Page 38 - RSDG Year of 2022 CREST

36 EAGLE AND CARBINE
QUARTERMASTERS’ TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
A/Maj Chart QMT & WO2 Messenger RQMS(T)
G4 never sleeps and 2022 started as 2021 finished, nonstop for the tech team providing support for A Squadron who were prepping for Ex DIAMONDBACK in the US and B Sqn moving onto their Mission Specific Training (MST) for Op NEWCOMBE 4 with the Royal Irish. The HMTV fleet that was required for both exercises was drawn from across the Light Cavalry regiments and Land Training Fleet. SSgt Hallam, forever the friend of Land Training Fleet and Regimental IC of HOTO, was tasked with organising and picking up the fleet.
Our next focus was WESSEX EAGLE 2, a three-week driver training, range & battlecraft syllabus package that was conducted on SPTA and North Devon. The usual tech supporting team deployed forward to support the exercise: driving across the dunes of Braunton Burrows and the use of HMTV on the sand was good preparation for Op NEWCOMBE. The SPTA phase was a good runout for the tech team for the upcoming Mission Readiness exercise (MRX) and operating at reach.
The time had come for the QM main and technical departments to merge, with some deploying on OP NEWCOMBE ROTO 5 in Mali and the others remaining behind in the Rear Operations Group (ROG) to ensure the level of G4 support was shared both in theatre and the UK. Going forward to Mali and forming the National Support Element (NSE) was A/Maj Chart, becoming OC NSE and WO2 Messenger becoming the RQ covering both main and tech. The rest of the team; SSgt Thapa, SSgt Humphries, Sgt Musson, Cpl Kilaiverata and Pte Burenivalu were holding the fort to the rear. SSgt Hallam was given the unenviable task of stepping up to RQ(T), Sgt Morgan- Williams was covering EE as well as showing the ropes to newly arrived Cpl Druavesi, leaving the technical part of the QM’s in excellent hands.
The NSE team then headed to Thetford STANTA to complete the MRX over a five-week period, this was the first time the full task group had come together with all our attachments; the challenge to bring 353 support personnel in the task group together made up from over 20 different units and 100 vehicles and ensuring the task group was 100% good to step off
was always going to be difficult, with tireless nights of preparation to ensure the task group was in good order, tempers flared and RQ’s pulling their hair out with the standard comments of “I thought you were bringing my kit for me” or “I didn’t know I had to bring my magazines and sling on exercise with me”. As usual G4 just happens in the background but the entire team were outstanding to ensure the task group was ready to train.
The MRX itself was a good experience for our team of experts conducting their business as they would in camp or on Exercise with a sprinkling of duties and IDF serials. The taskgroup would come back in for periods in-between missions and it would be up to the NSE and LAD to turn the vehicles and equipment around all ready for the next mission. Once the MRX was complete the department kicked into action; handing fleets back to other Light Cavalry regiments, kit going back to Land Training Fleet, helping our attachments recover back to their homebase and closing down Bodney camp. Like any activity in the army, maintaining a good reputation is key, and handing fleets over to another RAC unit is no exemption. Tech, along with A Squadron, worked