Page 41 - RAPTC Number 102 2018/19

event, there was a re-run conducted in May 2018 where 29 Cdo Regt RA achieved 1st place in the team event. The competition was fiercely competitive and saw 29 Cdo Regt RA just pip 24 Cdo Regt RE to further add to their rivalry!
Training soldiers ready for the All Arms Commando Course (AACC) is one of the Regiment’s main efforts. The REME Cdo WKSP run a ‘Cdo Familiarisation’ package which incorporates a general overview of key elements of the course. Topics include, fieldcraft, navigation, survival skills, high confidence assessments
at the infamous Fog & Tor and above all, the ability to operate in cold and wet environments. The week-long package saw REME personnel volunteer from across the UK and BFG to undergo a series of assessments to see if they have the right ‘state of mind’ to attempt the AACC and earn the coveted Green Beret.
Although a lot of emphasis is put into preparing potential commandos to complete the AACC and prepare Cdo trained personnel for deployments, we still find time to represent the Regiment and Corps in various sporting and adventurous pursuits.
Having spent numerous tours as an ERI, this would be my first posting in the mainstream role. I had some trepidation moving across to a mainstream Unit having been
comfortable in the skin rubbing world. The Regiment made me feel very welcome and valued as part of the team right from the start. We share gym facilities with 14 Regt RA and 47 Regt RA. The gym isn’t the biggest, so we have to use the space wisely, but we co-operate well and make it work.
The Regiment is always very busy, each Battery has at least 6 detachments that can be deployed to multiple locations around the world such as Estonia, Canada, Kenya, USA and Poland. 32 Regt RA is the British Army’s only Mini-Unmanned Air Systems capability, due to this fact they are on constant employment around the world. We are due to lose a Battery, they go to 47 Regt RA in April making a busy Unit even more stretched.
Implementing Project THOR to a Unit that is as multifaceted and deployable as 32 Regt makes planning very difficult. Numbers can vary, consistency is extremely difficult to achieve, that said the CofC are massively pro PT, they lead from the front in most sessions, this sets the tone across the Regiment. The attitude towards the changes in how we do our PT have been remarkable, most have seen value in how we have changed the way we train and those who were reluctant initially are now realising the benefits; they have seen lower injury rates and increases in performance, once they see these results it sells itself.
To summarise, I have enjoyed my first term at the Regiment who have fully embraced the new changes and hopefully the remainder of my time will be as seamless as the first 2 terms.
32 REGIMENT THE ROYAL ARTILLERY
SSgt (SSI) D Bradley RAPTC
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