADC service person will be entitled to up to 10 working days away from their primary
Levels of Army Adventurous Training
AT within the Services is split into 4 distinct types, which together provide an overarching framework to allow:
a. Type 1 (T1) – Initial Training – Undertaken during initial training prior to entering into
productive service. Introduction to leadership training in an outdoor environment.
b. Type 2 (T2) – Directed Unit Training – Undertaken during productive service, with
participation being mandated by unit CoC. Low intensity single or multi-activity trg, should be conducted in Theatre over a continuous 5 day period. T2 AT is funded by the Chain of Command and also includes Distributed Training (DT).
c. Type 3 (T3) – Expeditions – Undertaken during productive service on a voluntary basis. Participation on more demanding AT expeditions, one–third personal contribution is expected but not always a requirement.
d. Type 4 (T4) – Undertaken via the attendance on a leader/instructor course in any JSAT discipline at a JSAT Centre to provide quali cations or experience to lead or teach at Types 1-3.
64 RADC BULLETIN 2016
ADVENTUROUS TRAINING