Page 476 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
an organisation that has not always demonstrated the ability to learn after a long campaign.
More critical observers would point to serious shortcomings including systematic weaknesses in understanding the scale, nature and complexity of Afghanistan; the scale of our ambitions unmatched by the ways and means; a parochial focus on a British solution in Helmand; lengthy periods when UK land operations seemed out of balance in ways and means; short term tactical actions that generated longer term challenges; an institutional reluctance to comprehensively and quickly adjust to operational demands.
The campaign also had a significant impact on the wider context in which land tactics are conducted. While admiration for the ‘can do’ mentality and courage of the military remained strong, the initial paucity of effective policy guidance frustrated the linking of tactical military objectives to political goals and led to counter-insurgency approach being confused with a strategy. The conflict declined in popular support paradoxically as the campaign started to deliver tangible progress in ANSF capability. Yet Operation HERRICK saw public opinion begin to sentimentalise the role and loss of Service personnel while growing increasingly ambivalent of the cause for which they fought. These observations have important implications for the future utility of land power
and are worthy of deeper reflection.
Op FINGAL
The first RAVC soldier to deploy to Afghanistan to support the operation, was LCpl Pauline Smith; it is also highly likely she was the first British Army female soldier to deploy to the conflict.
On 11th September 2001 alongside her peers at the DAC in Melton Mowbray, LCpl Smith watched the television in disbelief as two commercial airliners flown by terrorist hijackers were delib- erately flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York. On 12th September 2001 LCpl Smith and Explosive Detection Dog (EDD) “Harry” who was trained for mine detection deployed as planned for a six-month tour in Bosnia whilst the terror attack on America and the western world unfolded.
In February 2002, five months into her tour of Bosnia, LCpl Smith was informed that a request had been made by Whitehall for an EDD team from the Balkans to deploy immediately to Afghanistan in support of Op FINGAL in Kabul. The EDD team and SSgt Tam Nicol drove from Banja Luka to the Dutch Army base in Split, Croatia, where they would fly via Hercules to Germany the following day.
After a short stop in Germany to be briefed on the deployment, replenish rations and
Map of Afghanistan and surrounding countries.
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