Page 119 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

As with most Defence Training establishments it has been another extremely busy year here at DITG Chicksands with nearly 3000 trainees coming through the gates covering over 126 Defence Intelligence courses! The gym staff have continued to deliver top level PD to all 3 services and the civil servants on site. The RAPTC continue to be represented on site by SSgt (SSI) Ferreira RAPTC, Sgt (SI) Robbie RAPTC and myself.
With the Pandemic still causing us havoc over the last 12 months we looked at uplifting the external facilities at Chicksands, we came up with the plan to create a permanent RFT(S) training/ testing area on site. This would save multiple staff hours of setting up that could be put to more effective use. We are now 75% way through its construction and we are already reaping the benefits especially for the build up training as there is minimal set up time. This has also seen us have a 98% first time pass rate for Initial Trade Training trainees.
With Commander Field Army (CFA) stating that all MOD Gym facilities should aim for 24/7 access, I have spent the past few months pushing forwards for a best practice 24/7 access solution. The aim was ease of access and safety of the user and the hard work has now come into fruition. We have recently had a business case accepted to install facial recognition entry at the gymnasium entrance for access 24/7 (the first I am aware of in the MOD!). Additionally, a CCTV safety system that alerts the guard room when the gym is accessed during the silent hours will increase the safety of the gym users.
Our local Chicksands Park Run has been reinvigorated since lockdown, we saw huge interest before the pandemic, and we aim to get back to that, this will ensure all on site including civil servants and dependants are being active and healthy which can only be to the benefit of our service personnel.
Another initiative we have executed through the hard work and dedication of Cpl Benson our incumbent RAF PTI is Pre and Post Natal care, when it comes to pre- and post-natal servicewomen, the gap in our knowledge was identified, we were unsure of what to recommend to the individual. For this reason, selected Physical Training Instructors have been trained as Pre and Post Natal Instructors to offer support and guidance to these servicewomen and to the wider force of civilians and dependants on the camp. At DITG Chicksands, a Pre and Post Natal class is being set up to cater for these individuals’ training needs, encouraging a quicker recovery period post-natal and maintain fitness throughout this period. Not only this, but the class offers them a chance to socialise and build connections with other individuals to offer support outside of the gym environment.
WO2 Armstrong & SIO Tony Watt
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UK STRATEGIC COMMAND CHICKSANDS
WO2 (QMSI) C D Armstrong RAPTC
Chicksands Park Run
Finally, we have been able to start delivering Adventurous Training again, France re-opened their borders to British nationals, so the Ski season was back on in 2022. SIO Watt and I delivered SF1 courses to the Grenadier Guards and ATC Pirbright in the French Alps. We could not have a picture without the RAPTC Flag! ESPIRIT DE CORPS!
Permanent RFT(s) Casualty Extraction Blocks