Page 65 - MERCIAN Eagle 2020

Life as a CQMS
CSgt Kolodynski, CQMS
When I was selected for the post as a CQMS at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) I was excited for what challenges lay ahead, having already completed a tour as a CQMS(T) within the 1st Battalion the Mercian Regiment, I felt I was ready to take. When I arrived at RMAS I took over as the CQMS number 1 Company in New College. The officer cadets spend 28 weeks in New College, this is broken down into 2 terms, Juniors and Seniors. The company were 6 weeks into the Senior term, so taking over as the CQMS had to be done with as little disruption to their training as possible.
Whilst being at RMAS I’ve had the pleasure of seeing three intakes pass out and go to their respected regiments. As a CQMS I am responsible for the company’s administration both in camp and during deployments. The cadets arrive from juniors having completed 14 weeks and with no, or every little, G4 experience. Therefore, it’s essential that this is taught to them early,
so they understand the importance of G4 as an officer and gain a firm grasp of the
CSgt Geoghegan – WO2 Miller – CSgt Kolodynski – CSgt Bourne / Remembrance Day / RMAS / 8 Nov 20
responsibilities of a junior office within their regiments. As part of the training team
not only would I drive G4, but I would get involved with any PT sessions, navigation exercises, most training and social events to ensure that the support is maintained throughout. As part of my role here I am also a cap badge representative so can offer advice and experience to the cadets through their choice of arms process. I have found the role very different from a regular CQMS appointment but have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of a company training team that delivers the junior officers of the future.
Having now been selected for WO2,
I’m excited about my next role as the Warrior Sergeant Major (WSM) for B (Malta) Company of the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment where I can continue to pass
on my experience as a SME in armoured warfare and the knowledge I have in G4. I look forward to carrying over my experience from RMAS and to continue to invest in junior Officer development within my sphere of influence.
RMAS Instructor Cadre
CSgt Dean Geoghegan
Before attending the cadre each individual has to attend the Kings Division RMAS pre course. The course was a steep learning curve for most
of us attending as it was the first
time we had seen how lessons are taught so differently to other training establishments for non-commissioned soldiers. The instructors, all of which have previous RMAS experience, prepared us well for the course ahead, incorporating many parts and activities we would undertake on the actual upcoming cadre.
The cadre began with an extremely strong cohort with over 50 individuals coming from across the Infantry, the standard to be successful was going to be high and it was fiercely competitive from the start. The cadre tests a wide variety of attributes all the way through and with little feedback from the activities you undertake a strong and confident mindset is a must. Self-analysis and peer reviews were a significant part
of the cadre so as well as being a competent individual it was key to be a team player. With little prior knowledge of the workload, difficulty of some of the activities you conduct and the standard of the students on the cadre it would be fair to say I underestimated how challenging the process would be.
One part I definitely underestimated was Ex LONG REACH. This is a section nav ex with a series of command
tasks at each check point around the black mountains of Brecon, this was conducted on week 4 of the cadre and only week 7 of Junior term for the Officer Cadets. With our route measuring 65km and the expected finish times between 24 – 36 hours in nothing short of horrendous weather it was a task
that any experienced soldier would find difficult.
The final morning of the cadre is one of nerves as this is when the results are released to the course attendees. This consists of the entire course waiting to be called into an office in alphabetical order to be greeted by the Old College Commanding Officer and College Sergeant Major, each individual spends no longer than 15 seconds in the office to be told that they have been selected as an instructor or not. Those selected head to the bar for celebratory drinks and those not selected head to the car park to begin their journey home.
Looking back on the cadre it is a tough test that prior preparation, a good attitude and being a team player can vastly increase your chances of being selected to become an instructor at the academy.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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