Page 111 - RAPTC Number 102 2018/19

JOINT SERVICE ADVENTUROUS TRAINING WING (CYPRUS)
Sgt (SI) S Littlewood RAPTC
As of June 2019, JSATW (C) will have the capability to start delivering Mountain Bike Foundation (MBF) courses in accordance with the Joint Services Adventurous Training Mountain Bike scheme. With this in mind, it seemed only right that the RAPTC Instructors took to the German countryside to find out what it is all about.
Sgt (SI) L Crutchley organised the JSATW(C) RAPTCIs to head to the Hartz mountains for a week of staff training, with the aid of the team from the Sonnenberg Lodge.
With the OC driving and Sgt Crutchley on navigation duties, we finally made it to the lodge. Spoc and Karl greeted the team, showed us the ropes and before we knew it we were in the thick of the Hartz mountains enjoying what the German trails had to offer.
The main aim of the week for myself was to polish up my Mountain Bike Leader skills prior to delivering the Mountain Bike Foundation course in June and soak up as much knowledge from Karl as possible.
With our pride at stake, it was only a matter of time before the competitive side of five RAPTCIs came to the forefront and we were challenging each other to mini races. Whether this was a race to the top of a hill or a sprint to the coffee shop, it didn’t matter!
Sonnenberg lodge is perfectly situated and the local knowledge that both Spoc and Karl have is fantastic. An absolutly brilliant week and a really good insight for us to take forward into our MBF delivery at JSATW(C).
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JOINT SERVICE ADVENTUROUS TRAINING WING (CYPRUS) – HQ
Maj (MAA) W Young RAPTC
to have been here from start to finish is just great. The biggest getting things done.”
The Joint Service Adventurous Training Centre (Cyprus), Parachute Wing in Dhekelia, unveiled its new aircraft hangar after it was officially opened by Commander British Forces Cyprus, Major General James Illingworth.
The hanger opening marked the conclusion of a two-and-a-half-year project which was led by Officer Commanding JSATW(C), Major Billy Young – who was promoted from captain by CBF during the opening ceremony. The €700,000 project, which was built by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, now gives the Parachute Wing an outstanding facility that can easily support the needs of not only the Army Parachute Display Teams that use the facility annually but also the local Cypriot community too.
OC JSATW(C) Maj (MAA) W J Young RAPTC
thing this new hanger adds is security, we have a million pounds’ worth of new plane, but we didn’t have anywhere to secure it and that is why we needed it built quickly. The money came from the Army Central Fund and DIO; Interserve and CSP were the leads behind that and despite the challenges, we got there in the end and I could not be happier.
CBF, Maj Gen Illingworth, who cut the opening ribbon alongside Tom Wishart from DIO, expressed his delight at seeing the new hanger open and operational.
He said: “There is a real sense of development and challenge and excitement here and pushing yourself to the limits like you do is not something that everyone else does regularly.
“The hanger is an extraordinary achievement and I I feel proud at seeing the hanger now open, it feels fantastic and commend everybody that has been involved on the ground and
Harz mountains navigational system Sgt Littlewood practicing his selfie skills, again!
The team including Spoc & Karl