Page 359 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
The Veterinary Services Inspection Team (VSIT)1 replaced the TET circa 1997; all teams in all locations were renamed. VSIT commenced a continuous programme of visits to over one hundred animal holding units to validate their animal health, welfare and operational standards, and to carry out annual tests for licensing dog teams.
An OC, two WO2s and two JNCOs comprised the VSIT providing high-quality technical evaluation and support to the many Dog Sections around the UK and overseas – excluding Germany. The RAVC Support Group at Aldershot also maintained the capability to provide Search dog teams for operations, for training or instructional purposes. And a small veterinary facility provided first-line treatment for nearby units’ dogs and a referral service for more distant sections where local civilian vets provided routine veterinary treatments.
Regular inspections of Service dog sections, by suitably qualified personnel, ensured as it does today, that both the handlers and the dogs maintain an acceptable level of efficiency. Furthermore, during the inspections, VSIT personnel were able to impart advice on matters that had a bearing on the employment, training and wellbeing of Service dogs and how the overall operational efficiency could be improved.
DAVRS was responsible for the effectiveness of all MoD Dogs and their handlers at home and overseas and while this responsibility was delegated, in part, through the staff chain to Command HQs, professional advice on the operational employment of dog teams was achieved through the VSIT WOs. The Veterinary Services Staff Officers (VSSOs), were responsible for ensuring that each establishment holding MoD animals had a WO/SSgt visit every six months during which the validation procedure took the form of formal testing based on agreed standards. Responsibility for maintaining that perfect training ‘cycle’ – making sure that there was no deviation from those set standards – also sat with the VSSOs and WOs monitoring the validation procedures.
As well as providing advice to the units on all matters relating to the dogs, VSIT also provided feedback to the DAC and further advised on competitions such as dog trials. The small team recommended on Specialist training to meet operational needs and submitted progress reports on trial equipment and facilities. They also recommended changes in the Job Specification
and Training Objectives for the RAVC Career Employment Groups (CEGs) and the assessment of potential regimental handlers for service in Northern Ireland.
Outputs
Records for MWD Production in 2003 – 2004 demonstrate that Canine Division during the year 2003 – 2004 had to recruit and train the following number of MWDs for use by the MoD Worldwide and an additional thirty-one MWDs for other customers as directed:2
MoD Worldwide: PAT 157, Police 43, AES 34, Tkr 7, VS 8, Drug 3 and EDD 2. Total = 254 MWDs.
Non-core outputs: PAT 14, AES 5 and EDD 12. Total = 31 MWDs.
Grand total = 285 MWDs.
Records for MWD SOTT Production in FY 2009 – 2010 demonstrate that the SDTS must maximise production and produce the following numbers of MWDs:
Defence: Patrol 90, AES 30, Police 52, Tkr 5, Drug 6, VS 22. Total = 205.
Protection Section must produce 90 MWDs and Specialist Sections 115 MWDs in total. Total core output = 205 MWDs.
Income Generation is not to take precedence over Core outputs.3
Current MWD numbers, as at April 2021:
The number of dogs at DATR Canine Training Squadron were:
Dogs on courses for instructional purposes: (PDH 12, VS 7, AES 9, DD 4, ITT 8, and PLC 3) = 43.
In Training: Police 19, Protection 20, Detection 23 = 62.
Finally, re-homing 3. So, 108 dogs in total.4
The Canine Training Squadrons outputs were severely and sadly affected by the most memorable and challenging events of the last few years – BREXIT and the Covid 19 pandemic.
Costs
During the autumn of 2001, the typical value of a MWD was as follows:
PAT/PAT(AT) £2,677; Tkr £7,650; DD (passive) £7,250; DD (pro-active) £8,700 and AES £14,200.
Handler training was approximately PAT/PAT (AT) £450 PAT/PAT (AT) reteam £450; Tkr £5,700;
1 Appendix 1 to Annex B VRSIs circa 1997.
2 DAC/G3/10/1 SOTT FY 2003-2004 dated 25th April 2003.
3 DAC/G3/10/1 MWD SOTT PRODUCTION FY 2009 – 2010 OC Loose Minute – dated 12th June 2009.
4 Numbers provided by DATR 26th April 2021.
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