Page 465 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
navigation exercises we conducted were very demanding, not only due to the environment but also the distance we had to travel. It was also an experience to conduct the final navigation exercise with my dog, “Alex” in tow. It was my first time doing navigation exercises with the section and it was interesting to see how different people responded to the challenge. The most interesting thing about being on Exercise is you see how people cope when put under pressure.
Having Alex, my Protection dog, with me was a valuable experience. It was a chance to see how Alex would act in the field with other dogs and living under a basha. Throughout the night, Alex was very alert as he is highly driven to work so he didn’t relax as much as the other dogs. He sat mostly outside the basha watching what was going on outside and keeping a close eye.
Deploying with my dog inevitably came with more responsibility. It was a test to keep on top of both Alex’s and my own administration while out in the field. I would health check each chance I could get just in case he picked up any veterinary issues; this would be a standard check because, as a handler, he is my dog and he has to be 100% healthy to be able to work to his maximum ability. Other things had to be considered, for example rationing his food around his work so that he wouldn’t be working on a full stomach; he could then be rewarded with his meal afterwards. Other lessons conducted during the Exercise included things such as model making, First Aid, counter-IED and how to conduct section attacks. I found these very helpful as it was chance to brush up and revise on what I already knew and an opportunity to further improve my knowledge.
I found learning in the field much more engaging than learning in the classroom. Personally, I particularly enjoyed the counter-IED lesson taught to us by SSgt Kyere from the RLC. He explained various subjects in good detail and gave us a chance to share with the group what we knew and what he knew more about.
As a part of the Exercise, we also conducted multiple section level attacks. These were exceptionally good and following de-briefs, we all knew what went well and where we could improve next time. Overall, my time on the Exercise was enjoyable and highly informative to both me and all my fellow soldiers. It was a fantastic chance to learn more about the people I worked with, and to enhance my bond with my MWD Alex. It left me confident for the future and keen for an opportunity to put the skills I had learned into practice for real.29
In the summer of 2018, the opportunity to take part in Operation FALCULAR – a large-scale security effort launched to ensure the smooth running of that year’s Royal Edinburgh Tattoo – was put before the men and women of 104 MWD Sqn. The task being to support the 1st Regiment Royal Military Police on Op FALCULAR throughout the month of August while activities connected with the Tattoo took place in and around Edinburgh Castle from 31st Jul – 25th Aug 2018. The Tattoo is the military’s main Public Military Event in Scotland, incorporating all three Services, regularly attracting an audience of over nine thousand-five hundred people for each performance.
It was an opportunity taken up by LCpl Alex Shanks, 104 Sqn 1 MWD Regt, who contributed to Chiron Calling with an account of his Edinburgh Tattoo experience:
I was fortunate enough to deploy for just over a week with MWD Max, a fantastic small Labrador, as part of the four Arms Explosive Search Dog teams deployed for the duration of the Tattoo. Our Main effort throughout was to provide a security presence and peace of mind to the public and to staff working and performing at the event. This was achieved by conducting various in-depth thorough searches in and around Edinburgh Castle.
The areas we were tasked with searching were challenging, requiring our dog handling skills to be of a really high standard. We were required to trust our dogs immensely as several of the search areas in the upper part of the Castle were extremely high-up with huge drops beyond the walls; this is where a solid relationship and understanding of your dog is priceless.
In between searches there was plenty of time available to conduct productive continuation training with each of the dogs. This proved pivotal in keeping them highly driven throughout the duration of their deployment. It was also hugely positive for us as handlers to conduct CT in a new environment. The nature of the Tattoo, being a busy and densely populated environment, allowed 1st MWD Regt (RAVC) to demonstrate the high-quality work of our MWDs, and we, as handlers are capable of.
As IC for the Operation, it was both challenging and rewarding. Along with managing the usual admin tasks I had, including liaising with the other Units, managing search areas and ensuring the welfare of our MWDs was a priority at all times. Personally, it was also very rewarding as members of the public from all over the world often interacted with us and commented on how good a job we do. This small praise was extremely satisfying; however, the greatest satisfaction came when the other military units recognised the importance of
29 Chiron Calling dated Autumn 2017.
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