Page 52 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

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1ST BATTALION SCOTS GUARDS
SSgt (SSI) B Sargent RAPTC
“The strength of the Team is each individual member; the strength of each member is the Team...” {Phil Jackson}
After an extremely enjoyable 3 years within 3 RHA it was finally time to move on. In Sept 21 I was fortunate enough to do a HO/TO with SSgt (SSI) Qasim RAPTC, a big thank you to him for his outstanding efforts with the Bn over the last few years, including a recent Unit move from Aldershot to Catterick Garrison. It was during this move where the ‘blank canvas’ for the Gym initiatives came to fruition. With the Gym Staff working hard to establish a functional Gym along with recces of the glorious Catterick Trg area it was time to establish the basics and prepare the Bn for the up and coming Exercise deployment to Belize.
Exercise MAYAN STORM (Ex MS) was a three sub-unit (SU) close country tropical environment (CCTE) training exercise that took place between 18 Oct and 10 Dec 21, facilitated by the British Army Training and Support Unit Belize (BATSUB). The exercise deployed 470 Service Personnel (SP) with all ten of 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade’s (1X) OPCOM and OPCON units represented in three composite SUs. With the many risks associated within the Belizean Jungle in terms of deadly animals and dense jungle the biggest risk was clearly ‘Heat.’ Whilst all Heat Illness (HI) Briefs are conducted within the UK and the risks associated with Heat are heavily briefed to all SP, it was only at the point of arriving within Belize did this all become a reality. This was my first exposure of not only experiencing temperatures of this level but more importantly being responsible for the implementation of the policy (JSP 375 Chapter 41 – HI prevention). The Exercise started like any other within a hot country – 24hrs rest then straight into the recommended 14 day - Acclimatisation programme. Once Ex MS started it was a real test of the new current policy, whilst the Bn kept within the recommended work / rest ratios it was obvious as to the reasons for the need to acclimatise and stay within the guidelines. I was fortunate enough to spend 8 days within the Jungle and got to experience the Bn working hard on their skills and drills, the sleeping arrangements were your usual environment, this time it was a hammock and a tactical setting to ensure disruption within the jungle was kept to an absolute minimum.
Like any other overseas deployment, it just wouldn’t be complete without an exposure to AT. I worked out a plan alongside BATSUB to ensure every SP had at least a 1 day of AT. This AT was funded by BATSUB and consisted of the following AT activities:
Black Hole Abseil. SP conducted a 90-minute hike up into the foothills of the Maya Mountains to the edge of the Actun Loch Tunich, a GI-NORMOUS natural sink-hole that drops 300ft into the rainforest floor below via 1st class rappelling ropes. The breath-taking views that surround you as you repel down are
Three soldiers from the Scots Guards look over their weapon sights in a river in the jungle during training on Exercise Mayan Storm
1SG conducting AT
unforgettable. Once reaching the bottom the rainforest exploration continues as you rock climb and hike your way out of the sinkhole and back down to the starting point.
Waterfall Cave Expedition. An ancient underground Mayan cave with secret waterfalls hidden deep beneath the earth’s surface. This AT day started with a 20-minute hike through the rainforest to the entrance of the cave. From the entrance to the first waterfall, the underground hike is approx. 45 minutes. There are some low ceilings and short, low crawl spaces to be encountered inside the Mayan cave. Once at the thundering waterfalls, SP were required to rock-climb up each cascade, swim through plunge pools and continue to the entrance before returning and jumping into the plunge pools inside this remarkable cave.
The AT activities were a complete success and enabled 470 SP from 1SG and attached Arms to conduct AT before being released to San Pedro for a well-deserved few days of RnR.