Page 49 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2016/17

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Friday
Adjourning: The course descends on the sports hall and engages in the second session of wheel chair basketball as if their very lives depended on the outcome. Indeed, the coaches work hard to contain the renewed physicality and energy emanating from the students. The group has reached its pinnacle of cohesion and on an individual level each student has evolved immeasurably in terms of personal development. A nal, intensive development session in the classroom leaves the course with re-invigorated and lifted spirits. The journey is complete, a restorative milestone in each life accomplished and the students depart in a wholly different place both spiritually and mentally from whence they came. In the history of military psychosocial intervention has there ever been such a phenomenon? I would argue not.
To conclude, by the time these notes are published I will have completed my tenure as CSM Battle Back after three incredible years. During this time I have been privileged to be part of a system that literally rebuilds lives. It is no glib statement to say that the service community needs the BBC now more than ever. In these times of ever encroaching austerity, may its longevity endure.
Student Archery Session
HEADQUARTERS 12TH ARMOURED INFANTRY BRIGADE
Ihave been in the headquarters a little over 3 months now. The Brigade is in the training year of the readiness cycle with BATUS dominating the forecast of events for 2017. As is the norm, I
am currently deployed to BATUS to coordinate the adventurous training provision for the troops coming through. Currently I am capably accompanied by 1 Royal Welsh RAPTCI, SSgt (SSI) Dan Brown and at the time of writing we have managed to utilise 100% of the provision. The Royal Welsh battle group are even managing to conduct a Warrior Fitness event whilst deployed with the assistance of some local enthusiasts.
Back in the UK musculoskeletal injury and health is high on the agenda as we look to maximise deployability moving out of the
WO1 (SMI) S Baker RAPTC
SMI Baker & SSgt Brown, Sunshine Village, Banff
SMI Baker outside BATUS Headquarters
training year. To facilitate this a new 12X RAPTCI Working Group has been created to enable all brigade RAPTCIs to come together and discuss issues of the day getting peer support and create work strands where required. The plan to conduct Brigade Defence Occupational Fitness Programme (DOFIT) courses is an example of this collaboration and ensures we get the maximum training effect from our instructors.
Within the headquarters it isn’t all hard work and being on exercise, although both of these areas are not in short supply. The HQ has managed to eld a team in the local cross country league, where my aging body got me to the runner-up medal in the Vets category and also sent eighteen individuals to Salzburg skiing in the Austrian Alps. I even managed to get some skiing in but in Banff.
In summary, the pace of life within the headquarters was exactly as expected so I will not use the “b word” but needless to say I imagine this role passing in the blink of an eye.