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TRAILS END CAMP

Oficer Commanding Major (MAA) R D Black RAPTC
O
ver the past 30-years I have listened with envy to soldier’s
recount their stories regarding their Adventurous Training

experiences in Canada. Fortunately over the past
18-months as OC at Trails End Camp I have had the opportunity
to experience it irst hand and add credence to those fantastic
stories. The snow-capped peaks, meandering rivers, tall pine,

turquoise lakes, the wildlife all combine to present a perfect
backdrop to undertake Adventurous Training activities.

This year, the AT season start-date has been delayed due to the
irst military training exercise being conducted in Germany. This

is part of a trial to assess whether military training, traditionally
delivered on Sufield Plain, can be undertaken closer to home.
Whatever the outcome of the trial we do not anticipate a signiicant
change in throughput at TEC before 2015, if at all.

The delayed start has been welcomed as the increased requirement Trappers Camp: R to L: Brigadier Humphries, Major Black, Col Commandant,
for pre-season training has risen considerably and 4 of the key Maj General Bashall, Major (Retd) Mellor, 1 Div Comd SM and WO1 Chiddle
training-contracts supporting activities have only recently been With the Rockies on your doorstep few would disagree that the

awarded. SSgt Mathias from JSATI has just delivered a Mountain desire to travel further aield is somewhat reduced. However, for
Bike Instructors course so that TEC can start delivering the the sea kayakers amongst the readership, I highly recommend
foundation award. Sgt Clark from JSPC(N) has delivered refresher the west coast of Vancouver Island as a desirable destination.
training to the staff at the Alberta Skydivers Centre. Also 1st & Over a 5-day period kayaking between the Broken Island Group

2nd Party Assurance inspections continue and the Comd ATGA, we saw humpback and grey whales on a daily basis as distant
Col Ian Horn, is expected in June on a formal visit and the irst time water-spouts and up close and personal. Other groups saw pods
back at TEC since he was the OC some 17-years earlier.
of orca and bears on the mainland beaches. There are many
recognised and sensitively managed campsites on many of the
The most signiicant change to the delivery of AT in Canada in islands. Indeed the entire west coast of Canada has a diversity of

recent years is the inclusion of Value Based Leadership (VBL). destinations for the enthusiastic sea paddler.
DG ARTD, Maj Gen Dickie Davis, identiied that VBL, the training
philosophy adopted within ARTD and embraced during Phase 1, Warren Hartwell warned me that the tour as OC TEC would be over
2 & 3 is not reaching the Field Army. DG recognised that AT was in a heartbeat; yes I too picked up on his colloquialism, an early

an ideal medium to promote and re-enforce the 6 core values and indication of how comfortable his baseball cap was starting to feel.
develop a wider understanding of the 6 recognised leadership Well true to his word, I have no idea where the time has gone. I
styles. ‘Doing the right thing on a dificult day’ has become the start my handover to Jim Darby on the 26 Aug 13 and wish both
central mantra and focus to the overarching philosophy.
he and Claire the very best and know from the onset they will have

a fantastic time here in Canada. Both Ian and Sue Mellor continue
Mark Woodhouse from Performance People Learning and Devel- to be the font of knowledge and the cement that hold the past and
opment, along with Major Claire Masters from ASLS were recruited present and wider community irmly together. WO1 Paul Chiddle
to deliver the 22 day training workshop on VBL. The beneit of has been here a year already and has fully immersed himself in

participating in adventurous training activities has never been in the local climbing scene and mountaineering fraternity. Sharon
doubt; however, the learning outcomes were implicit and assumed, remains at the centre of the organisation as the face and voice of
essentially, allowing the mountain to ‘speak for itself’. VBL has TEC and the one with all the solutions. Cpl Liam Armstrong our
added context. It has added a commonly understood language AAC Senior Storeman has seen the light and is currently working
with explicit content, where speciic learning outcomes can be towards his RAPTC ‘selection week’. WO1 Steph Collins and his

monitored. This paradigm shift in emphasis is not broadly under- team of Temporary Staff from 20 Bde are currently being inducted
stood and time is required to clearly deine, align and consolidate.
in preparation for a mid-Jun start to the Bde AT programme.