Page 8 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2015-16

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www.raptcassociation.org.uk
HEADQUARTERS ROYAL ARMY PHYSICAL TRAINING CORPS
Maj (MAA) M J Lewis SO2 Policy & Plans
This is my second and nal report on the activity within HQ RAPTC as the SO2 Policy and Plans; undoubtedly the most rewarding SO2 appointment I have completed in the Corps. The reason I consider it to be so is simply because the job provides the ability to deliver positive change for the betterment of all of cers and soldiers and allows the scope to take the Corps’ capability forward within the Army and across Defence. Equally, when threats to the Corps surface, de ning the breadth of our capability, whilst educating those who would apply lazy logic to cost saving measures, is a privileged task with which to be involved.
There is, as always, much to shout about with numerous work strands and long overdue initiatives coming to fruition this year; I will give you the highlights and the comings and goings shortly but before the ag waving, it’s important to situate you and bring you into the HQ RAPTC ‘space’.
In last year’s notes I explained the backdrop of the Army’s constant change programmes and shifting priorities within which the HQ must operate to recruit, develop and deliver PTI capability. This year has been no different; as the dust started to settle on the Army 2020 change programme,
and we all became familiar with new structures and liability requirements, the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) 2015 resulted in a raft of measures for the Army seeking savings across several cap badges, including our own. The more senior and retired readership may recognise this
as a standard SDSR cycle which culminates in raising the same questions about contractorising PTI capability; the major difference is that this time around the buoy
we are unlikely to emerge unscathed.
Along with the other cap badges in
the cross hairs we have already been
through a series of 2 star Steering
Group reviews, and as I write, we are
preparing courses of action to realise
imposed savings in support of HQ Personnel and
Support Commands submission to the Executive Committee of the Army Board (ECAB).
The outcome is likely to lead to some liability reduction but nowhere near the number originally imposed upon us and low enough to absorb the impact within our normal manning cycles. Without the steadfast support of those above us who fully understand our worth, and the capability loss to the Army and Defence that would ensue, we may have found ourselves in a very different situation. So why do I mention it? It’s not to scare the horses or to worry those who may fear for their jobs or who aspire to join the Corps, regardless of the headline liability reduction, no one will lose their job and we will always be recruiting. The reason is ‘capability’, the very detail of what the RAPTCI, across all three streams, provides that the Army simply cannot afford to lose.
If I asked you what capability you deliver could you tell me? I’m sure that everyone could de ne their non-operational role but less so their descriptive deployed operational role; a capability that is key to securing the Army’s absolute requirement for the deployable PTI and one that will help to safeguard any future rummaging around in the loose change draw for budgetary salami slicing by the centre. If we take nothing else away from the SDSR 15 measure two lessons emerge loud and clear, the Corps must have a clearly de ned and endorsed operational role and we must
have Doctrine in the form of a Concept of Employment that unequivocally de nes, to none Corps personnel, the full extent of the RAPTC’s considerable capability. The former has already been written and by the time these notes go to print we will for the rst time have a long overdue endorsed RAPTC operational role. This will form one element of the latter (the Doctrine) that I will be writing over the coming months. Once issued every RAPTCI will have the means to fully understand and importantly preach their worth up and down the chain of command. When considering the themes for the recent Comdt RAPTC Study Period it was clear that one element had to focus on the Corps capability throughout
the continuum of the operational cycle (AFORM). This enabled everyone to fully consider and appreciate their role in Force; Preparation, Protection and Sustainment and Recovery; the logo
below will become a very familiar sight in the future. This, along with reinforcing the links between Fitness and Health made for a very useful Study Period that, for the rst time, brought 337 RAPTC all ranks back to the home of the Corps for a full day
of study.
So, on to an update of the other areas of business and projects closed off over the past year. The rst, the PTI Training Review, will be covered elsewhere by the Training Development Team so I won’t dwell on it and eat their sandwiches; suf ce to say this is the most signi cant project work undertaken by this HQ in recent times. The impact will be long lasting and the quality and timing of PTI training, through the soldier and of cer pipeline, signi cantly uplifted and adjusted; outstanding work by Maj Alan Humes and the TDT ninjas. Amongst numerous ‘ rsts’ the AT stream now bene t from dedicated Resilience Training Margin posts allowing them to properly manage and grow the next generation of ATIs. Equally, after articulating the lack of soldier opportunity’s for full time in-service degrees we have secured both Resilience Training Margin posts and funding to enrol one soldier onto a full time BSc programme annually. Whilst the door was ajar, we took the opportunity to also secure the funding of four soldiers annually to commence a BSc programme of part time study. This is great news and recognises the Army’s and Corp’s commitment to establish an appropriate and coherent education pipeline for RAPTCIs. Remaining on the education theme, our Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes to support RAPTCIs and All Arms PTIs is now rmly in the Annual Budgetary Cycle, having grown from 0 to 30k in 2 years, and after a very long wade through the treacle that is the civilian recruiting process, we are now a few months into the employment of Ms Bridgitte Swales our UKSC(A) Strength and Conditioning Tutor. Bridgitte will be with us for 12 months focusing on the speci c support required in Course Design and on the ASPT shop oor to develop and deliver improved Strength and Conditioning PTI training. She brings with her a wealth of experience, has been involved with numerous high
end sports teams and is already making a difference.
The HQ has grown by two over the past year with Capt Russ Roberts now leading the new Research and Development Cell focusing on what’s new and on the horizon across the PT civil sector then assessing its worth for application to our own PTI training. He has already travelled further and attended more