Page 48 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

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www.raptcassociation.org.uk
Having finished my Regular Army service on 31st May 2021, I rolled straight into a QMSI post with 6 Regiment Army Air Corps. My first week in work consisted of a Full PDA, which
after gapping the RAPTCI post for 4 years saw the unit receiving a big fat FAIL. This has pretty much provided me with my objectives until the reshow in October!
6 Regiment Army Air Corps are the only Army Reserve unit within the Army Air Corps and exist to support Army Aviation units operating the Apache and Wildcat Helicopters. 6 Regiment Army Air Corps consists of:
• A Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) and Headquarters Squadron based in Bury St Edmunds and Wattisham Flying Station.
• 675 Squadron are located in Taunton and Yeovil.
• 677 Squadron is based with 6AAC RHQ at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and has detachments in Norwich, Swaffham and Ipswich.
• 678 Squadron, located in Milton Keynes and Luton.
• 679 Squadron is based at Middle Wallop, Hampshire.
With a total of 11 different Army Reserve Centres (ARCs) and only 8 PTIs between them (who may not be available to parade on a weekly training evening), the Army Reserve mandated 1 x weekly directly supervised PT lesson is not a realistic target.
This year saw the Units annual OTX take place in Cyprus – EXERCISE LION STAR 21. 100 members of the Regiment deployed to Radio Sonde camp to take part in an avionics centered training Exercise which also included ranges, driver training and Adventurous Training. As exercising troops on island, SP qualify to attend JSATW(C). Taking full advantage of this, the regiment secured 5 x Parachute Foundation courses, 8 x Kayak Foundation 2 Star courses, 6 x Rock Climbing Foundation courses and 4 x Mountain Bike Foundation courses. I also took advantage of this brilliant opportunity and updated my very old RLT by attending a Rock Climbing Supervisors course. This allowed me to take any other SP too busy to reap the benefits of the Exercising Troops allowance at JSATW(C), to set up single pitch climbs at the beautiful Diarizos rock.
6 REGIMENT ARMY AIR CORPS
WO2 (QMSI) C Mason RAPTC
7 AVIATION SUPPORT BATTALION REME
SSgt (SSI) J Bowater RAPTC
The Battalion (Bn) has had a busy year with personnel deployed on a myriad of exercises both in the UK and overseas, the most notable being Ex PINION OMAN. This flagship exercise involved personnel from every sub-unit and afforded our technicians an opportunity to hone their knowledge, skills and experience whilst operating in desert conditions alongside the Wildcat & Apache helicopters.
Our aircraft technicians were in high demand this year with many deployed to Fort Eustis in Washington in order to conduct Apache E-model conversion training which has now been rolled out across the Bn.
Whilst the Bn forecast of events has been relentless, the chain of command still made it a priority to organise and conduct plenty of Adventurous Training and Sport for its personnel. AT packages were provided to a majority of personnel during Ex PINION OMAN which included Trekking or Sailing, meanwhile, some personnel also deployed on ‘Ex Nordic Bluebell’ in Norway.
Easing of Covid restrictions saw recommencement of the annual Bn sports competition “The Mariners Trophy”. The competition caters for all and includes the following sports: cross country, orienteering, football, swimming, basketball and British Army Warrior Fitness.
The Bn are already training and preparing to compete in the historic ‘Royal Navy Field Gun Competition.’ Intense training and field gun specific practice will ensure that the team leaves no stone unturned in their bid to retain the ‘Brickwood’s Trophy’ for a second successive year.
The Bn has an excellent boxing pedigree, the chain of command has invested heavily in a new ring and state of the art equipment to provide our boxers with the best chance of retaining the REME boxing championship later this year.
Military Medical Revolution
How the UK’s Defence Medical Services transformed in conflict, 1990–2015
A new book by Colonel David Vassallo FRCSEd MA L/RAMC Foreword by Lieutenant General Louis Lillywhite CB MBE
An inspiring analysis of life-saving advances in military medicine and how these are catalysing better trauma care worldwide.
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Available via the Museum of Military Medicine (www.museumofmilitarymedicine.org.uk) and main bookshops
RRP
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Also available in hardback