Page 41 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

LCpl Sibanyoni tracking through the sky
Now that I have been introduced to the sport, I am very keen to keep jumping as it’s something I get a real buzz off. I have done over 100 jumps and the excitement is still there. The Army has a lot of parachuting opportunities for anybody.
LCpl Sibanyoni doing
a level 6 jump with no instructor for the first time
Over the next few years, I hope to set up a parachuting team for 1 MERCIAN
so that we can compete in the Army Championships, and other people can get the opportunity to experience the thrill of
jumping that I have been enjoying for the last year.
I think that Parachuting is one of the greatest types of Adventure Training that the Army offers, as it exposes people to a lot of fear and pressure. The constant exposure to danger has made me more robust, and
I think that it will certainly make me a better soldier as a result.
Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my year working at JSPC, and I am very thankful to my chain-of-command for managing to get me the posting there for the year. That being said, I am certainly looking forward to returning to battalion life and getting stuck in to some proper green soldiering.
Exercise TEN PEAK EAGLE
Soldiers from 1 MERCIAN entered an ultra- marathon in the Lake District to raise money for a children’s charity during June.
The race covered a distance of 74 kilometres and took the team members over ten of the highest mountains in the UK, all within a 24 hour period. The soldiers entered the race to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which helps parents and guardians with
accommodation if their children get taken into hospital.
The team of four managed to complete the race in 19 hours and 38 minutes, an achievement in itself, considering many competitors were forced to withdraw due to
the testing conditions. Captain Lawrence Wilson said: “It was generally one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. It was disgusting!”
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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