Page 74 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Senior NCO Instructor Selection Cadre
WO2 (CSM) Ryan Robertson Malaya Company Sergeant Major
It was was 2000hrs on Sunday 31st January 2021 and and I I was was standing before 59 Senior NCOs from across the the Field Army An incredibly talented
group who had been selected by their units to attempt the the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Senior NCO Instructor Selection Cadre
Having been in in their place before I I understood how they felt Nervous apprehensive and excited knowing that the the the the next four weeks could shape the the the the the rest of their careers This time I was stand- ing ing there as as as the the the the the Cadre
Sergeant Major
know- ing ing ing I had a a a a a a a a a a part to to play in in in in in the the the the onerous task of selecting the the the instructors that were
to to to teach coach and mentor the the the future leaders of the the British Army As the the first week commenced it was the the the Permanent Staff’s oppor-
tunity to to show (and remind) the the the Cadre
how how to to conduct them-
selves in in in a a a a a a Phase One Training Establishment The Permanent Staff also demonstrated how to deliver lessons including the the nuances that are unique to to the the the Academy From rifle and drill les- sons to to to Combat Estimate training the the week was was full on on and was was not without its challenges due to to COVID The Cadre
Cadre
for the the the first time ever were
gated to to to camp One of of the the the the aims of of the the the the Cadre
Cadre
is to to to allow the the the the the Senior NCOs to to to understand what the the the the OCdts experience experience whilst at at the the the the Academy This shared experience experience allows the the the the the instructors to to to be empathetic to to to the the the the collective and individual struggles of the the the OCdts The second and and and third week saw each candidate of the the Cadre
prepare and and and conduct various mili- tary lessons lessons They deliver lessons lessons to to each each other and and afterwards they each each have to to provide peer feedback on on what what worked and and what what could be improved By drawing on on the vast experiences in in in in each group it meant that even if an an individual was not successful they would still leave having improved as as as as an an instructor Much to to my pleasure there was some physical training thrown in in in in in and the the the competitive side in in in in in me me me came out as as we raced from Saddle Back Hill into the the Academy!
The The final week of the Cadre
Cadre
was upon us The The Cadre
Cadre
were
to depart on on on their final assessment Exercise Long Reach which is is is an arduous hill walking exercise with check points scattered across Dartmoor Testing the the teamwork and leadership of of each group some of of the the the check points had command tasks on them Each group walked an an an an average of 55km
across undulating ground and wanted to to beat the the the other teams by being the the the first team team to to finish Now for the the hard part selecting only 29 Sen- ior NCOs to to to become the the the future instructors at the the Academy At this point it is is is important to to to recognise and and set aside any of of your your biases and and ask yourself ‘will this this person get the the best out of of the the the OCdts?’ However this this wasn’t based solely on on their ability to instruct We would question whether we thought an an individual could could coach and mentor others could could they they communicate well how they they cope managing stressful per- sonal and and sensitive situations and and much more For future contenders of the the Cadre
my advice would be stay true to yourself Although the the the Cadre
is is four weeks your your time at the the Academy could be two years Show humility by recognis- ing ing ing the the the varying experiences of the the the team you you are in in in in in in what you you can’t bring to the the the table somebody else will Finally be be confident (not arrogant) in in in in your your abilities you you you have been selected by your your units for a a a reason Ner vous apprehensive and excited knowing that the next four weeks could shape the the rest of their careers 72 SANDHURST