Page 122 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2016/17

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THE ARMY SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL TRAINING – T3 WINTER ADVENTURE TRAINING
Sgt (SI) D Hammond RAPTC
For many of us the thought of the festive season coming to a close is an unwelcome one at the best of times, however, for members of the ASPT (Aldershot and Grantham) and some
of the HQ RAPTC staff, the New Year could not have come quick enough.
In Jan 17, we set off on a trip to Neustiff, Austria where we embarked on a T3 Winter Adventurous Training package. The ski touring package being delivered gave individuals a chance to build team cohesion and challenge themselves both mentally and physically in some very demanding winter conditions. Standards varied across the school staff, ranging from veteran skiers to day one beginners, but regardless of their individual talents many of them found themselves eating snow once or twice.
As the week went on all of the groups were constantly put into stretch as they moved up onto the more demanding on and off piste slopes, not to mention the 2IC (Maj Nick O’Shea) nding himself the wrong way up from time to time, which gave the groups plenty to laugh and joke about. As the week went on the weather conditions improved hugely and provided the team with amazing views.
With the week coming to an end, members of the school staff proved that even the demanding slopes were no match for them as they all tackled what the routes had to offer and were awarded with the SF1, SF2 or SF2 continuation training quali cations.
ASPT Staff Ski Tour 2017
With the end of my tour at the Black Watch coming to an end, my focus switched to future employment. It had always been my main priority to return to the ASPT as an RAPTCI Cse Instructor. Having received excellent training on my Class One course the reality of working in a job that was shaping future Corps instructors was an opportunity not to be missed. On arriving at the ASPT and receiving a fantastic HOTO from WO2 (QMSI) C Goodchild RAPTC, it dawned on me that next week I would be in the Mess welcoming my rst course on their rst day of training; this reminded me of my rst day of Class One training some 6 years prior.
The RAPTCI Cse still remains 3 ten week terms appropriately named Junior’s, Inters and Senior’s. RAPTCI Cse 207 commenced training in Apr 16 and was my rst RAPTCI Cse. 10 fresh faced aspiring RAPTCI’s were in front of me and so the journey began.
As the terms progressed the course continually excelled and were taking in the knowledge at a rapid rate of knots, the stages of development they went through was rewarding and working with highly motivated individuals on a day to day basis was fantastic. RAPTCI Cse 207 constantly performed to a high standard and were inundated with extra tasking’s most notably being the Games night hosted at the house of the RAPTC Colonel Commandant.
RAPTCI Cse 207 badged into the Corps 9 Dec 16, a day that I will remember for years to come. Where a group of strangers came together some 9 months earlier and now stood as fellow RAPTCI’s. A special mention to Sgt (SI) N Santangeli RAPTC for receiving the top student award and to all members of the course best of luck in the future and keep asking yourself that one question..............
RAPTCI COURSE UPDATE
SSgt (SSI) A Murray RAPTC
Maj Nick O’Shea The Wrong Way Up
Junior Term Senior Term Welcome to the Corps