Page 104 - The Rifles Bugle Autumn 2019
P. 104

   A YEAR WITHOUT GUARD DUTIES AND A PLACE ON THE NEXT PJNCO CADRE ARE JUST A PART OF THE BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD FOR RIFLEMAN EMBLEN
Ex TOP DOG
The coveted title of “Top Dog” is awarded every year   sections to carry out reconnaissance and raid
   to the best rifleman in D Company. This year Exercise Top Dog was an urban and rural skills competition run out of Rype Village in Lydd, Kent. Over the week, the riflemen competed in 17 different scoring events within a tactical exercise scenario.
The exercise began with an “RSOI” package; including a 2-mile best effort and a bespoke 30-round IBSR shoot. The riflemen then moved to Fort Richmond in Rype Village to conduct battle prep and lessons on observation and contact drills. The riflemen were then deployed in fire-team patrols to make their way around a series of stands throughout Tuesday. Run by the company JNCOs, these included observation, CIED, KIM, navigation, AFV recognition and BCD, testing core battlefield skills. Once darkness had descended the riflemen set out on a night navigation exercise in which some decided to take more direct routes than others, resulting in Riflemen Almond going for a dip more than once! At the end of the first day of patrolling, Rifleman Emblen was out in front with Riflemen Andrews and Filer fighting for the second position.
Wednesday saw the riflemen heading out as
taskings. 5 RIFLES Recce Platoon ran an excellent observation stand on an enemy C2 node, this was organised and run by a former Top Dog, LCpl Hare. During the raid stand riflemen had to gather infor- mation from ‘locals’ to obtain G2 on a high value target and extract an enemy agent under fire. The afternoon was completed with a hotly contested 3-miler, obstacle course and pistol range. A busy night of urban OP work followed for the now exhausted riflemen, with fleeting contacts and local population serials aplenty.
Thursday morning saw the riflemen return to Fort Richmond and the chaos of the trademark of Ex Top Dog; the sword lane. The troops were speed-marched from the Fort to close with and kill the fleeing enemy at close quarters. Halfway to the lane the riflemen encountered 2 casualties, forcing a CASEVAC to an RV 500 metres away. The DS then initiated the “motivation phase”, designed to cause as much confusion and physical pressure as possible to ensure that the riflemen were suitably engaged with the aggression needed to close with and kill the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The sword lane stretched for 200 metres down a water feature, with targets in and out of the water, requiring the riflemen to maintain situational awareness under extreme pressure to avoid bypassing targets. The lane finished with individual closing photos in front of the Regimental and Company flags, resulting in some fairly strong thousand-yard stares! Once the sword lane had finished the riflemen gathered for the collective photograph designed to put them at ease before a surprise “Standby, GO!” that saw them complete a one-miler and Military Knowledge test to finish the exercise.
Demonstrating at this final hurdle the ability to continue pushing whilst still remaining a thinking rifleman, which is so key to the Company and Regimental ethos, Rifleman Emblen was announced the best over 17 events at a tense Company smoker on that evening. A year without guard duties and a place on the next PJNCO cadre are just a part of the bright future ahead for Rifleman Emblen, who has now set the example for the riflemen in the Company and will be immortalised on the awards board as Top Dog 2019.
Lt Alex Raleigh
     102 FIFTH BATTALION
THE RIFLES
Rfn Neesam thinking about going again
 Rfn Emblen - awarded TOP DOG 2019





















































































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