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1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
ATC Pirbright
Army Training Centre (ATC) Pirbright is about 30 miles west of London, close to the towns of Aldershot and Guild- ford. ATC Pirbright delivers the 14 week training course known as the Common Military Syllabus which is completed by all adult recruits (age 17+) when they join the Army. The course is designed to develop the individual and team skills in a progressive manner, preparing recruits for their Initial Trade Training, where they learn the specific skills for their chosen Army trade. ATC Pirbright delivers Phase 1 Training for new recruits joining: Army Air Corps, Army Medical Services, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engi- neers, Corps of Royal Engineers, Corps of Army Music, Royal Regiment of Artillery, Royal Corps of Signals, Royal Logistic Corps, Adjutant General’s Corps, Intelli- gence Corps. Sadly the Royal Armoured Corps recruits are no longer trained at Pirbright. They are now trained in Catterick with the Infantry recruits.
Life at ATC Pirbright it very enjoy- able. The permanent staff are all highly
motivated and committed to delivering high quality training to the recruits. The sports facilities are exceptional, including high-tech gym equipment and flood lit running track and sports pitches. There are lots of opportunities to go on AT at Pirbright. 2023 will see personnel going
skiing, rock climbing and sea kayaking. A recent survey showed that over 90% of permanent staff at Pirbright would recommend a posting here, which shows that it’s a great place to work!
BL
HQ ARRC
In October I bade a fond farewell to the world of Regimental Duty after four happy years at Robertson Barracks and headed across the country to take up a post at
the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps HQ on
the edge of Gloucester. The sight of hills
on the horizon is still taking some getting used to but we have received a warm welcome from my new colleagues and neighbours and it is a great place to be.
The ARRC is one of nine Corps HQ across the NATO alliance. It was established in Rheindalen in 1992 (formed from the remnants of the Cold War-era 1 (British) Corps) but moved back to the UK in 2010. It has deployed several times, to Afghanistan and the Balkans. While most of the staff are British, it is a multinational HQ with people from 23 partner nations, with the USA and Italy providing the largest contingents.
During 2023, HQ ARRC will train towards validation to take on the NATO Readiness Force role in 2024 (with
7th Bde – the Desert Rats – underneath as part of the Very High Readiness Task Force). This is a busy training pipeline culminating in the three-week Ex Steadfast Jupiter
in Romania and then tested by Ex Brilliant Jump in the new year.
The HQ is a good place to work. Its multinational nature means that there are lots of interesting people and experiences to learn about. I share a desk with a Turkish commando, a Italian SF infan- tryman and a para engineer. To gel together, there is a full social calendar, and with most people having families the working hours are very reason- able! I have also already enjoyed a week of skiing
AT in Austria which was extremely convivial.
On the serious side, the war in Ukraine is sharp- ening NATO’s focus on warfighting capabilities and there is a very real possibility of deployment during our turn at readiness. With minimal troops under command from day to day, the majority of staff are purely tasked with improving their own perfor- mance, a very professionally satisfying existence. With roles for combat soldiers from Cpl to Lt Gen, I’d strongly encourage QDGs looking for a change
to apply for a post here.
DH