Page 12 - Bugle Issue 19 Spring 2022

The SCAMLO team on patrol in the Centre AO
1 RIFLES
OPERATION
TOSCA 35
Influence House
In the sleepiest corner of Wolseley Barracks in Nicosia, is an unassuming cottage rather ambitiously titled Influence House. This hive of activity contains the offices of the Military Observation Liaison Officers (MOLOs) and the Sector Civil Affairs Liaison Officer (SCAMLO).
‘Courage by doing’ is inscribed on the threshold of Influence House, this is the maxim under which the National Guard Liaison
team boldly ventured out to influence others on behalf of the UN. Over strong coffees rapport was built, relationships fostered,
and issues allayed. Captain Pete Dennison
set the conditions for Captain John Heath
to take over as the National Guard MOLO in the middle of the tour and Colour Serjeant Stephen Weir provided reliable deputising throughout. Although never shy to call in a late-night drone, the National Guard were a pleasure to work with and 1 RIFLES leaves
the relationship between them and Sector
2 UNFICYP as strong as ever. Similarly, the Turkish Forces (TF) MOLO team of Captain Phil Williams and Colour Serjeant Aaron Fell have had an engaging deployment. The Turkish Forces have kept the department on their toes throughout the tour due to their actions in the Buffer Zone – some authorised and others not. A highlight was gathering all Turkish Forces COs on the island with their counterparts and our fellow peacekeeping units in Sector 1 and
4 for an unprecedented KLE at Ledra Palace Hotel. The event was a resounding success, as was the cooking of Sergeant Leon Hinds, who may be responsible for successfully furthering UN/Turkish relations more than this office. The SCAMLO (Civil Affairs) team has had a similarly successful time on Op TOSCA, working on a lots of projects that makes the local council look amateurish. Engaging primarily with
civilians and civilian agencies in the Buffer Zone, work in the SCAMLO office has required adjustment from our military mindset and resulted in some unique experiences. Corporal Andy Kenny’s obsession with felling ‘death tree 1’ has meant boldly going where no SCAMLO has gone before and our shared knowledge of Cypriot sewer systems has won us admiration on both sides of the border.
12 RIFLES The Bugle
The SCAMLO team meeting with their Argentinean counterparts
Boldly going where no SCAMLO has gone before
Over strong coffees rapport was built, relationships fostered, and issues allayed
Support Company and RHQ
Op TOSCA 35 Support Coy is made up of RHQ, Influence House, and small QMs, MT, RAO and Engineer departments who have all been busy providing support to the UN mission and the Sector 2 team. Whilst the G4 is where the magic happens, it would not be the same without the big character of WO2 (RQMS) Andre Zwijnen doing his thing to make things happen across the Sector and maintaining morale and social media content wherever he goes. The RAO’s Department has been busy managing R&R flights, account management and the complexities of travel during the COVID pandemic to a high standard. Corporal Joanne Page, a reservist from 6 RIFLES and
a keen runner, has used her natural energy to begin organising trips for Riflemen to participate in Cross Country, Marathon and Orienteering events (both rural and urban).
RHQ and the Visits Officer Lieutenant Dan Taub
(20 AEC) have hosted a wide variety of visitors and dignitaries and have built enduring relationships with our opposite numbers in the Argentinian sector. We assisted the French Embassy team in investigating key aspects of their own diplomatic history through joint exploration of the abandoned site of the evacuated former French embassy that is within our sector. Similarly, good relations were built with our American cousins as we welcomed the US Embassy’s Marines and the Drug Enforcement Agency to Ledra Palace.
Most importantly, we hosted key Foreign/EU Ministers and our own Secretary of State for Defence, informing high-level policymakers on key issues at national parliaments, the European Council, and across UN departments. Through diplomatic teas and coffees and rooftop briefs, Support Company played its part in furthering the UN Mandate and ensuring peace was maintained for another turn of the TOSCA wheel.