Page 31 - QDG Volume 9 No. 2 2021

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
29
The pre-deployment training for the QDG Task Group offered a plethora of daily challenges and the QM’s department had been tasked not only to conduct the training, but to deliver an element of the Real-Life Support throughout. WO2 Thomas once again leant in to assist, and his forward thinking and proactive nature helped tackle a lot of what couldn’t be managed by those tied into the training serials. Although chaotic at times, the exercise flew by, and before we knew it those who were deploying were packing their bags with the QM for a 7-month Operational Tour. The remainder of the QM’s department headed up by Capt Davies, were to hold the home soil and support the ROG and B Sqn on their overseas exercise to the US.
Those that deployed now formed part of the National Support Element (NSE) in Camp Bagnold, Gao, and their
task is to support the QDG Task Group under the NSE OC, Major Dan Brown. The handover of accounts from 2 Royal Anglian went smoothly due to the dili- gence of the team and everyone in the NSE had to grasp their roles and respon- sibilities quickly, as the first Task Group departure into the arid Malian environ- ment was but a week away. It may have initially seemed like a lengthy opera- tional tour with an absence of R&R, but the pace of life within the NSE and the daily complex challenges that present themselves will pass the time and see it through to completion quickly. Before we know it, the department will be reunited with the remainder of the G4 team back in the UK ready for the homecoming parades in July, which will once again require that critical G4 support.
DB
Nothing to see here Sir
MT
To use a driving analogy, this years tempo within the department has been akin to driving at speeds which would result in a one way conversation with the Brigade Master Driver. With the LSA&I and LEA inspections, green and white fleet management, force generation of A1 Echelon for OP NEWCOMBE 3 and the deployment and recovery flights OP NEWCOMBE 2/3, the department has been constantly engaged.
There has been a number of person- ality changes in 2021. At the beginning of the year WO2 Tom Hughes was in the twilight of his tenure as MTWO before posting to Cyprus as RQMS, he was also covering the duties of the MTO. From there SSgt Will Hughes took over for a short period before Capt Trevor Homer and WO2 Mike Beal came into the department in June. Sgt Korovu- lavula (Sky) was the constant figure head maintaining best practice and managing the department throughout. He has done a great job being constantly trawled to support training as a D&M ninja whilst preparing himself and the A1 grouping for operations.
The junior NCOs and soldiers in MT have continued to perform to a high level despite the high tempo. Cpls Retallack,
The MTO overseeing business in Mali
Halt Parades
Finlay and Yard have led the way for all GS courses and vehicle familiarisation training, enabling the sub units to crew their green fleet for training events. Cpl Williams and LCpl Young have managed the Green Fleet desk to ensure our vehicles remain task worthy. They regu- larly tell me how much they love JAMES and wish it were a real person.
Tpr Vaughan has operated the White Fleet desk for the majority of this year. He has managed our fleet of 31 assets with distinction. This desk is the primary daily output of the department and managing the many details, servicing events and the unit’s insatiable appetite for lift was no simple task! There is a great deal of work that goes by unseen by the majority of the unit, but the junior NCOs and soldiers are the backbone of the depart- ment and have maintained the fleet and kept the Regiment on the road.
Due to the A1 Echelon for OP NEWCOMBE 3 being made up of MT personnel, the department effectively split into 2 groups in July; A1 and the ROG in order to maintain departmental outputs and train for OP NEWCOMBE 3. When Capt Homer took over as MTO he had to quickly ORBAT his A1 workforce and vehicles and prepare for the Mission Specific Training events forecasted by RHQ and MRTC. In June they conducted dismounted and mounted live fire ranges
Safety First
on STANTA and Lulworth before looking ahead to the All Ranks Briefs and mandated individual training courses which were sprinkled throughout.
The Mission Rehearsal Exercise was conducted on STANTA and was the culmination of all the preparation. This was over a six-week period, Sep – Nov, directed by MRTC and the troops were based from Bodney Camp which repre- sented Camp Bagnold. This was a particularly compressed and exception- ally busy training progression with not much time to re-cock between training events, but the team did excellently and went into isolation for a well-earned rest before their respective deployment flights.
From the 10th November MT had to manage a complex transport plan for twelve OP NEWCOMBE 2 and 3 recovery/deployment flights, many of which overlapped. The department successfully recovered all of C Sqn personnel (without too much waiting at Brize) and deployed the Task Group on time in good order.
Looking ahead to 2022 the depart- ment will undoubtedly deliver exceptional results as A1 Echelon on OP NEWCOMBE 3 and continue to support the Regiment back at RBSM as it prepares for OTXs and other events.
EH