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www.raptcassociation.org.uk
This year for “The Vikings” has been at an increased pace, due to the level of commitments the Bn has had to face. I arrived at 1 Royal Anglian in Sep 22 and from the off I could see the challenges the Bn were facing when it came to physical development, sport and AT.
Now when I say that, it seems as if that makes no sense, as being in Cyprus offers every opportunity to conduct a good level of PT, vast amounts of sport and AT at every opportunity, but due to the commitments the Bn have had to face, just within my tenure, it has proven difficult to achieve the basic outputs consistently and continually.
However, somehow, the Bn have managed to still prove their abilities in Cyprus and on bigger platforms. The Bn have been able to organise and take part in numerous sporting and charity events across the island, and abroad, organise
SSgt (SSI) G Cooper RAPTC
AT expeditions, prepare individuals for promotional courses, compete in Bn events, enter a team in the Cambrian Patrol, the list goes on, and all whilst maintaining a good level of fitness.
All this whilst having rifle companies deployed in the UK on Op INTERFLEX, Oman, Bahrain, and three Op site locations around the island. When I arrived and I saw this happening, I asked myself how are they able to achieve all this and still turn up and give it their best? Then it suddenly hit me, one day on CO’s PT when I saw the Bn conduct a Remembrance Day battle PT session...... resilience!
The Bn is steeped in history, as are many infantry Bns, the “Vikings” are more recently known for their tours in Afghanistan, made more famous by Ross Kemp. It’s this history that drives each individual to continue to do their absolute best, not because they’re being
shouted at, but because they stand for something, something they are proud of and something they want to uphold and not falter at any opportunity, it’s this pride that they all hold onto when they’re at their lowest, physically and mentally, that drives them, pushes them and tests them.
Continued resilience training is an element of the Army Physical Training System (APTS) we continually hit on every session, to help keep the Bn striving to achieve its best, be it on the front gate of Alexander Bks, playing in the Dubai 7s or digging out blind on a Bn patrols events. If we can continually help to improve an individual’s resilience at any given opportunity, then surely PD won’t be seen as something to hide away from, surely in time people will see that, it’s not all about just training the body, it’s about giving you a release and time away from all the rigours and strains that military life throws at us daily, and that one common ground that keeps us all connected.
1 ROYAL ANGLIAN – A RESILIENT MINDSET
1 Royal Anglian soldiers conducting early morning paddle boarding