Page 121 - Bugle Autumn 2014

7 RIFLES support the flood relief in Reading
to better cement the concept of Reserve military service in the local community
and allow us to recruit new, and support existing, Reservists; attract activity to excite, enthuse and persuade potential recruits
to join; retention activity to increase our throughflow through the recruiting and training pipeline and
finally; activity to satiate,
augmentation which we have received from 2 RIFLES, and the constant support we have from 4 RIFLES, we will get there.
As The Bugle was going to print last year, the Battalion was on ‘short finals’ to deploy to Denmark on its annual exercise. Ex VIKING BUGLE was a huge success – a
gold medal, but dismasted yacht at the Regimental regatta; silverware at the Army Ice Championships and Inter Services Snowboard Championships; a strong inaugural performance at the Cresta; a fascinating Central London ‘battlefield tour’ for the Officers Mess; sounding retreat up and down Davies Street at our summer drinks party (much to the surprise of a number of tourists and evening commuters); 3rd place at the Army Reserve Operational Shooting Competition with another year of four Riflemen from the Battalion making the TA Top 50 by way of flavour, this year has been nothing if not packed.
We are set fair to continue. Refreshed orders for Op FORTIFY have just been issued; we become OPCOM 38 Brigade
in September and the opportunity to commemorate the remarkable events of 100 years ago will all ensure that we remain on our toes. And, at the time of writing,
we are again on ‘short finals’ to deploy for our Annual Exercise,
lead and manage our
people to decrease
the outflow of trained
Riflemen. Despite
some poor press and
the occasional internal
hand-wringing, our
experience has been a
positive one. Whilst there are undoubtedly obstacles to be overcome and challenges to be resolved and whilst we are expending a great deal of effort in the planning and execution, the results are showing an upwards trend. The ‘brand’ is very definitely on the streets in a way in which it hasn’t previously been; we have attested more than we did last year in the first seven months of this and; we have over 150 ‘live’ applicants on the books, the majority of whom have a decent chance of becoming Riflemen. The process of Enlistment is becoming significantly quicker, ex-Regulars are beginning to join in reasonable numbers and we have established a toe-hold in
the local ex-Gurkha population. So, we are certainly moving in the right direction and I am confident that with the huge commitment of the Reserve Riflemen who are out recruiting alongside the significant
fantastic opportunity
to serve alongside the Danish Home Guard and experience life with one of our closest NATO partners. The highlight, perhaps, was a joint deployment to exercise some Homeland Security
tasks across the length and breadth of the country. The exercise brought with it many extraordinary experiences from: a 0500 company church parade for one of the 7 RIFLES platoons for an hour’s worth of Danish payers, sermon and hymns rounded off by communion with
we have over 150 ‘live’ applicants on the books, the majority of whom have a decent chance of becoming Riflemen
Jaegermeister to: a
one man recce patrol,
deployed in a civilian
light aircraft to an
unmarked rural runway,
at night to; deploying
to a small island off the
East Coast of Jutland
in CEMO on a small ferry alongside civilian week-enders!
Its all part of the rich tapestry which helps to sustain and encourage these remarkable Riflemen to forego their free time in order to serve. Added to a
this year to Otterburn. Excitingly we have regenerated a suite
of support weapons capabilities as part
of our development towards our new FR20 ORBAT so we
will be firing Mortars and Machineguns
and exercising the Assault Pioneers in a way which has not been done since the Battalion formed. It remains a great time to be in the Army Reserve!
Lt Col JEF Bryant
...this year has been nothing if not packed. We are set fair to continue
THE RIFLES
SEVENTH BATTALION 119