Page 24 - Mind, Body and Spirit Online Edition

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HQ 49 (EAST) BRIGADE

Capt (MAA) A Riley RAPTC

A
s one of the newly established with units now feeling they are being
SO3 PD appointments in the better supported.
Regional Brigades it was clear from
the outset this was new territory for the The transition from 5XX to the 3 Regional

RAPTC with the irst question normally Bdes on a PD front was extremely smooth
asked what does PD stand for? The with no real disruption to Sport or PD. Being
Brigade however did welcome me with closer to the coalface has also helped in
open arms and have fully embraced PD, targeting areas such as swimming with 4

actively seeking ways in which business non swimmer courses being run over the
could be improved.
year thanks to the hard work of SSgt (SSI)
Horton at 7 Para RHA and Sgt (SI) Sadler
The Brigade area is vast with the majority at 7 Air Assault Bn REME. In all everyone

of units being located in the far SE corner of the RAPTCIs within 49X AO has helped
of the AO commonly known as Colchester in one way or another to ensure PT and
with SMI Chris Oakes at the helm which is sport has continued to be delivered to a
a blessing as Colchester is a 3 hour drive high standard over this period. It would be
on a good day.
all their RHQ’s in an advisory capacity remiss of me not to also thank the team

assisting them with what to some was the at Sp Comd Maj (MAA) S Davis RAPTC
With the Regional Bde OPCOM units mineield of PD policy. The introduction of and SMIs Gary Logan and Jack Horner
predominately made up from Reservist the Reservist betterment package went RAPTC who have helped guide and
units I spent the irst few months visiting
a long way in smoothing the relationship,
smooth the path during the transition.

MILITARY CORRECTIVE TRAINING CENTRE COLCHESTER (MCTC)

WO2 (QMSI) E A Gillies RAPTC
F
or many reading this article I’m sure it will be an insight or

even a brief introduction to the MCTC. Admittedly for me,
before my arrival at the establishment back in Jun 2011, I
was acutely aware of MCTC’s existence but not the incredible
importance of such a unique organisation of people employed
within the Military Provost Staff (MPS). This is a unit that takes its

lead directly from the Provost Marshal Army, PM (A) and is governed
by Her Majesties Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP). It deals on a
daily basis with large groups of disparate detainees from across
all three services. Established to house just over 350 detainees at

its full capacity it is broken down into two main groups. A Coy are
the sailors, soldiers & airmen and women who have been given a
custodial sentence by either their Commanding Oficer or Court
Martial and will return to their parent units following the period of

detention. D Coy are those service personnel who have also been
given a period of detention predominately by court martial and
have either had their discharge applied for or, due to the nature
of the offence, being discharged from the services would be the

next step. Blessed with a large Tri Service gym staff consisting
of one RN Petty Oficer of PT, one RAF PTI also qualiied and WO2 (QMSI) Ewen Gillies with members of the MCTC Gym staff
employed as the unit Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor, 5 SIOPTs
and an RAPTCI, as the only Army member of staff (MOS) it has
been a busy year at the MCTC.

Continuity to Military life must continue for the detainees within the
A Company stream; their mainstay is to receive directed military
training delivered by a highly motivated and professional MPS

training wing team assisted by the expertise of externally assigned
instructors from the Royal Marines and RAF. On the opposite side
of the custodial coin are the individuals in D Company where the
main focus is to rehabilitate and reintegrate personnel back into

society.

The MPS being a relatively small Corps of around 130 personnel
have a constant role of 22 on Ops, 22 recovering from Ops and a

further 22 preparing for Ops, leaving less than 50% of the Corps
strength to maintain the custodial duties for the MCTC. Fortunately
the MPS have an 80% manning uplift which is scheduled to be in
place by 2015 allowing 7 UK based Service Custody Facilities to
be manned by 1 x SSgt and 7 Cpls.
MPS – Unlocking the potential