Page 34 - QARANC Vol 14 No 6 2013

32 QARANC THE GAZETTE
British Forces Germany QARANC Study
Period 6 – 8 Nov 12
Introduction by Maj Hill HQ BFGHS
In November last year we brought together many of the QARANC personnel who work throughout Germany supporting Medical Regiments or British Forces Germany Health Service (BFGHS). Events such as the study period are strongly encouraged, bringing our nurses together to share experience, foster esprit de corps and support
operational readiness.
A new Healthcare 2013 contract will see our regional nursing teams in Primary and Community Care continuing to provide healthcare to a broad population at risk of over 35,000, from soldiers preparing for deployment, through to their families and children, who require the complete spectrum of healthcare in Germany.
The professional opportunities here are outstanding and unique to Germany which placed alongside the travel prospects on the Continent, makes for an excellent assignment opportunity. We will have a continued and essential presence in BFG as we drawdown alongside the rest of the Army towards 2020, make sure you do not miss the chance to join us.
Reflections on the study period by Pte Jerry 1 Med Regt
On the 6 Nov 12 I set off with three of my colleagues (Cpl Yates, LCpl Russell and LCpl Gray) for an enlightening experience into QARANC organisation and communication within British Forces Germany (BFG).
After a lengthy drive from Hohne, we arrived at Church House, a large compound relatively hidden away in the residential respects of a small German town called Lübbecke. Church House has been a military asset since the end of WWII, though originally used as a Nazi Youth Officer training centre, it is now a military training establishment run on behalf of HQ BFG the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department and is available to all British Forces’ personnel. Courses at Church House cover the entire scope of British Forces’ activity in Germany and range from those aimed at soldiers or commanders to welfare agencies or voluntary groups.
On arrival, we were greeted, registered quickly by the staff and allocated rooms. This was very prompt and made it easy for us to settle quickly, get changed and commence the study period. Most Corps members attending were based in BFG Health Service (BFGHS) some of whom were past colleagues. There were a few new personalities along with a number of VIP guests, including Col Kennedy CBE OStJ TD our QARANC Colonel Commandant. It was an excellent relaxed atmosphere for networking and getting to know the personalities based within BFG.
On the first day we received an opening address from Col Kennedy who also delivered a message from Col Childerley (DANS). The study period incorporated several topical subjects such as an Ops Brief by Lt Col Philpott, SO1 Med HQ 1 (UK) Armd Div, which seemed to open things comfortably as he had quite a charismatic personality. One of the topics that stood out for me was healthcare in Europe as relevant to the current situation in BFG. When the lectures were finished on the first day we all congregated in the dining area for a formal dinner, joined by the Warden of Church House who warmly graced the meal for us.
On the following day we commenced early that morning for our daily brief. We then had the opportunity to do some sporting activities before the main event for the day, a visit to a local museum, which was graciously funded by the QA Association. The museum was a historical attraction located in Minden and hosted some of Germany’s many historical memories. As it was a German museum, dedicated to Prussian History, we were guided by a very keen German
Outside Church House, Lübbecke, Germany.
historian who gave a very animated and interesting account focussing mainly on the rise and fall of the Prussian Empire and British participation in that period. The evening concluded with a ‘Pub Quiz’ organised by Sgt Toon, this saw the ‘very honest’ Sgt Gledhill-Wallace’s team taking the converted title of Pub Quiz champions.
Our third and final day seemed to come around so quickly! We all gathered in the church for a Remembrance Day service proceeded by the Padre which was a time for reflection and opportunity to remember those who died or had been injured in Service. The study period was concluded with more presentations including a brief from Capt Dawson-Cooper on her Op HERRICK 11 experience, which highlighted the many obstacles encountered whilst deployed. Cpl Yates gave a very informative personal account of her experiences on Op Olympics. The lecture that stood out for me was the Anger and Stress management brief by Capt Chitembwe, which saw the class very much stood to attention to listen to the upbeat lecture of how to behave appropriately if someone cuts you off in traffic and how to manage work related stress. The study period ended with the closing address by Col Irvine, Dep Dir and AD PCC HQ BFGHS.
On reflection, it was a very well organised QARANC event and our thanks are extended to Maj Hill for making the event possible and to the excellent admin team of Capt Turton, Sgt Hale and Cpl Vokes for their hard work in ensuring everything ran smoothly. I feel it was a great opportunity to meet several key personalities within the Cadre and look forward to the next event in 2013.