Page 304 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
Finance Initiative running DAC, in 2009, an independent condition survey was undertaken which recommended that the Dog School’s top offices and classrooms, due to their age (1945 and 1985), poor condition and building type (timber clad and portable cabins), and the CTS’s office and classroom buildings should be replaced immediately. The four different buildings; buildings 3 and 4, (‘top offices’ and 3 classrooms with projectionist room), single storey, steel framed, timber clad buildings constructed in 1945 and buildings 3A and 3B which were portacab- in-type temporary buildings constructed in 1985, were to be demolished once the new build was completed in the ‘Rype’ training village in late 2021. This was reflected in a DATR Facebook post in mid-March 2021:
‘Some might say it is an end of an era at CTS. However, it is the start of a new chapter for CTS. Work commenced on the long awaited rebuild, which will include a brand-new CTS HQ building, Instruc- tional Facility with modern Student Classrooms and an enclosed Training Area. A massive change already in the last few weeks as the internal fences were removed and the Rype village buildings demolished.’44
Defence Animal Training
Regiment Summary 2021
The DATR Summary 2021 provides an insight into the progress made following the Melton site’s development. In the Summary, the DATR is described as a stand-alone Unit located on a 346-acre site on the western edge of the market town of Melton Mowbray dating back to 1903. The unit, in 2021, is two hundred and thirty-six strong, made up of Army (one hundred and twelve), RAF (twenty-three), and civil servants (one hundred and one). It comprises three Training Sqns: (Canine, Equine and Veterinary) and a HQ and Sp Sqn.
The organization of the Unit is described as follows:
• CTS is very much the largest sub-unit and its responsibilities include training Military Working Dogs (MWDs), delivering Subsequent Trade Training (STT) of Defence personnel who are required to work with dogs, including handlers, trainers and managers and procurement and retirement of dogs. CTS is required to procure and train one hundred and sixty – one hundred and eighty Military Working Dogs (MWDs) per year, and to train dog handlers. On average four hundred and twenty-seven students
attend over twenty different courses per year. There are sixty-five MWDs on Unit strength for course delivery and the Sqn trains up to one hundred and eighty-five MWDs each training year with a total holding capacity of up to three hundred and twenty-five on site if required.
• ETS responsibilities include delivering equitation training (STT ‘Train the Trainer’), delivering farrier training (STT), procurement and retirement of horses and maintaining equine estate and facilities to enable LONDIST to rest and rehabilitate its horses and conduct its own training (delivered under Service Level Agreement). The Unit has capacity to hold one hundred and seventy-one stabled horses, and up to one hundred and fifty at grazing.
• VTS responsibilities include delivering primary and secondary veterinary healthcare, providing a Defence Veterinary Referral service, training Veterinary Technicians (Initial Trade Training (ITT)) and Veterinary Officers (Phase 2b) and supporting procurement and retirement of all Military Working Animals.
...a continuing mission
The DATR Mission remains...
• To deliver trained Military Working Animals
(MWA) and personnel trained in their handling, training and management to meet Defence Requirements.
• Achieve not less than a 91.5% First Time Pass Rate in Individual Trade Training and achieve not less than a 95% First Time Pass Rate in Subsequent Trade Training.
• Provide routine veterinary care for MWA, including referral and rehabilitation support for all MWAs.
• Deliver the Recruitment and Retirement function for Military Working Animals.
• Exploit further development opportunities
through closer collaboration with other
Government Departments.
• Deliver non-training outputs in accordance
with relevant Service Level Agreement
(SLA).
• Support the development of MWA capabil-
ities and associated doctrine.
• Support Royal Army Veterinary Corps
Regimental Association activities.
• Deliver Government funded, animal-re- lated apprenticeships that will develop staff
44 DATR Facebook post mid – March 2021.
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