Page 58 - The Wish Stream Year of 2022

Commissioning Course Short 221
OCdt Gunn
After a long drive down from Scotland, and a restless night at a hotel in Camberley, I arrived at the RMAS at the end of Janu- ary on mental autopilot. Little did I realise then that stepping into unknown territory with mini- mal sleep was going to be a consistent theme for the next four weeks. Thankfully, this was also true of the good weather that we enjoyed that first Saturday. The buildings and grounds were bathed in sunlight. Even the brutalist Victory Col- lege looked slightly cheery. I was not fooled by the grandeur of the surroundings though, know- ing that plenty of challenges lay ahead on the first two modules of the Commissioning Course Short 221.
inter-platoon drill competition. As we marched off the square, there was a palpable sense of relief that we had succeeded in taking our first steps, both literally and figuratively. Those of us staying on for the next module took time off to rest and prepare. A good number left the course at this point, planning to return in the future. New arrivals integrated quickly, a testament both to
their character and to the supportive nature of our platoon.
Module B focused on the combat estimate and orders process. It was a steep learning curve, especially on such a condensed course, but a challenge that everyone rose to admirably. Another challenge was trying to stay awake in the warmth of lecture theatres, a battle that some of
us lost momentarily. Ex BROWNING’S STORM was the highlight of this module. A textbook deliberate attack contrasted with a highly cha- otic but morale boosting advance to contact. Much was learnt. Back in barracks, we saw the Reserve PQOs getting ready for their commis- sioning parade. It was inspiring to see friends reach the end of their commissioning journey.
By working hard for each other, we all survived another two weeks of sleep deprivation, informa- tion overload and internal pressure. There was even time to reflect. The escalation of hostilities in eastern Europe reminded us all how quickly the world can change, and how precious peace and freedom are. Knowing that we might end up leading some of the finest people around into such chaos focused our minds as we reached the halfway point. We drew strength from each other and prepared to smile repeatedly in the face of whatever adversity the rest of the course held in store.
The variety of people and expe-
rience attending Module A was
immediately apparent. Pilots, doc-
tors, engineers, priests, and even
one castle gatekeeper turned up
to train together. It felt amazing to
be part of such an eclectic group
of people. Green boiler suits were
the order of dress for the first week
as we got to grips with the fundamentals of Army life. Lessons ranged from values and standards to basic drill movements. One highlight was conducting the most scenic bleep test ever in front of Old College. We had our uniforms issued at the end of the first week and, aside from a couple of ‘chef hats’, turnout was pretty good. Although the perfect end state was not always achieved, it was never through lack of trying. Everyone put in a huge effort during a navigation exercise on Barossa plain, with one committed individual ending up waist deep in a bog as they took the most direct route. On our first field exer- cise, Ex AKEHURST EDGE, a variety of engaging lessons were delivered, with plenty of humorous moments spread throughout. After being briefed on the importance of sticking to the track plan in a harbour area, I ran headlong into the cord later in the day and broke it. Concurrently, my basha buddy accidentally demolished our shelter. After these acts of self-sabotage were fixed, the night passed peacefully. Module A concluded with an
It was a steep learning curve, especially on such a condensed course, but a challenge that everyone rose to admirably.
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