Page 282 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
nascent Reserve Unit.
The brief from the CO, Lt Col Steve Foreman
RLC in 2015, was simple ”make it work”. Fortunately, Chris Ham had been provided a first rate SPSI, SSgt Andy Marsh, a SNCO who was well-read, and understood the wider narrative and all facets of military training as well as the RAVC. Just as importantly, the PSAO was equally experienced in all matters relating to Reserves administration and know how. Captain Dave Naylor, a Coldstream Guards Officer, lived up to his Regiment’s motto – Nulli Secundus or Second to None – Dave Naylor was just that. Without him, it is doubtful that the embryonic Sqn would have
flourished as it did.
Very similar to 30 years ago, handlers were
required to go through various interviews and selection procedures, before completing their basic military training at an Army Training Regiment (ATR), normally at ATR Grantham or ATR Pirbright. On successful completion of Basic Training RAVC Reserves then completed a sixteen-day dog handling course which included baiting techniques at the DATR at Melton. At all stages of the training, the handlers were able to get practical hands-on experience, with a military working dog, regardless of the handler’s level of training.
There were challenges with Operation FORTIFY, the name given to the recruitment of Reserves in mid – 2015, and the delivery of thirty thousand trained Army Reserves by March 2019. Regional Brigades were the lead for recruiting, with much assistance on Unit initiatives to recruit, in support of Op FORTIFY.
The Army Reserve force structure was designed by the Heads of Capability (in consultation with Regimental and Corps Colonels Reserve), in order to deliver the individual and collective capabilities required to reinforce a division deployed on war fighting, regeneration, and for the resilience of the UK.
Through A2020 and A2020 (Refine) R, the Army fundamentally redesigned its structure to put in place an integrated approach comprising Regulars, Reserves, Civil Servants and contractors. The military component of the future force comprised one hundred and twelve thousand service personnel, Regular and Reserve, organised into a single structure (eighty two thousand Regular and thirty thousand Reserves).
Initially, the RAVC Reserve liability for 1 MWD Regt was to be an optimistic Reserve Officers and soldiers of three hundred and fifty – to meet the new establishment of two Reserve squadrons. The
squadrons would comprise mainly dog handlers, with VOs and other support staff, such as clerks, and as a regional unit with the challenging regional terms of service. It was highly unlikely such numbers would be recruited from within a 50 miles radius, despite casting the recruiting net further afield.
For the RAVC, as a specialist Unit, a more appropriate national model of recruiting was eventually adopted. National units recruit from anywhere in the UK, bringing Reservists together only on a weekend and for annual training periods. This allows them to recruit Reservists to focus on more generic military capability, and the application of the civilian skill set to a military environment.
It was therefore decided to offer up two hundred and thirty-five posts across the wider Army as part of A2020 R and decrease liability. The decision, along with the national recruiting model, was a success and soon 101 Sqn was fully manned – the trained strength, similar to Chris Ham’s proposal in 2008, and subsequent capability, which is the real measure of success, not just numbers recruited.
Handlers were trained with necessary skill sets proving useful in the hybrid Regiment and many soldiers completed promotion courses in the formative years. All of this matched the defined purpose of the Reserves: “A committed and flexible Army Reserve that is usable and credible providing trained and skilled manpower, integrated at all levels, in support of national military outputs at home and overseas. A relevant Army Reserve having the flexibility to deliver routine capability at scale, as formed Units or individual augmen- tation, add depth to the fighting component, whilst providing enablers, specialists, profession- ally-qualified personnel, and civilian skills and thinking to the fight.”
By late 2015, ‘Fitness, weapons and dogs’ was the mantra for one training weekend which many handlers and VOs attended. It saw them train, not only with MWDs, but the Glock 17 9mm pistol and use the Dismounted Close Combat Training (laser range) facility at St George’s Barracks. The first of the new RAVC Reserves Officers graduated from RMAS Sandhurst in early 2016, with many others to follow in their footsteps. Whilst the Sqn had an RAVC SSM who was from a non-RAVC background, it was in February 2017 that a first rate SSM WO2, Darren Garratt, was selected for the role. He brought a wealth of Regular experience to the Sqn and fully embraced the RAVC Reserves in all training and leadership aspects.
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