Page 17 - MERCIAN Eagle 2020

C (Meeanee) Company
Company Overview:
Pl Comd: 2Lt Watson
Meeanee Company has had a tough year; more so than most. Undermanning in the Infantry has meant that all of companies’ soldiers are backfilling A, B and D Coy so that they can reach 95% deployability.
It has however changed the focus of the subunit. The permanent staff are now responsible for all the downgraded non-
deployable soldiers in the battalion. The approach we have taken is not unique but it is a significant one. Many soldiers with injuries are disheartened and need more than just PT to reinvigorate them and their passion for soldiering. It is a challenge and a privilege to lead the permanent staff who deliver such an inventive and bespoke programme which truly focusses on the individual.
The article which follows covers just
some of the activity the company has completed over the last year and some
of the characters which make it happen. The success of Meeanee is in no small measure to the staff who have left this year, in particular: Maj Michell, CSgt Bircumshaw, and Sgt Pratten.
Rehabilitation (Meeanee) Platoon
Meeanee has had a busy year so far.
The transition of the Battalion’s focus on TORAL to CABRIT resulted in speeding up of the process that delivered injured soldiers into the rehab Platoon. The swift change in focus resulted in an influx of individuals with 10 new soldiers arriving in a single month! The increase in personnel numbers brings with it the lengthy
task of medical appointments, physio assessments and an integration into the adapted form of training that Meeanee platoon runs in order to continue our soldiers’ development both professionally and physically.
Rehab is a challenge in any rifle platoon but with the myriad of different injuries and timelines for rehabilitation,
C Company must balance an individual’s needs and their current ability with their expected trajectory for recovery and the needs of the Battalion.
The training programme has been balanced with supporting the other companies. Of particular note was the support to A Company training that has saw most of Meeanee operate as free thinking OPFOR in Caerwent; where Cpl Alexis, Cpl Blakemore and Cpl Cailing distinguished themselves as section commanders and displayed exceptional creativity in adapting serials to offer A Coy a challenging exercise!
Smashing A Company in Caerwent was fun for all but Meeanee’s main focus is to rehabilitate injured personnel and attempt to ensure that the chance of re-injury is minimised. Every soldier undergoes nine PT sessions a week, which are broken down into two a day. Each session
is separately focused on non-impact Cardiovascular training and a weighted progression through each individual’s injury specific programme. Closely monitored
by our ERI Staff Charlton and his team of PTIs: Cpl Willis, LCpl McCabe, and the indomitable Pte ‘Steds’ Wilkinson.
Interspersed with physical training we seek to develop soldiers professional ability beyond what many Rifle Platoons may have time for. By adapting training and encouraging the permanent staff
to be creative in how lessons can be delivered as well as how downgraded soldiers can participate has led to some extremely valuable training. In this we have seen many complete and brief
the usual lessons on tactics and WHT’s alongside participating in AOSB style planning exercises and even a set of Urban operations lessons delivered using the game Counter-Strike over Zoom.
Every Thursday afternoon is set
aside for group and individual coaching sessions. This has been extremely successful whilst still in its infancy and provides the opportunity for the junior NCOs to take what they have learned and adapt it to better coach their teams. We have covered everything from leadership styles and active listening, to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to public speaking both in a military context and as part of a wider development piece.
Through everything we do we seek to reinvigorate individuals who may have lost their love of soldiering and to provide them with the necessary tools to continue
Pte Clark receiving a Mercian Coin
their own learning and motivation so that they can continue to develop themselves into more rounded soldiers and people.
This programme has enabled the progression of several individuals into other areas of the battalion such as
MT, the retention of Pte Harper and
the successful deployment of Pte
Smith and Pte Clarke to Germany. Pte Smith, 22, is a success story. Within 3 months of returning to the Bn he has found his sense of purpose, has begun preparations for developing the battalion fishing team after COVID-19, passed an SCR, completed multiple orienteering events and has now deployed as the Bn 2IC’s driver.
Pte Clarke has become one of the fittest soldiers in Meeanee Platoon, far exceeding his expected injury limitations and is preparing to deploy to Germany as OC Dragon Coy’s Warrior driver. Both soldiers are a great example of that which the Meeanee permanent staff can produce.
We hope to develop more joiners this year (hopefully only minor injuries) and look forward to the challenge of pushing conventional training in new and unique ways in future.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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