Page 17 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2015-16

After a full career working within the mainstream PT environment and honestly enjoying every moment, I have nally taken the plunge, moved out of my comfort zone and taken up residence within a HQ environment. This is without doubt my most challenging role and the time so far has rapidly passed by, however, I must say I am relishing the varying tasks and responsibilities which have come my way so far.
The Alternative Aerobic Assessment (A3) project has been securely put in place by Maj (MAA) Phillips and now handed to me to ensure continuity of the concept and onward training requirement. Working with Wattbike and their sports scientist, Army Media, delivering presentations to the General Staff Course RMAS and various other organisations has helped to ensure my diplomacy and communications skills are tested. So far so good! (I think).
The A3 will positively impact further in our challenge to improve whole-force readiness by decreasing the numbers of Medically Limited Deployment/Medically Non Deployable Service Personnel (SP) and has been adopted as part of the DO-Fit Programme. The DO-Fit is one of my primary tasks, ensuring trained RAPTCI Defence Health & Wellbeing Advisors deliver life changing training, affording our most at risk soldiers an opportunity to address their poor lifestyle choices and weight management issues.
The implementation of Brigade Health Fair Packs has been a project close to my heart, with the aim of ensuring RAPTCI’s have quality resources to deliver a more professional, corporate style presentation
SMI O’Donnell DO-FIT Course
Sport across all 3 regions (North, Midlands and South) has continued to grow throughout 2015/16. This is due to the considerable efforts made by members of each G7 PD
Branch, associated sports chairmen and sports secretaries who have continued to encourage and support sport at all levels.
Army Sports Trophy Competition
It is encouraging to see the amount of sport being played; the returns re ected a number of excellent initiatives by units to promote and underpin sport at all levels, in particular for the less gladiatorial individuals. In its rst year (2013/14) the Army Sports Trophy Competition proved to be highly successful with a total of 38 units entering. Despite a very busy period of unit commitments, entry into the 2014/15 competition was extremely positive with a total of 57 units entering throughout the UK. The overall Major and Minor unit winning trophies were presented by CGS at the Army Sports Awards Ceremony on Wed 25 Nov 15 at the Guildhall, London.
Results for 2014 – 15
SMI HEALTH
WO1 (SMI) D O’Donnell RAPTC
and reduce the burden when organising large scale health education events.
Other tasks and projects are too numerous to mention and it must be noted that it is not all about driving a desk here at HQ RC, along with SMI’s Greenwood & Jackson we still deliver PT every Thursday and each have a long list of Staff Of cers who think we are personal trainers. I have also managed to keep up my love of AT, instructing during a ski Exped to Canada in January and have a multi activity Exped planned in Chamonix this summer. Some other RAPTCI tasks never change and the GOC has also tasked me to organise HQ
SMI SPORT
WO1 (SMI) M Greenwood RAPTC
RC Sports Day this summer, bread and butter stuff for an RAPTCI (Famous last words)!
In closing, I have the opportunity of working with individuals in the Naval Institute of Sports Medicine, NHS, Public Health England etc. This has highlighted the need for ‘us’ RAPTCIs’ to engage with the wider Health & Fitness professional community if we are to make a real difference and should encourage us all to be ‘open minded’ when it comes to training our less t soldiers. The age old adage ‘changing hearts & minds’ also stands true within our speciality!
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The Major and Minor unit winners from each category can be found below:
North Major Unit
21 Eng Regt
Midlands Major Unit
North Minor Unit
South Minor Unit
Overall Winning Minor Unit
13 AA Sp Regt AFC (H)
ATR (W)
AFC (H)
South Major Unit
14 Regt RA
Midlands Minor Unit
ATR (G)
Overall Winning Major Unit
14 Regt RA
Army Sports Trophy Competition 2015 – 16
Trophies will be awarded to the units which have displayed the greatest all round sporting merit between 21 Oct 15 to 21 Oct 16.