Page 59 - MERCIAN Eagle 2019

CIS Platoon
LCpl Marc Ault
Having freshly returned from Op TORAL, the past year for CIS Platoon has been one of education and adaptability to a new life for the platoon. Assisting the various rifle and support companies on the many taskings they have across BFC.
The year started with a slow build up with admin being sorted out in the stores to prepare for the busy year ahead. With members of the platoon putting themselves forward for the many Champion Company events that were at the start of the year. Most notably the March and Shoot which was headed by Sgt Harriman, with Pte Burnage achieving HPS.
Concurrently to this,
the platoon conducted
weekly low-level
training at all levels for
upcoming career and
promotional courses.
The year soon
ramped up and
members of the platoon were assisting the battalion with the many exercises it was undertaking. This has seen the platoon working in Canada with C Company on
Ex MAPLE RESOLVE: a fourteen-day exercise that wrapped up with some much- needed R & R. Whilst this was running, other members of CIS were helping with
the CAST exercise that was running in Episkopi Garrison. This year’s scenario was a simulation of a foreign country rioting, and the requirement of the exercise was to coordinate resources to help liberate British nationals in the country.
good exercise that showed the platoon was in good shape to complete further tasks across the battalion.
Mid October allowed the platoon a
break in a busy schedule to get away from camp and conduct a training package in the mountains of Troodos. Ex HERMES EAGLE was an exercise which saw the platoon train on a variety of low-level signals practices allowing the junior rank to practice their teaching and presentation skills. The exercise spanned from the basics of voice procedure to setting up HF antennas in
a variety of ways including setting up a hasty antenna on lampposts to achieve communications, there was also a rolling rebroadcast serial as a summative test to confirm skills and knowledge that were learned in the package. Once the hard work was finished in Troodos the platoon made the most of being in the mountains conducting AT, which included mountain biking, abseiling, and concluded with a platoon meal.
Others in the platoon have been working hard on the Regimental Signaller course
in Bovington, with the candidates who went on the course all finishing in the top third. Alongside this, new members to the platoon also finished the IPRO course to a good standard. There have however been many changes that have happened in CIS over the year. We said goodbye to RSWO Hopkins who was posted to BATUS, but welcome RSWO Pritchard who has hit
the ground running in the management of the platoon. We will soon say farewell to Captain Sones, who departs to become Adjutant of 4 MERCIAN, and in his place welcome Lieutenant Kettles who will be the new RSO.
the platoon made the most of being in the mountains conducting AT
The fast pace continued as the Rifle Companies were required to complete Ex AETOS FURY,
set up and man a
fully functional Main Net for a Battlegroup capability exercise, and
to facilitate a Rebroadcast detachment headed up by CPL Webb to extend the range of the communications. The exercise was a learning curve for junior and senior members of the platoon. It was the first exercise as a signaller for some, and as the setting up of a rebroadcast is something that isn’t practiced widely. Overall, it was a
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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