Page 92 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

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20 ARMOURED BRIGADE
20X HQ
WO1 (SMI) W Brant RAPTC
Having been in the Iron Fist for over a year now, I should be comfortable with the pace of change that is part of life in a manoeuvre Brigade. Unfortunately, although hard to admit,
there was some strategic shock when I was asked to stand in as the Brigade Sergeant Major. As an ATI, I was a little worried about drill, but luckily the Brigade Commander is a Rifleman and therefore drill isn’t even a thing. It is a great honour to serve as the senior soldier with a Brigade Combat Team especially one as prestigious as 20 Brigade.
Looking forward, the Iron Fist has a busy 12 months ahead, not least by doubling in size we will go from the current 4 Regular Units and 3 Reserve Units to 8 Regular Units and 4 Reserve Units as we transition to a Brigade Combat Team. Additionally, with the events continuing in Eastern Europe, we will remain on high readiness as the Lead Armoured Task Force (LATF) as well as some of our Units deploying on Op CABRIT. Whilst 2 Regular Battalions are on high readiness as well as supporting Units completing mission and combat readiness training in order to sustain the Brigade’s other Operational obligations.
Throughout this year I have been lucky to be working with a brilliant cohort of driven RAPTCIs whose ‘whole-team’ work ethic, whether Regular or Reserve, has enabled PD across the Bde in what has been a dynamic, hard-charging year within the Iron Fist. I can’t thank this team enough for assisting me while I juggle two WO1 appointments and I look forward to welcoming more RAPTCIs into the fold of the Iron Fist as we grow in size.
The final weeks of Op CABRIT 8 saw 1 Mercian largely focus on inter Company sporting competitions and HOTOs of various departments to the Royal Tank Regiment battlegroup. Before we said goodbye to Estonia, all 1 Mercian Airborne qualified soldiers were fortunate enough to conduct parachute descents with the Estonian Defence Force and were awarded with Estonian parachute wings.
The start of 2022 saw A company deploy to Sennelager on real life support for the Royal Welsh as they conducted Ex TALLIN DAWN prior to their operational deployment. The rest of the Battalion continued work from Picton barracks where sport is continually encouraged on Wednesdays.
With the upcoming amalgamation of 2 Mercian and the arrival of these soldiers into the Battalion, C have formed as an extra rifle company. Within C, Meannee platoon looks after our Level 1 and 2 PT soldiers, who typically are either recovering from injuries or are not quite ready
to return to mainstream PT. This gives all soldiers the opportunity to develop their leadership roles within their cohorts, develop team cohesion and esprit de corps.
From mid-March, 1 Mercian will begin training in Castlemartin ready for Ex IRON STORM. This will ultimately mean that most of the Battalion will be deployed until the end of Jul 22. Following this a period of summer leave and inter Coy boxing training will commence. It has been a pleasure to serve at 1 Mercian as SSI PD and deploy on operations as an RAPTCI. This first-class armoured infantry Battalion is, in my opinion, the epitome of a family Regiment where everything PD acts as a gel that bonds all soldiers, equipping them with coping mechanisms for busy and stressful periods. I would like to thank my Gym AAPTIs, Pte Wilkinson and Cpl McCabe for their hard work, dedication, and positive attitude through busy but productive times. I’d like to also wish my office buddy WO2 (QMSI) Morrow MBE the very best in her next assignment at HQ RAPTC.
1 MERCIAN
SSgt (SSI) Ingles BA (Hons) RAPTC