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HQ ARTD – THE INITIAL PIPELINE
SO2 PD ARTD - Maj (MAA) B J Stoddart RAPTC
“The pessimist sees dif culty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every dif culty” Winston ChurChill
Well time does not stop still for no one and by the time this reaches the many readers I shall have left the Army after 29 years’ Service and the last 22 of them in this amazing organisation. ARTD is a huge beast and there are 19 QMSIs that come under ARTD. These outstanding QMSIs are the very glue that binds the PD machine together and I would like to thank them all for everything they deliver and how they rise to every challenge in a very professional manner.
I will not dwell on my introduction too much as the MAAs / SMIs / QMSIs on the ground will talk about their respective Units and the challenges they have faced this year. I hand over to Maj (MAA) ‘Barney’ Barnett RAPTC and although only a 12 month ‘Voluntold’ posting, I have had an absolute ball and wish you all the very best for the future – Be Happy, Be Healthy, Have Fun and most of all look after this amazing ‘Band of Brothers’ we have the privilege to Command - Esprit De Corps!
1 RSME REGT
WO2 (QMSI) TJ Richardson MBE
Maj Stoddart ARTD
On 10th April 16, I took over command as the QMSI PT for 1 Royal School of Military Engineering based in Chatham, Kent. After receiving an in depth handover
from WO2 (QMSI) Green now Captain (MAA) Green I was excited about the future of my new role. Previously I had been based in the Hampshire area which meant I had to travel around the unreliable M25 so it was a treat to journey to the barracks with minimal volume of traf c or disturbance.
On my arrival at the busy phase 2B training establishment which trains Royal Engineer Sappers throughout a series of trades, it was
notable that the Gymnasium team ful lls their task in producing a robust RE sapper to the eld Army. The Gymnasium is the oldest in the British Army and was built in 1860, the internal and external characteristics are exceptional with some of the original ttings displayed.
The PT staff is made up from a strong cohort of 12 PTI’s of which 8 are military with 4 civilian SIO’s.
I have to say my predecessor had done a fantastic job in preparing PTIs for the RAPTC selection course and on my arrival there were 3 on the class one course with 1 awaiting commencement. I continued with the success and prepared 3 of the PTIs who have successfully passed and await the commencement of their class one instructor’s course. I rmly believe that the RE are developed in all areas and appear to meet success at all levels with a 100% strike rate plus being one of the biggest units for recruitment into the RAPTC; which is an achievement I
would like to see continued.
The Regiment has a unique physical training program in conjunction with the ARTD PT Syllabus, concurrently to the