Page 76 - RAPTC Mind, Body & Spirit

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Not done with sport quite yet, 30 Signal Regiment also kindly agreed to host the Female Festival of Sport (FFOS). This was a terrific competition, but very challenging with over 100 females to direct! The competition consisted of four sports, Netball, Volleyball, 5-a-Side Football and Tug of War. With a team of outstanding PTIs to support, the competition was a great success with abundant, positive feedback from all participants. It was a pleasure to observe all females encouraging one another so heartily, whilst achieving the aim of promoting the participation of female soldiers in the Armed Forces.
In closing, I must say that 30 Signal Regiment has been very challenging, but most certainly a very rewarding post. The CoC support has been tremendous. I personally believe, and have done at all units, that the RAPTCI should be on the ground and get to know their soldiers, lead from the front and most importantly continually develop the AAPTIs.
I wish everyone the very best of health and happiness with their future, be it military or civilian.
HEADQUARTERS SOUTH WEST
Captain (MAA) J Murdoch RAPTC
“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or
Time stands still for no-one...
On 30 May 2017 (ie Day 1), QMSI ‘Alf’ Cranmer came out to the carpark to help me unload my car and move in to the office, and then proceeded by saying “Capt Murdoch, just so you’re aware, we’re ‘stagging’ on in the Ops Room today between 1000 – 1400 hrs due to Op TEMPERER, Oh, and welcome to the Headquarters...” At that point, I have to admit that my levels of excitement did start to deplete [a little], but I’d like to fast-forward my narrative to some 10 months later...
When I started to compile this year’s MBS notes, I just couldn’t help ponder how time flies... What makes matters worse is that, although I often advise people to “focus upon the journey and be less fixated on the destination”, I feel like my professional [and personal] journey is moving far too fast for my liking; that said I am still only 25 years old...!
So – what’s the Headquarters all about then...?
The Headquarters South West is about to reach Full Operating Capability (FOC) as a standalone organisation following last year’s split from Headquarters 1 ARTY Brigade; they too will achieve FOC within the same timeline. To simplify the contrasting tasks, 1 ARTY has retained the OPCOM responsibilities and is a subservient 1* organisation to Headquarters Force Troops Command (FTC) – whereas the Commander South West assumes control of all Firm Base tasks. While balancing the many competing priorities,
the Headquarters South West ‘main effort’ is placed upon UK Operations [when required]; youth engagement; setting priorities for Army infrastructure; and closely followed by the coordination and conduct of Assurance activities. From a PD Branch perspective, my function is to deliver / enable the support to all units / organisations within the South West AOR for assurance activities; health support; processing of all staff clearance; advising on all PD policy; and of course, MS responsibilities. The diagram visually depicts the Key Branch outputs:
A large part of my focus [and time] surrounds Head of Arm responsibilities, so it would be remiss of me not to take the
accept the responsibility for changing them...” Denis Waitley