Page 522 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
also witnessed quite a change in the capability structure and during the latter months we saw over half of the E2 numbers disappear from the ORBAT and E1 handlers re-invested into PROTECT roles for Base Closures etc. Much of our success however was down to dedication, professionalism, and focused training and here, I must turn to the handlers and their MWDs, without whom the tour would have been very different. The amounts of lethal aid that was recovered made a significant impact on the safety and security of the deployed forces and the reputation of the handlers reached an all-time high across the Brigade and supported ISAF partners.
Not all our time was focused on work though – with support from a very capable and enthusiastic Troop Commander (Lt Daisy Pelton), we were able to socialise with several nationalities and her efforts in encouraging competition (both mental and physical) were extraor- dinary. But in true Troop Commander style, the best was kept ‘til the end of the tour and a ten-day ski trip to Val d’Isere. Very soon though, our time to depart theatre arrived and we set about organising the normalisation week and medals parade which was held in Didcot. For the normalisation week I must thank Sgt Alex Wood (now part of the Sqn in North Luffenham), Cpl John Dodds and the members of ROG. Their attention to detail was superb and the opportunities to relax with families and friends were just right.
Finally, the medal parade – with the reviewing Officer confirmed as HRH The Princess Royal, it was a particu- larly special day for all the soldiers and their families. The tone of the day was spot on and the support we received from the Commanding Officer and Regimental Sergeant Major, who travelled from Germany to be with us, made a real difference.
At the end of every tour, analysis of objectives and achievements are always emotive and for many they become personal, but I think to sum it up we should probably reflect on the two elements that drove success for HERRICK 18: Firstly, support from home and the UK Rear Operations Group was incredible; spending many hundreds of hours writing, packing comfort boxes and emailing, the families did us proud and made the second element possible. This quite simply, was the team...
As I look back on another tour completed, I am proud, somewhat humbled but forever thankful, that the people I was able to command on Operations were of the greatest professional standing and highly respected, for what they and their MWDs deliver. They were an extra-ordinary team doing an incredible job.
Op HERRICK 18 as a CIED Advisor80
By Captain Tom A Fineman RAVC
“So, you’re an actual vet?”
After this familiar comment and ensuing confab to
confirm the truth behind my veterinary qualification, the conversation’s focus could then revert back to the job in hand; HERRICK 18 Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) Advisor to the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment (2RTR) Battlegroup.
The CIED Advisor, or Combined Force Advisor (CFA), was created during HERRICK 14 in order to support the Brimstone Teams during high intensity periods. This was done by acting as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search (EOD&S) represent- ative within a battlegroup headquarters, primarily to provide SME advice. Whilst the role has progressed to include elements of the management of EOD&S assets within the Area of Operations, the involvement within the operational planning process is still very much at the forefront.
Working as part of a battlegroup the completion of JOTAC (Junior Officers’ Tactical Awareness Course) was unquestionably beneficial and, whilst not compulsory for Professionally Qualified Officers, an opportunity to gain a wider understanding of the roles within the Armed Forces and, and more importantly, the intricacies of the ‘7 questions’ planning process at battlegroup level.
Focussed training began with the two-week CIED Advisors course held at DEMS in Bicester which taught the base line knowledge requirement of EOD&S, as well as the first opportunity to begin looking at current threats and specific planning considerations. With the other CIED Advisors backgrounds being an EOD Operator and a RESA, we were each able to bring our own area of subject knowledge to impart; bomb disposal, high assurance search and Military Working Dogs.
The MRX in Jordan, Ex PASHTUN LINKS, allowed us to consolidate our training and work with the rest of the EOD&S Task Force that would be deploying on Op HERRICK 18. Not to be underestimated was the opportunity to build relationships with those personnel that would make up the task force, many of whom would just become voices on the end of a phone or a signature block at the end of an email for the subsequent six-months.
With the EOD&S specific training completed, the next move was to Tidworth which is home to 2RTR. Reluctantly we substituted the Regimental HQ building for a tent on Salisbury Plain, where my final week before deploying on a summer tour would ironically be spent at minus 6°0. Despite the cold, there was at least some solace in the knowledge that we hadn’t been there the week before; as a consequence of the heavy rainfall, the training area had been well summed up by a despondent soldier with a descriptive: “From my surroundings I can only surmise that I must be at The Somme.”
Having been on the move since starting the CIED
80 Chiron Calling article Spring/Summer 2014, ‘Op HERRICK 18 as a CIED Advisor’ by Captain Tom A Fineman RAVC.
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