Page 13 - QARANC Vol 19 No 2 2021

The Gazette QARANC Association 11
Library studies!
was alot to learn in short space of time to prepare for our Class 2 exam. The lessons we have recieved were endocrine, nervous and reproductive systems, eye and ear, and healthcare
goverance. Luckily I recieved my first choice for my posting which is Portsmouth. I am very happy to be passing out of phase 2 and joining my unit. Overall the course has been excellent; I’ve grown as an invidivual and learnt more about myself. I feel like the permenant staff have had a huge impact on this. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone which has had a postive impact on me as an individual as I feel like i am prepared for my future.
The motto of the QARANC is the
Latin phrase ‘Sub Cruce Candida.’. In English this translates as ‘Under the White Cross’ . I am extremely proud to work within this cap badge as I feel like QARANC
doesn’t receive the right amount of recognition it deserves. Unfortunately, people are sometimes unaware that there are HCA’s within the Army and I feel as if placing all of us in a wide range of units can help to spread awareness.
Private A Sweeney
Laying a foundation for the future – the first QA Instructor at the Army Foundation College
Corporal Gadd joined the Army in 2014 and
completed her Phase 1 training at the Army
Training Regiment, Winchester. She then
completed her Phase 2 training at Defence
Medical Services Whittington, where she
completed her training to become a Health
Care Assistant (HCA). In 2015 Corporal
Gadd was posted to the Ministry of Defence
Hospital Unit, Portsmouth, where she
then completed her Level 3 in Health and
Social Care. During this period she gained
experience working in a variety of different departments. On promotion to Lance
Corporal she was posted to 4 Armoured
Medical Regiment where she spent 11
months working in the Medical Receiving
Station Troop. Having only 11 months experience working as a Lance Corporal, Corporal Gadd was posted to the Army Foundation College, Harrogate (AFC) as an acting Corporal.
Corporal Gadd was the first ever HCA to be posted to AFC and she was posted to AFC with no instructor qualifications at all. During her two and a half years there
she gained the following qualifications: Defence Train the Trainer (DTTT), All Arms Skill at Arms (AASAA), Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Instructor, Drill Instructor, Mental Resilience Trainer, All Range Safety and Boxing Coach Level 1. Corporal Gadd passed out three platoons ranging from infantry joiners to Army Medical Services. During her posting Corporal Gadd was able to raise awareness of what HCA’s are, and proved that her skills and knowledge were transferable to the greener training environment.
Corporal Gadd’s exceptional performance during her posting meant that she secured the position at AFC for other QARANC
First QA Instructor at the Army Foundation College – Corporal Gadd
soldiers to be posted there in the future. Corporal Gadd was selected for promotion to Corporal and is now posted to Royal Centre of Defence Medicine, Birmingham where she looks forward to being clinical again, but is also utilising her instructional experience to develop other personnel within her new unit.
Sergeant Ebony Cartwright RAMC, DMSW