Page 56 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

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1ST BATTALION THE DUKE OF LANCASTERS REGIMENT
This is my second year serving with the 1st Battalion the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment (1 LANCS), following a difficult first year due to Covid-19 restrictions. As the Battalion were aligned to mobile testing, the spread began to slow down, and restrictions began to allow indoor PT. I saw this as a potential opportunity for the Bn to finally conduct some much-needed resistance training following almost a 2-year break from indoor sessions. The PT programme had predominantly consisted of running, tabbing, body weight circuits and some Bergen exercises. I was excited to finally get my chance to start delivering the APTS in a gymnasium I had spent months trying to equip to be fit for purpose.
Within 6-8 weeks of conducting the APTS, it was clear to see the benefits towards SCR results, injury rates and improved Role Fitness Test (RFT) pass rates. This really gave me the evidence needed to show the clear benefits of following a structured and periodised physical training programme that did not simply involve high volumes of running and circuit training. This initial 8 weeks was vitally important for me to create a good relationship with the chain of command, to show them the most effective and safe way to improve the physical performance of their infantry soldiers.
After this, the Bn was straight into preparation for an exercise to Kenya which, again, with restrictions still in place presented a unique challenge for the acclimatisation package. With the Bn deploying in household groups of up to 50 pax, over a 10-day period. On paper this would mean we would need multiple AAPTIs for
SSgt (SSI) N Santangeli RAPTC, WO2 (QMSI) B Mairs RAPTC and SSgt (SSI) B Gilmore RAPTC after the final exercise
RAPTCIs with the Field Army Sgt Major
each of the 7 groups; a resource we simply did not have. Between myself, the OPSO, gymnasium AAPTIs and the Coy AAPTIs, we had to develop a system to allow all pax to receive the required acclimatisation package without cross contamination of AAPTIs. This was successfully delivered due to the professionalism of the 1LANCS AAPTIs.
Another highlight of my year here at 1 LANCS was attending the Royal Marines – All Arms Close Combat Instructor Course down at Lympstone. Here, other RAPTCIs and I received excellent training from the instructors and were pushed beyond our current limits to solidify the techniques we had been learning over the duration of the course. As you can imagine, learning close combat technique in a controlled environment where your partner is slowly coming at you, is completely different when you are pre-fatigued, exhausted and a Royal Marine is attacking you in a training compound. During the course we also had a visit from the Field Army Sgt Major, which was interesting discussing with him the potential to bring this syllabus and capability over to the Field Army.
The rest of the year has seen 1 LANCS enter multiple teams to the Bismarck Challenge and run a Bn boxing event. Both these events allowed a brilliant opportunity for the younger, newer soldiers to showcase their physical fitness, courage and mental robustness in front of the entire Bn.
SSgt (SSI) N Santangeli RAPTC
The 1 LANCS Bismarck Challenge Team