Page 97 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2016/17

The Resilience Margin (ReM) is an integral part for new members of the RAPTC that are aspiring to become Adventure Training Instructors (ATI) within the RAPTC, candidates on the ReM will gain vital experience from highly quali ed instructors within JSMTC. A bespoke training package ensures the maximum possible development of all ReM candidates, taking advantage of the many concentrations and exercises that JSMTC has to offer.
As a new member of the RAPTC, I arrived at JSMTC to begin my ReM in October 2016; my training programme was speci cally designed to cater for my current level of experience and knowledge. My training focused on a number of disciplines including Rock Climbing, Mountain Biking, Kayaking, Winter and Summer Mountaineering.
I was lucky enough to attend Ex SPANROCK during the ReM. SPANROCK is one of the Type 4 concentrations that JSMTC delivers. It focuses on different levels of multi-pitch climbing including RMT, RML and RCI. The exercise consisted of two weeks in some of the best climbing venues in Europe in Southern Spain, during this time I gained my RMT quali cation which is a vital step towards becoming an ATI. On returning from Spain I had a number of weeks developing Mountain Biking and Kayaking which then lead to the winter period. JSMTC run a winter staff training period in Ballachulish every year to help develop all members of JSMTC, the two weeks was focused on Winter Mountaineering where my own personal ability would be pushed and my skills would vastly improve. Navigation, avalanche awareness, use of crampons and ice axes and emergency procedures are all taught and tested during this period giving myself a chance to learn new skills and re ne skills I already had. This period of winter development has now contributed to my summer mountaineering skills and as such has developed me further.
The nal part of the ReM would be focused on gaining my military and civilian accreditation for Summer Mountain Leader (SML).
Sgt (SI) Mortimer at the top of a climb in Spain
SML is a week-long assessment that for me would take place in Snowdonia, gaining this award would give me the ability to award foundation quali cations as Distributed Training and prepares me for my next post at ITC Halton.
All in all the ReM was very bene cial for my development; I learnt many new skills and worked with some very experienced instructors. The ReM has given me a solid platform from which to launch my ATI career and I look forward to what the future holds.
RESILIENCE MARGIN (REM)
Sgt (SI) KS Mortimer RAPTC
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For those who may not have been alpine mountaineering, there are lots of hazards and problems to take into account. Such as glaciers, crevasses, steep rocky terrain, altitude, snow and ice, warm daytime temperatures and many more... which all added together make for an unforgettable experience in unforgettable locations. Students are guided and taught by both military and civilian instructors who are literally the best in the game. We were fortunate enough to have 4 British Mountain Guides working alongside the military staff, delivering amazing and bespoke packages for everyone who attended.
The training delivered taught students how to walk in and use crampons effectively, how to conduct crevasse rescues, how to rope up whilst travelling over glacial terrain along with mountaineering over rocky terrain along with many other skills that are massively transferable back to mountaineering in the UK and all over the world. All in all I had a great experience and learnt a lot more than I could have wished for.
The Surf Kayak Concentration was ran by JSMTC over the period 3 - 14 October 2016 and returned to the coasts of Devon and Cornwall. The concentration started with a shakeout (with plenty of Rolling practice and the occasional swim) on 4-5ft waves, courtesy of Gwithian Bay. With strong winds giving challenging and tactical venue decisions, many bays were visited, including Bude, Perranporth and Watergate Bay.
The concentration offers physical, mental and technical challenges for all. From battling the elements including strong winds, rain and high waves, understanding wave sets, rip tides, forecasts and boat science, to body – boat separation, high
recovery and aggressive rolling. All students were certainly challenged throughout the concentration, but also managed to achieve some great results. 5 students achieved the U3N award (the foundation in the surf kayak scheme), 2 put in a strong performance and managed to transfer their inland kayaking skills to surf, and come away with U4T, 1 was awarded the U4L award, and I’m sure will now be chasing the U5I award, (the highest of the surf kayak quali cations). Additionally some students managed to gain further development towards their next award and with the aid of the odd evening pool session, I’m con dent that all students became better paddlers. All in all, this concentration was extremely successful and enjoyable with plenty of challenges and achievements throughout.
SURF KAYAK CONCENTRATION
Sgt (SI) DL Mudge RAPTC