Page 102 - RAPTC Year of 2019

100
www.raptcassociation.org.uk
LWC
HEADQUARTERS LAND WARFARE CENTRE
The LWC is to cohere and drive agile adaptation of the Fd Army in order to deliver success on current and future operations.
The LWC is still a relatively new 2* HQ established
within the Fd Army. The LWC is responsible for all
Trade and Collective Training, Operational Lessons,
Land Tactical Doctrine and Experimentation. The LWC
2* HQ is located in Warminster and is commanded
by the newly appointed Director Land Warfare (DLW),
DLW has command responsibilities for the Armour
Centre (ARMCEN), the Royal School of Artillery
(RSA), the Royal School of Military Engineering
(RSME), the Defence College of Logistics, Policing
and Administration (DCLPA), the Army Aviation Centre (AACen) and the Collective Training Group (CTG) including the Collective Training Establishments (CTEs) in BATUS, BATUK and BATSUB.
I volunteered for this role taking over from Maj (MAA) ‘Barney’ Barnett RAPTC who was getting himself ready to transition to civilian life. For those that knew Barney, they will know he was a popular guy and that was evident during our HO/TO, which I thank Barney for. On the conclusion of our HO/TO Barney said, “One day you’ll be busy and the next you’ll be twiddling your thumbs”, which I am yet to experience. Unlike my last job at FTC, where my immediate CoC did not let our team fully function as a PD Branch, here at LWC it is completely different, and I thoroughly love doing what we are charged to do best. Unfortunately, however, unlike FTC I don’t have a SMI PD or Health and that’s probably the reason why my thumbs have yet to twiddle.
Day to day is consumed with mostly PD BaU and a lot of reactive RFIs from the 12 x WO2 (QMSIs), 2 x SSgts, 2 x SIO PTs and a RSM at DCBRN that I am responsible for as Head of Arm. Managing the biggest training environment in the Army is a challenge but I regularly rely on my fantastic team of Op Gps RAPTCIs, who to a person do a superb job.
HQ LWC comprises of 6 functional Pillars, all led by an Assistant Head (Cols) and who have a significant number of Staff Officers
from across the Reg and Army Res and a large collective of Civil Servants, who are all a delight to work with. The DLW drives ‘Inclusivity’ and I have attended, planned and executed numerous events to achieve DLW’s intent.
I organised activities such as the General’s Cup and Ex Waterloo Challenge 19, which involved a week of daily activities from the High Wire cse at Winchester, a hill walk up Pen-y-Fan to Pole Fitness classes, which raised a few eyebrows, but the staff loved it.
Yes, I can list jobs as long as my arm that I do as BaU
but instead I will highlight that this HQ does like to ‘Reward’ the team. DLW therefore, directed me (I wasn’t happy) to plan and execute a High Risk & Remote expedition to Nepal in Mar 21. Planning for Ex (TIGER) Waterloo Khumbu Challenge 21 has already commenced and, COVID-19 permitting, we hope to get one of the slots from HQ ATG(A) and take 22 members of the staff to Nepal to trek the Everest High 3 Passes, which concludes with a summit attempt for a select few, on Island Peak at 6189m/20,305ft.
At the time of writing this article I want to capture where we are in the current COVID-19 pandemic. As a HQ we are completely dispersed to protect the Force. Training has stopped, there is a lot of concern not least with the sad and significant loss of life, but my team and their units are doing their level best to ensure the RAPTC shines in the time of an unprecedented National crisis by keeping our SP physically and mentally fit, which is a credit to them all. I hope that by the time we read this publication that the worst is long behind us.
To finalise on a plus note, the job is fantastic although tempo can be challenging but that’s the role of a Staff Officer however, as long as a fine balance of work, play, AT, sport and fitness is maintained, then this role at HQ LWC is one I thoroughly recommend to future and fellow SO2s.
Maj (MAA) R Lundie RAPTC
Land Warfare Centre (LWC)
Military staff and Civil Servants taking Military staff and Civil Servants Maj (MAA) Rab Lundie striking a balance part in an Inclusivity day