Page 527 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
to Germany by the beginning of November 2014, five personnel remained in support of Operation TORAL and returned to the Squadron in time for Christmas.
The parade marked the end of the Regiment’s support to Combat Operations in Afghanistan. Proud friends and family of 102 Military Working Dog Squadron braved the weather to show their support and were able to see all three Regimental Squadrons on parade. The Director Army Veterinary and Remount Services, Colonel Dougie A Macdonald, was in attendance and Lieutenant Colonel Mark C E Morrison, Commanding Officer of the Defence Animal Centre (DAC). A contingent of personnel from the DAC, represented those who had served with the Regiment in Afghanistan. The Band of the Gurkha Logistic Regiment provided music throughout the parade which saw not only campaign medals awarded, but also a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to Staff Sergeant Dave Rea and a Meritorious Service Medal to Captain Paul Franks.
The parade attracted plenty of media attention from the UK press who were keen to meet soldiers recently returned from theatre. Interviews were conducted and photographs taken with the east Midlands press carrying the full story. Following the parade, Lieutenant General James Everard CBE met the soldiers and families over a curry lunch and helped to celebrate the culmination of over 10 years unbroken deployment of RAVC soldiers on Operation HERRICK.
Whilst the Op HERRICK combat tours had concluded for the Officers and Soldiers of the RAVC by November 2014, and for many non- RAVC handlers who had been brought in to handle
the two latest classifications of MWDs to ‘save life and limb’ against the insidious IED. Both the HASD and IE3D MWDs were a resounding success, not only in the terms of the capability they provided along with their handlers, but the wider ramifi- cations for the RAVC saw the UORs being fully supported.85 Equipment such as the £100k a piece ISO containers or Tactical Container Dog Accom- modation, FOB collapsible highly engineered ‘portable‘ kennels, and all other equipment such scent stands, supported training aids, and critical explosive natures required for training were also supplied. The more specific doctrine, at a higher level and a tactical level much needed for the deployment of all MWD Teams, and much needed supported veterinary equipment whether it was FOB boxes with First Aid kits for MWDs or the much more enhanced Veterinary Modules – were made available to enable the job to be done so far from home.
Op TORAL
Op TORAL commenced post-2014 and was the UKs contribution to the ongoing NATO Resolute Support Mission.
Normally three handlers are deployed on Op TORAL to handle AES, VS or Protection dogs predominantly, to provide Force Protection to Camp Qargha in Kabul. “The camp wasn’t too shabby as our ‘home’ for six months,” offered LCpl Terry Anderson, “we had access to Wi-Fi, a decent gym, a small row of shops and the food was of a very good standard. We shared the camp with the Australian Army.”
All-in-all it was a successful operational tour and, as LCpl Anderson continued: “As deployed
JF Engr Group and MWD wire diagram Afghanistan.
85 Through Life Management or an integrated approach to the delivery of all aspects of military capability from the identification of the need for the capability to disposal.
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