Page 73 - The Bugle Issue 12 Autumn 2016

LCpl Hunt’s Basic Life Support Course in Malawi
Capt Geddes and team in Kabul
rewarding experience and provided an excellent opportunity for our JNCOs to develop their cultural understanding as well as their instructional ability, showing that Defence Engagement is something all ranks contribute to.
The Recce Platoon deployed to support 7 RIFLES in Malawi on Exercise SOUTH RUKURU (more of which in the 7 RIFLES article later in this issue), and our attached medic LCpl Hunt conducted some training in support of the local community police. Members of the Senga Bay, Makutietwo and Chilema community police forces attended a day of training covering areas such as Basic Life Support (BLS) and dealing with traumatic injuries. Drownings are a common occurrence in this area (due to the impact of shing in Lake Malawi) and BLS is a vital skill this community needs. The community police deal with serious incidents on a daily basis (stabbings, assaults and accidents) and in a break from the course the training was put to the test when an epileptic walking nearby had a t and two of the community police of cers put him in the recovery position without the help of the medics.
In July 2016 Capt Jamie Geddes led a small team to Kabul to teach Afghan Of cer Cadets. 3 Ri es were tasked at short notice to provide a Skill at Arms and Counter IED STTT to go out to Kabul. The team’s role was to support the British-mentored Afghan National Army Of cer Academy (ANAOA)
Marksmanship training
DEFENCE ENGAGEMENT IS SOMETHING ALL RANKS CONTRIBUTE TO
and provide specialised training to the ANA instructors. Thirteen members of the battalion were deployed alongside a QMSI from the SASC. This was the rst time a STTT has been used in ANAOA and was speci cally requested by the Brigadier running the mentor programme. The team worked in Camp Qargha and began by preparing their lessons by running the NATO mentors through their paces in IED scenarios and developing their skills on foreign weapons. The Counter IED team conducted three ve day packages for the ANA instructors concen- trating on Ground Sign Awareness and 4 C’s opera- tions. These were very well received and the Afghans enjoyed the different practical lessons taught. The Skill at Arms team concentrated on developing their Afghan counterparts in marksmanship, Skill at Arms and instructional techniques. It was a very successful and enjoyable experience for all the team and the improvement of the Afghan instructors has been greatly encouraging. These instructors will be able to teach and deliver the lifesaving skills they have learnt to the next cohort of ANA Of cer Corps.
THE RIFLES
THIRD BATTALION 71
Outdoor lessons