Page 79 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 77
The Permanent Joint Headquarters
One might be surprised to see three Royal Lancer Majors roaming around the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) in Northwood; how could three have avoided the tractor beam of Andover, I hear you say? We are all not sure, but thank God we did. With Chris Kirstead and Duncan Bam in J5 Plans and Andy Horsfall in J3 Current Operations we cover the Broader Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Whilst Operations HERRICK and TELIC may be distant memories and our visible mass on operations has reduced, Com- manding Joint Operations still commands over 30 operations worldwide. From a single staff officer in Colombia to close to two thousand personnel in Iraq, the remit is wide and this in itself is a challenge. Layer this with a savage domestic financial climate, ever-closer political scrutiny, a cluttered, confused, and congested battlespace, and an enemy that is evil, awkward and belligerent, and the relatively small staff of the Permanent Joint Headquarters has its work cut out.
With the ‘Joint’ environment comes a rapid learning curve of Sea and Air capability for any Army officer. The creation of ‘purple’ is not always simple and the single service cultures can create a curdling mix of egos. Thank goodness for the Army then – charming and focussed. I like to think of us as the oil in the cogs!
Those reading this article may well have their own fond memo- ries of PJHQ and Northwood. Whilst J3 is no longer under- ground, it is still within a windowless box. At times, it can feel like a two year operational tour, but what has not changed is the incredible camaraderie in such a Headquarters and, whilst I jest about my Royal Air Force and Navy colleagues, you really feel part of a team. There is a buzz that is palpable and an outlook that is truly operationally focussed, which makes work highly rewarding and great fun.
It has been a varied and rewarding year for us all. Major Kier- sted – fresh from the sub-tactical weeds of the Regiment – has been fundamental in the direction of Operation SHADER, the United Kingdom’s support to the Iraqi state and moderate Syr- ian rebels. Major Bam has near single-handedly planned with, although it sometimes feels like against, Donald Trump’s and the USA’s Department of Defence’s tilt to Asia. I run operations in West Africa, South America and for a long month, the Carib-
Major Horsfall (pretending he's) in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
bean during the 2017 hurricanes. We may sit metres apart, but our outlooks are hugely different.
Travel comes with the job and we have all managed an adventure or two. Major Bam has sampled Kimchee in Korea. Major Kier- sted has delved into the joys of the USA deployed footprint with all the Lobster and Steak you could ever wish for. I have had the pleasure of African Snail, Nigerian Banga Soup and thick coffee in Northern Mali. Needless to say our waistlines tell the story.
Domestic travel is also encouraged, being a mere 30 mins out- side of London and with plenty of opportunities for visits to the Ministry of Defence, we manage to maintain a social life. That said, with two new arrivals between us (a Bam and a Horsfall) on occasion we have had to call in some early nights.
The Lancer brand is firmly in place at the PJHQ. The three of us make up almost a quarter of the Land Majors in what is Defence’s only Permanent and Joint Operational Headquarters. We are firmly placing the Armoured Corps in the centre of De- fence’s operational thinking and putting in a strong show for the Regiment. With Captain Meeke and Major Mossop inbound, we look to maintain this strength in what is a fascinating, dynamic and fulfilling staff tour – whilst maintaining standards of course.
AH
Hoofing Hurricanes
Major Horsfall conducting his PESMD analysis