Page 95 - Chronicle Vol 17

8th Battalion The Rifles The Eden Armoury
St Andrew’s Road Bishop Auckland
DL14 6RX
Mobile: 07825 902 419
Email: peter.bull990@mod.gov.uk
15 November 2023
8TH BATTALION THE RIFLES
– ROYAL COLONEL UPDATE 2023
INTRODUCTION
The Battalion continues to develop capability whilst delivering output along our journey to Full Operating Capability (FOC) in 2025. Pleasingly we continue to compete successfully and seamlessly against far longer established Battalions. We are 19 Light Brigade’s go to Battalion in terms of driving change in the Army Reserves (ARes), which also delivers to GOC 1st UK Division intent and devel- ops tangible ARes capability towards Commander Field Army’s “How We Fight 2026”. Pound for pound we are hitting hard.
OPERATIONAL ACTIVITY
The current focus is support to the delivery of Operation INTERFLEX; 19 Light Brigade’s main effort. Our Riflemen have mainly been working within 2 RIFLES’ Training Delivery Unit (TDU) as part of Trident Company – an all ARes grouping.
WORKFORCE
8 RIFLES continues to grow in capability – a big focus has been developing our support weapons and specialist departments. Our Nov 23 actual strength is 260 against a new liability of 334. Soldier trained strength is 235 (completing the first phase of training), of which 211 are trade trained infantry soldiers or other arms. Our recruit and candidate pipelines are 25 and 89 respectively and we continue to close middle management gaps at Corporal and Serjeant; but Lieutenant reten- tion post University (so developing Captain Company 2ICs) remains our most problematic gap. Pleasingly this year we have had 22 promotions from LCpl to
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