Page 45 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

HEADQUARTERS 1 AVIATION BRIGADE
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HQ 1ST AVIATION BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM
WO1 (SMI) Lewis RAPTC
1st Aviation Brigade Combat Team (BCT) HQ was stood up in April 20 and is based in Middle Wallop, the home of the Army Air Corps. The BCT’s operational outputs
include; Aviation support to domestic and overseas counter terrorism; the generation of a Combat Aviation Force at high readiness for warfighting; the generation of readiness Aviation Task Force HQs to support Field Army and the Joint Helicopter Force. In barracks, the role of the BCT HQ is to command, administer and assure the safety of a population at risk exceeding 2200 Service Personnel across 7 subordinate units collectively flying 90 helicopters (Apache and Wildcat).
The formation of the Army Aviation Brigade also marks the appointment of its very own Physical Development SMI. This is a first, never has a RAPTC WO1 worn the beret of the AAC, I remain humbled to have been given an opportunity to establish what will be an enduring role for the Corps.
For context there are over 180 personnel within the BCT HQ, it has a vast geographical footprint with echelons located in Yeovilton, Aldergrove, Wattisham Flying Station and Middle Wallop. The BCT HQ (Main) is where I conduct my daily business, on a day-to-day basis and I operate within a small four-person team in the G7 (training) department. My primary role is to provide guidance to the Brigade Commander on all PD related matters, of equal importance is the additional layer of PD support that I can provide to 6 excellent RAPTCIs within the Aviation Brigade’s subordinate units.
BCT HQ (Main) in Middle Wallop has 52 personnel on its liability, since the formation of the Brigade and in the absence of a SQEP RAPTCI / AAPTI, a majority of Bde Staff were conducting their own PT. My first goal was to implement
organised PT to develop ‘match fitness’ but more importantly build team cohesion. Organised PT was implemented in less than 3 weeks of my arrival, this of course, required the creation of a new PD directive, risk assessments and conformance to the APTS. The BCT HQ (Main) now complete 3 PT lessons on a weekly basis under myself and the excellent LCpl Blake Kinge, additionally, the procurement of MyZone switch is also being trialled to add additional value to our training regime.
Before undertaking my appointment within the BCT, the SMAA afforded me some advice, he said “SMI, you need to be flexible not firm in your approach”. As the newcomer, I have always kept these wise words in the back of my mind, fully immersing myself into Brigade Life, supporting numerous departments with work strands outside of an RAPTCIs expertise, attending a Skiing Expedition to Tignes in France, a battlefield study in Newbury and numerous Brigade Social Events.
The aviation units CoC and RAPTCIs have never had 1* PD SMI support, it has been a busy 6 months visiting units (every quarter as a minimum) and harvesting relationships with key stakeholders. My priority has been to understand the complexity and challenges subordinate units face in terms of PD and add value to them through my experience. I must add how impressed I have been by the quality of the unit RAPTCIs, they have done an outstanding job this year.
In closing, whilst the 1st Aviation BCT PD SMI role is still in its infancy, I am really pleased with the progression so far and look forward to driving PD forward in the aviation space next year.
1Regiment Army Air Corps (1AAC) are based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. The Regiment’s Mission is to Generate, Operate, Train, Prepare and Validate the Reconnaissance
Wildcat Helicopter and C2 Force Elements in accordance with the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) Plan. In the current climate, aviation assets are in high demand, as such, 1AAC have been busy preparing for deployment as they move on to Very High Readiness (VHR) cycle.
1 AAC, like much of the Army, have had to contend with an exceptionally busy forecast of events 59 Sqn and 61 Sqn deployed abroad on various overseas exercises, meanwhile, 651, 661, 659 all deployed on Ex WILDCAT TEMPEST, a 3-week Regimental exercise that afforded soldiers an opportunity to operate up to section strength within their squadrons, enhancing their basic soldiering skills and aviation awareness in an austere environment. They also deployed tactical Forward Arming and Refuelling Point (FARPs) throughout the week with great success.
661 Sqn personnel deployed to Estonia on Ex SPRING STORM with four aircraft. The exercise commenced with a three-day transit through the heart of the European mainland to Amari Airbase in Estonia. The Estonian Defence Force made 661 Sqn immediately welcome, delivering an outstanding joint live-fire package. A new experience for most of our Air Crewman, the live firing package included firing on a 360-degree range off the country’s Northern coast. Training also involved a live Attack-Reconnaissance teaming mission, where the Wildcat was the Laser Target Designator for an Attack Helicopter Hellfire missile. The collaboration of frontline Wildcat and Apache crews had never been achieved before, this was a ground-breaking exercise.
Another 4-week deployment soon followed to the south of France, whilst the aircraft and crews flew to France in one day, the remainder of the squadron travelled by road over the course of 3 days. Initially the weather in France was fantastic, perfect flying conditions and Sqn personnel felt they had landed on
1 REGIMENT ARMY AIR CORPS
SSgt (SSI) R Holder RAPTC