Page 361 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
and take in up to twenty-five separate units. The MGS Inspectors work closely with VSTAT and the DATR, to manage the working dog fleet; organising courses, inspections, licencing, acting as Point of Contact (POC) and to interface with the MGS/VSTAT/DATR involving all aspects relating to MWDs for the MGS – even down to uniform and equipment.10
DAVRS’ Role:
Prior to 2016, the Director Army Veterinary and Remount Services (DAVRS) had ultimate respon- sibility for the overall health, welfare, veterinary and performance of all MWAs. Located within the Army Medical Directorate at Camberley, DAVRS, as well as being Head of the RAVC, was also the Army Competent Authority – a title which later changed to Army Competent Advisor and Inspector (ACAI) – for MWAs and Veterinary. The Veterinary element, in its broadest sense, incorporates all aspects of animal health and welfare, as well as Veterinary Medicine. DAVRS’ staff comprised Policy, Capability and Equipment support posts as well as a four-strong Assurance team, or the VSTAT.11
However, in 2016, as part of the Army Command Review, DAVRS’ organisation was collapsed into the Army Headquarters (Army HQ) under Head of Capability Medical (HOC Med) and reduced in size. Shortly afterwards, the Director’s post was disestablished or ‘de-enriched’ in Army terms!
In 2017, HOC Med, together with remaining veterinary staff, was incorporated into HOC Combat Service Support (CSS) where all functions previously performed by DAVRS’ staff, then rested.
CVRO and Connected Veterinary Roles:
Five Top Level Budget (TLBs) holders employ Military Working Animals, with the Army specified rightly as the Lead Command for MWA and Veterinary.
The RAVC maintains Veterinary Officers (VOs) regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) as Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP) both to provide for the health, welfare and veterinary care of its own MWAs and to discharge its responsibility as Lead Command. No other Defence users have similar SQEP and, consequently, all rely on support from Army personnel.
Effective veterinary governance and assurance is essential for two important and distinct reasons;
10 Mr Frederick Humphries MGS Written Testimony dated 2nd April 2021.
11 Army HQ/Strat/Org/IO dated 10th January 2018.
it is not only essential for the health and welfare of MWAs across Defence, but it also protects the Army’s regulated veterinary professionals.
Lead Command status for the MWAs capability, across UK Defence, rests with the RAVC and responsibility to discharge the duty is delegated to the Chief Veterinary Remount Officer (CVRO). The CVRO is also the nominated ACAI for the health and use of all animals employed by Defence and provides governance or assurance to the Army Inspectorate ensuring compliance with the following: animal related legislation, veterinary aspects of Force Protection across Defence, Policy development and regulation of employment and training of veterinary personnel against their civilian regulatory and statutory bodies.
Over recent years the current CVRO, Colonel Mark Morrison, has provided a great deal of input to all matters regarding the governance of MWAs; Policy has been reviewed and is continually updated. Notable and positive steps have been taken regarding the governance of MWDs employed on recent Operations – an important subject that is covered in more detail later in this Chapter.
For coherence and efficiency, VSTAT is under the Command of Army HQ. An RAVC Lieutenant Colonel (SO1 Veterinary Policy) heads the Inspec- torate function at AHQ for both veterinary, technical and interrelated matters. The post holder also provides SME input to other staff branches as required. At present (2021) the Inspection VSTAT consists of only one RAVC Major or Captain VO, and one SSgt.
The team is responsible for the technical inspection of some twenty-five units that are situated mainly in the UK; with one German Guard Service (GGS) location where the MWDs are handled by the RAVC trained GGS handlers. The RAVC dog sections in Brunei, Nepal and Cyprus Sovereign Base Area (SBA) Police, are inspected by the DT Technical SSgt once a year. However, with the MGS and MDP now carrying out their own technical inspections, the RAVC’s technical visit obligations have reduced. The DT VSTAT SME validates the MWD outputs from the DATR frequently.
Veterinary related inspections are performed at eighty UK sites which now include the RAF’s MWD locations, together with a number of other users in Germany, Nepal, Brunei, Gibraltar, the Falklands, Diego Garcia and Cyprus. It is worth mentioning here that it is the RAVC VOs who now
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