Page 15 - Example Journals

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
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around Camp Leatherneck, US Marines could be heard loudly wishing any Brits they saw “a happy fourth” or “happy Independence Day”, to which Lt Dumont insisted the only appropriate response was “You’re quite welcome!” Sadly the explanation that the British view (at least at the time) of the American War of Independence would have been that it was basically an insurgency that we lost and that the American insurgent tactics were in some cases not materially different from those used by Afghan insurgents, seemed drew blank looks from our American colleagues!
The coalition’s impending departure from Helmand had been announced before our deployment; however it was not entirely clear until about the time we deployed exactly when we would leave. As the date was resolved, plans were drawn up to incrementally reduce the amount of mentoring and assistance we provided the ANA. This resulted in the RCBS SFAAT and A Sqn with it being subsumed into the Consolidated Corps Advisory Team (C-CAT), commanded by a USMC of cer called Colonel Dowling, who also exercised indirect (operational) command over the other Afghan facing groupings, including the BAT (made up of B Sqn and RHQ).
Within the C-CAT, A Sqn was spread across a number of functional areas, with the Sqn Ldr mentoring the 215 Corps G3/5 section in concert with a UK Lt Col and planning the nal drawdown of the ANA mentoring mission in Helmand, while the remainder either providing continued mentoring to the RCBS staff or manning a force protection team entrusted with protecting a separate UK medical mentoring team working at the Camp Shorabak Afghan military hospital. This work was particularly worthwhile as the hospital is the only one of its kind in Helmand and considered a critical capability by the ANA. It was also historically a point of particular friction in Camp Shorabak, where the insider threat was considered to be particularly acute and where the UK medics had to work in very close quarters with their Afghan counterparts, in dif cult and stressful circumstances, including assisting Afghan surgeons conduct emergency life saving surgery on ANA casualties arriving at short notice, often at night. The protection had previously been provided by a USMC infantry company (not speci cally trained to interact with Afghans), which took a tough and at times aggressive approach to guarding their charges. This caused a number of issues, all of which were quickly recti ed when A Sqn took on the role and applied a lighter and more sensitive touch. Interestingly, this clearly illustrated both the requirement for Afghan (or in the future any indigenous force) facing military
Of cers
teams to be appropriately trained for the task; it also once again demonstrated the utility of the intelligent recce/cavalry soldier in mentoring and training tasks, tactically astute and sensitive to his environment.
All too soon it was time for our USMC team mates to depart Helmand, followed by us on 16 September. Six A Sqn soldiers remained behind, under the command of Sgt Walker and Sjt Bailey (the latter attached from 2 RIFLES). Their job was to facilitate ANA R&R ights (yes they have them!) ying between Camp Bastion and Kabul, by providing the equivalent of airport security, albeit somewhat different to that at Heathrow airport. This team nally departed Helmand and Afghanistan with the remnants of the BAT in October, leaving Bastion with the last of the UK and US troops.
However before the departure of the main body, a nal squadron parade was held in the RC(SW) headquarters compound in Camp Leatherneck at which a number of commendations awarded by the (USMC) Commanding General and the (UK) Deputy Commander Regional Command (South West) were presented. These commendations recognise some of the excellent work conducted by A Sqn that has directly resulted in increased ANA capability in Helmand Province that will endure well beyond our departure.
The squadron’s return to Germany was uneventful and included the now familiar (and mandatory!) decompression period consisting of two days in Cyprus. Mercifully we were spared the overland epic of a bus journey from the UK by virtue of the aircraft landing in Hanover to drop us and other Germany based troops off. This resulted in an arrival at Dempsey Barracks at about 0130 on 19 September, where we were greeted by the Adjutant, the SSM and the Welfare Of cer offering cans of beer and some tired but excited wives and children.
The rest of the year was lled with leave, both post-tour and an extended Christmas break, Adventure Training and career and Lt Cav conversion courses. Next year we look forward to continuing our conversion to Lt Cav and the unit move to Swanton Morley. On completion of Christmas leave the Regiment will go through a complete re-ORBAT, resulting in three equally sized squadrons, with very few remaining in the same places. Both the Sqn Ldr and SSM will remain to provide some continuity for the squadron, but both are due to move on in 2015, making way for a new command team. Capt Lough and Lt Dumont move to RHQ as Ops Of cer and RSO respectively. SSgt Riley and Sgts Hughes and Thomas move to the QMs’ Dept and Sgt Cubitt steps up as A Sqn SQMS, almost all of the remainder move to other squadrons, making way for fresh faces.
2014 has been an excellent year for the squadron that has marked the end of operations in Helmand. It was a huge privilege for A Sqn to be a part of that historic period and we now look forward to the trials and tribulations that 2015 inevitably holds in store for us.
A Squadron Op HERRICK 20 Commander’s Commendations
CG RC(SW)’s Certi cate of Commendation
Maj O’Brien (presented on return to Germany)
Sgt Cubitt
Sgt Hughes
Sgt Thomas
DCOM RC(SW)’s Certi cate of Commendation
A/Capt Dumont
Sgt Simpson
Cpl Davies 109
EDO’B