Page 46 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2015-16

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www.raptcassociation.org.uk
ARMY HEADQUARTERS & HEADQUARTERS FIELD ARMY
It has been another busy year in Marlborough lines Andover with the emphasis still being placed on Sports and
team cohesion between the departments. In a busy ever changing environment such as Andover the Gym has provided stability and routine to personnel during periods of re-organisation on camp, Army restructuring and rebasing.
There are now two main elements to Andover. “Headquarters Field Army” and “Army Headquarters”. Within this structure there is a total of 90 UIN’s covering 2500 Tri-Service and civilian personnel, all of which have access to the Gym. There are daily classes in the gym focusing on circuit training and core stability with a reconditioning PT structure to complement the training needs of a more senior Army population. This has helped to formulate the ‘Big 5’ Health promotion released in 2015 from Army Health Branch here at Andover.
Sports are abundant. With some of the highest standards of sports personnel here in the Army we have weekly entries to Army, Tri-service, and Combined Services sports competitions. The culmination of this in 2015 was coming 13th in the Army Sports Trophy (and that was just the recorded participation). Getting the hierarchy of the Army to report their Sporting participation has proved harder
SSgt Siracusano Outside HQ Field Army
SSgt (SSI) J Siracusano RAPTC
In January 2016, I became the rst Army Reserve PTI to attempt RAPTC selection. I’m 47,
I have a full time non-Army job, I work for the AA in Basingstoke and I have been a Reservist at 7 RIFLES; my local AR unit in Reading, for the past 6 years.
The old TA PTI Scheme effectively took the AAPTI
course and broke it down into three two week courses
and a series of modules run over six weekends. After completing the initial TA PTI (Basic) course in March 2012,
I was posted to the Recruit Training Team in 7 RIFLES.
My time was split between PT duties in Reading, and
recruit training at ATU (South), then at Malta Barracks in Aldershot, working for QMSI Wigley. This presented a range of experiences from trained soldier PT at Battalion and Company level through to teaching the recruit syllabus to reservist platoons.
An unforeseen advantage of this combination was that it gave me a eld of view wider than that normally available to a typical Reservist PTI. After completing the TA PTI (Intermediate) course, the chance arose to become involved in PT activities organised by 145X. This was the rst time I had worked with Regular AAPTIs and the rst time I realised that Reserve or Regular we were all being taught to carry out the same tasks in the same way.
It was also at that time the new TA PTI (Advanced) course was unveiled. Following a scramble to complete the necessary modules, I completed the TA PTI scheme in January 2013. A key feature of the course was the emphasis on not just taking lessons as an instructor but providing a PT service to the unit. This was good timing as I took on the role of Lead PTI at ATU(S) rst at Malta Barracks, and then as it became 2 ATR (Pirbright) D Coy working for QMSI Green eld.
A temporary switch of focus to pass Senior Brecon in November 2014 led to promotion to Sjt and a new opportunity a few months later. 7 RIFLES CO gave me
the brief to begin looking at PD policy and practices within the Battalion. Rather than running PD out of four separate Companies, it needed to start to operate at Bn level, and ideally, with 2 Ri es, our paired Regular unit.
Spring 2015 had also seen the publication of the details for recruitment and employment for the RAPTC Reserve. Although a signi cantly deeper role than that I currently had with 7 Ri es, this was clearly going to be an important avenue to investigate. With no unit RAPTCI, I consider myself lucky to have the contacts to seek advice; QMSIs Wigley and Green eld, and Capts Dunne (38X) and Irving (11X). A key moment was the decision to attend the pre-selection brie ng course in at Winchester that August; this
than getting the Generals through their PFA’s (Yes they have done their PFAs!).
The Annual Challenge Cup in July for Marlborough lines proved another great success for 2015 with a day of sports competitions between the departments culminating in a BBQ on the sports elds. The monthly General’s Cup sporting
AR PTI TO RAPTC RESERVE
Sgt (SI) D Snowling RAPTC
events have been as popular as ever with sports such a Basketball, Tennis, Squash, Football drawing in great participation. In attendance for all the events is the new Brigadier Army Staff (BAS), Brig Felix Gedney OBE. BAS is the RAPTCI’s direct line to the upper command of the Army to help promote Sports Health and tness through Andover and beyond.