Page 64 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

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3RD BATTALION THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT
SSgt (SSI) B Gilmore RAPTC
Well, what a year it’s been. 3PARA have spent most of its time on Air Manoeuvre Battle Group (AMBG) Readiness 1. Being at the forefront of 16 Air Assault Brigades rapid response and strike force for Operations anywhere in the world. The key enabling and testing exercise to take on this role from 2PARA was Ex Joint Warrior. A tough 8-week exercise in Salisbury on which I deployed as part of COs TAC throughout. A particularly challenging insertion of just under 52km on foot shows that the modern-day Paratrooper can still get from A to B with all kit and equipment.
I was extremely fortunate to conduct some development and instructional courses this year. One of which was the Royal Marine Close Combat Course in Lympstone. A 3-week course to become an Instructor within Combatives. Some great things to take from this course and something which I am looking forward to delivering back to 16 Brigade in due course.
Being within 3PARA and 16 Brigade offers many opportunities to deploy overseas, whether that be on Operations, Exercises or STTT’s. I was honoured to be part of a small team of RAPTCIs that deployed to Bahrain for 4 weeks to deliver a bespoke PTI
Course to the Bahrain Royal Guard. The course was made up of 42 members of the Royal Guard, split into 2 sections. The overall aims of the course were to deliver current methods of physical training and test knowledge via Instructional Practices as well as test physical output through the use of an SCR (minus). Overall, the STTT was a huge success.
It’s not all exercises and STTT’s at 3PARA. We have had some great days out playing sport and taking part in valuable charity events. Currently, 3PARA are top of the leader board within the Midlands and London District BAWF Regional League. As team Captain this is something I am very proud of.
Additionally, a small team from 3PARA took part in a 250-mile Watt Bike ride on the Remembrance Day of Arnhem, in which we aimed to complete the ride in less than 20 hours. We smashed our target and came in just under 14 hours. Funds raised were over £4000 pounds for Support Our Paras (I haven’t been on the Watt Bike since).
Whatever the challenges next year may bring, 3 PARA are fighting fit and ready to take them head on.
2ND BATTALION THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT
SSgt (SSI) B Swinfield RAPTC
It would have been a hard task to make it through 2021/22 without seeing The 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) flash across something you read or watched. In
August 2021, 2 PARA got the fastest of ‘fast balls’ and were deployed in a matter of days to execute the evacuation of Afghanistan as part of Operation PITTING. What was hard to see through the flurry of news stories, was the demand put on each Paratrooper; physically, mentally, and emotionally. Whilst no doubt there will be films or documentaries in the future that tell their story with greater detail and flair, the immediate thing to admire was the robustness each individual demonstrated. Whilst anyone can get fit given the right guidance and motive, what 2 PARA battlegroup displayed during those few weeks is nothing short of admirable and demonstrated the epitome of what the Airborne Forces stand for.
Once back in the UK however, it allowed the Battalion to turn a little attention into things other than deployments. Having competed in the October 2021 Bismarck Challenge, winning the fastest guest team, 2 PARA set their sights on the Commando Speed March. The March has a great history and over the years 2 PARA have been proud to take home the winner’s trophy on numerous occasions. 5 Mar 2022 was no different, despite facing strong competition from another 16X unit, 2 PARA returned back to Merville Barracks with yet another accolade.
Although ‘TABBING’ isn’t much of a spectator’s sport, 2 PARA’s journey through the Army Challenge Cup has been exceptional, which resulted in them lifting the cup on the 13 Apr 22 after an exciting final.
4TH BATTALION THE PRINCESS OF WALES ROYAL REGIMENT (PWRR)
SSgt (SSI) P Mikolajewksi RAPTC (Reserve)
Having left the Regular Army in 2018 and transitioned seamlessly through the System for RAPTCIs into the reserves, I find myself just as busy as my regular counterparts.
Initially, I had to get my head around how the Reserves work and how I could install myself within a Battalion that was spread across the south of the country, albeit each location no more than 50 miles radius from my home location.
4 PWRR are currently based in the following locations: 1. A Coy -Farnham, Surrey
2. B Coy - Edgeware, London
3. C Coy - Portsmouth, Hampshire
4. D Coy - Crawley, Sussex 5. BHQ - Redhill, Surrey
My first year with the Battalion, I found myself deploying on an Annual Training Exercise (ATX) to Denmark before moving on and mobilising & deploying on Op RESCRIPT, supporting the testing programme around the south of England. Elements of the battalion were also covering Op ROSE as well as Op SHADER at the same time.
Op RESCRIPT was a challenge that any RAPTCI could rise to, as it threw in a lot of opportunities including the use of zoom PT,