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Ex DRAGONS FIRE
Lt David Sidwell, OC RECCE Platoon
During the COVID-19 pandemic,
DRAGON Coy devised a means of breaking the monotony of lockdown, deciding to isolate as one household and launching
Ex DRAGONS FIRE – a 5-part project designed to motivate the soldiers, prepare ourselves for Ex ASKARI STORM, and come together as a formed body of men during this time of crisis.
Weeks 1 and 2 were spent in BLOODHOUND Camp. This involved
a ‘return to work’ package whereby the
Coy spent the mornings and afternoons conducting physical exercise; a combination of CrossFit, CV, circuits and team workouts
- with an hour of yoga in the middle. Nutrition was also a key component of the programme, with a menu of smoothies, yoghurts, and protein, all kindly laid on by the Catering WO Dept, ensuring the Coy were ready to hit the ground running.
Weeks 3 and 4 saw the Coy move
to RADIO SONDE. Utilising the same framework as weeks 1 and 2 but adopting a ‘greener’ environment. DRAGON Coy packed their bergans and webbing and moved off onto the area to conduct a series of marches, log races and battle PT. The majority of tasks were completed as Platoons, providing the necessary test of
leadership and teamwork.
Finally, week 5 has DRAGON deploy to
TROODOS. The mountains and tough terrain set the perfect conditions for a navigation week. A complete back to basics package was devised aiming to take the men from ‘zero to hero’ in both their map reading skills and ability to navigate across a demanding area.
Overall, Ex DRAGONS FIRE saw the soldiers come together as a Coy within the remits of COVID-19, training as a formed body of men, raising the morale of the soldiers, and setting the conditions for the demanding year ahead.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE