Page 88 - Cavalry Regiment

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
Regimental Administration Office
Another year passes and the AGC Detachment has had a busy turnover of staff. We say farewell to Lt Ed Pearce, SSgt Sam Eastman, Sgt Ricky Raikoso, Sgt ‘V’ Vavaitamana (on promotion to SSgt), Cpl Phil Mathers, Cpl Sykes, LCpl Kara Fielding and LCpl Elliott Welburn.
We welcome 2Lt Andy Lines, SSgt Amanda Ross, Sgt Paul Melvin, Cpl Becky Allen (back from Maternity Leave), Cpl Justin Crawford, LCpl Penny Coldwell, and Pte Kayleigh Newton.
Congratulations to LCpl Morris who recently married and pro- moted; well done Cpl Knight! Cpl Becky Allen also married and had a bouncing baby girl named Charlotte, again many congratulations!
Over the past twelve months we have had AGC personnel deploy around the world from Kenya to Austria and California in support of the Light Dragoons. Our UK commitments have also included
the less glamorous and rather wet Galloway Forest. With the unit help on readiness for operations both home and abroad the AGC Detachment has been busy ensuring the unit is administration fit and as the year ended the notice of operations in 2020 meant that all the hard work payed off. Successful inspections by the Divisional AGC staff provided the proof.
In other highlights for 2019, Cpl Knight received Apprentice of the Year award and excellent achievement. Sgt Campbell joined the female engagement team which encourages female school leavers to join the Army and has work hard to attract the future generation. Cpl Sykes passed basic training instructor courses and on completion was posted to Winchester. We hear he continues to set a high standard and his intake was deemed as the best! Lt Pearce (Det Comd) and Pte Watkinson enjoyed the Corp skiing trip to Austria and have encouraged more interest for next sea- son. The hi-roping arranged by Cpl Knight, proved a highlight of team bonding and departures have been duly marked by days at the races or cultural visits to the local area Richmond Castle. 2020 promises to be a busy and challenging year and I am sure our Detachment will rise to the challenges and continue to support the Light Dragoons.
DS
Quartermaster’s Department
Another busy period during 2019 for the QM’s department, supporting various Regimental and Brigade tasks, particu- larly ranges! A year of significant churn, most of the depart- ment moved on to different jobs during 2019. We said goodbye to Capt Nick Lees who moved on to greener pastures as the SO3 UK Ops at 4X and was replaced by Capt Grant Cuthbertson. Sgt Coulthard deployed to BATUK for a stint but is due to return to Regimental duty in 2020. We also said our farewells to Cpl Allen as the clothing storeman who moved on a well- earned promotion to the role of assistant RCMO.
The early part of the year saw the department build on their own personal and professional development, with the new RQMS (WO2 Richardson) qualifying as the RQMS and his waste management course, which sees him every Thursday morning scavenging about in the bins like Stig of the Dump to ensure that the soldiers on Gaza Barracks are recycling! The remainder of the department then built on the success of the Logistical Supply Assurance and inspection from 2018.
May saw the QMs change and Capt Grant Cuthbertson hit the ground running while supporting various exercises and range packages, before then departing on a well-earned summer leave. On return from a rewarding summer leave the depart- ment where straight back in the thick of the logistics war, as well as Sgt Coulthard finishing off his handover to Sgt Abbott.
Sgt Abbott as the new accommodation Sgt then went away on various courses such as the energy warden and to the delight of the RQ, the waste management course!
The QM to his amazement, finally got hands on money to improve the ‘lived’ experience for the soldiers on Gaza Barracks and immediately got to work spending it. Improvement have included the free WIFI in communal locations, 24/7 gym access and SKY in to the cookhouse. The highlight has been work to restore the JNCO’s mess, while not yet complete the project that well underway and looking promising for 2020.
The last quarter of the year seen the department supporting as well as taking part on the regimental exercise to the west coast of Scotland and prepare for the new deployment in 2020 of Poland and Mali.
Throughout the year the QM’s have been extremely busy and the department has continued to support the regiment to the highest standard. Morale remains extremely high, even the QM has been seen to be smiling on occasion. The next 12 months will once again prove to be very challenging, however in true Light Dragoon fashion, we will ensure that whatever task comes our way will be done to the highest standard and ensure that all the needs of the regiment are fulfilled.
GC
24