Page 5 - The Light Blue Volunteer 2019

Annual Deployment Exercise – Ex BAVARIA BLUE
This year’s Annual Deployment Exercise took place in Grafenwöhr, Bavaria. Over the course of two weeks, we experienced a three-day range package and field exercise before finishing with a variety of AT in the Bavarian mountains.
The first few days were spent focussing on marksmanship on
the ranges, with a chance for us to experience live firing. On the first day, we zeroed our rifles so that over the following days, we could focus on shooting in different positions, building up to shooting moving targets; these skills were put to the test with a competitive March & Shoot at the end of the phase. The evenings were spent
taking on Grafenwöhr’s obstacle course and rappelling tower. And of course, Camp Algiers- where we were staying- was on an American base, so a trip to the massive American supermarket was also necessary! This phase ended with a barbecue in Wild Boar Lodge, before the Field Exercise began the next morning.
The Field Exercise took place over
4 days in record temperatures and proved to be the definition of “type
2 fun”- brutally hard at the time, but looking back mostly enjoyable. The Field Exercise culminated with a company level dawn attack on a village, giving us the chance to practise newly learnt Close Quarter Battle tactics. Perhaps most importantly, it ended with a champagne
breakfast and prize giving in the field before returning to Camp Algiers to prepare for the final phase.
The AT phase took place in Wertach, a small village on the Austrian border. In groups we were rotated through three activities: hiking, rock climbing and kayaking/ canoeing. This phase was a chance for much-needed recovery after the exertions of the Field Exercise, as well as allowing OCdts the opportunity to try new sports and recuperate in the Bavarian Biergartens.
JUO Walton-Knight
THE LIGHT BLUE VOLUNTEER 5