Page 11 - RADC 2015

MILITARY MATTERS
5 Armoured Medical Regiment
Major V Brown RADC
With the arrival of Major Verity Brown in January and LCpl Becka Rogers in March of this year to 24 Squadron and the recent posting of Captain Dom Shaw and LCpl Laura Smith to 35 Squadron in September the team is now complete ready for our high readiness year in 2016.
It has been an extremely busy period for Maj Brown and LCpl Rogers, completing Ex ASKARI SERPENT then Ex PRAIRIE STORM 2 and 3 in quick succession. Each exercise bringing its own challenges but bringing the 24 Squadron team up to speed in the use of the eld dental kit and prepared for whatever 2016 may bring.
Before deploying to BATUS the 24 Squadron team were asked to join a new Army recruiting drive. Maj Brown and LCpl
Rogers headed to Derby for a (gruelling!) day in hair, make-up, photo shoots and video interviews. The soldier recruitment is yet to commence but Maj Brown was used as part of the #withheartwithmind Of cer recruitment drive (for all those over 35, that’s Twitter. For those over 40, ask your children). Maj Brown assures us she has been heavily ned by the Of cers’ Mess for such agrant self-aggrandising. The recruiting trailers travelled all over
the UK visiting universities and, ever pleased to go back to her alma mater, Maj Brown attended the Manchester leg. As fun as it was seeing a very large photo of herself on a trailer the whole experience was exhausting; hats off to the recruiting team who do this full-time.
Whilst those who know her may not agree, being enthusiastic and talking all day is a challenge even for Maj Brown!
Typically Capt Shaw is getting involved with the 5AMR rugby team. He now has MRS troop command as well to balance with his clinical duties so no rest for the 35 Squadron DO!
With Ex IRON VIPER ahead for the 35 Squadron team in November, plenty of driver training for LCpls Rogers and Smith, not to mention preparing an awful lot of dental consumables from the modules it looks like we have a packed few months ahead of us all!
P Coy
Capt APR Beaven RADC
Hands on knees, bent in half, gasping for breath is not how I imagined the rst few minutes of Day 1 would pan out. The infamous “speed play 1” was all about keeping up with a PTI that could run a 7 minute PFA.
After scraping through the rst day I re ected on my preparation. It consisted of stuf ng my day sack with 19 bottles of water and running around the hilly town of Richmond for hours on end. In hindsight some work on sprint training wouldn’t have gone amiss...
Even though I live locally I decided
to stay with my cohort on camp in the “luxury” accommodation of Williams building on Vimy Barracks. I shared my room with an infanteer from Royal Welsh and 2 Para’s very own Padre; my webbing and spiritual well-being were all taken care of. Recovery was key through the weeks and I am ashamed to say I wore compression tights and foam rolled
every free hour of the day. This was
a welcomed top tip from Capt
Walker who had completed the
course in January.
Throughout the course I had many highs and lows. The introduction to the obstacle course was an activity I thoroughly enjoyed. However the
repeated dismounts from high platforms had played havoc with my big toe. Swelling had crept in and I was unable
to walk by the start of week 2. Surgical intervention was required. With guidance over the phone I heated a paperclip
until the end turned red and delicately drove it through my nail. Instant relief followed as pus and blood ew out of the hole I created. As success of my operation spread through the lines I was approached by a number of individuals to repeat the task on them (much to the dismay of the Doctors on the course!)
Before I knew it, test week had arrived. Tabbing around Richmond had put me in good stead for the 2, 10 and 20 milers. However events
such as the trinasium (“Go Ape” without safety ropes) and milling (boxing but without defending yourself) were activities you could not train for. Even though I passed these events with an essence of dignity it brings me great pleasure to know I will never have to do them again!!!
After three and half weeks of physical punishment, I was 5kg lighter and missing 3 toenails. It was a small price to pay to get onto the parade square and receive a
maroon beret.
The North East region was
incredibly supportive during this time especially the ITC
dental centre who were
literally round the corner
and only too happy to help. I would thoroughly recommend anyone to give the course a go...just don’t ask me to do
it again!
RADC BULLETIN 2015 9