Page 87 - Bugle Autumn 2014

On patrol the correct Personal Protective equipment takes some getting used to but is critical in Afghanistan
Mission Specific Training (MST) started in September 13 and ended in May 14 with Rfn seeing a minimum of two to three months on exercise. The main exercises were PASHTUN HAWK, PASHTUN TEMPEST, PASHTUN PANTHER and PASHTUN DAWN. All of which tested the Battalion and ensured we were at the correct standard for HERRICK 20.
Elite Army dogs train their handlers in the timely distribution of dog treats
B Company’s Ex PASHTUN HAWK took
place near Hohne as a two-week live-firing
camp. This had considerable advantage, given
the company could get on with the training
unimpeded by the normal distractions of
camp. The weather was extreme; snow was
continuously on the ground and temperatures
at points hit -10˚C! The OC had no shortage
of good ideas, one of which was the company
deploy into the field for just over 24hrs to
conducted a company deliberate attack onto a mock village. The exercise saw many of the Riflemen qualify in HMG and GMG for the first time, as well as complete all their mandated shoots on personal weapons.
Ex PASHTUN TEMPEST, held in Castlemartin, exists to test sub-units in their live firing ability and their resilience to long coach journeys. A and B Coy deployed with a few “stray Dogs” from D Coy and on arrival found that the weather was pleasantly un-Welsh. The Riflemen were happy to conduct a variety of live firing exercises during the day and then return to barracks at night (less B Coy who could not resist the lure of the woodblocks).
The shoots included one particularly imaginative exercise which involved sitting at a desk with body armour and helmet down on the ground beside you. One had to rapidly don protective equipment and engage a target at close range with both pistol and rifle. This exercise would prove most useful for the junior officers of A Coy who would later find out that their HERRICK 20 tour would mostly involve sitting behind a desk in Bastion.
There were some conventional “Brecon-style” platoon attacks but also Afghan-focussed training. A lot of money and thought had
The weather was extreme; snow was continuously on the ground and temperatures at points hit -10˚C!
THE RIFLES
FIFTH BATTALION 85