Page 119 - RAPTC Year of 2019

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The close bond of your first tandem – Mr Pelmaur Georghaides looking after myself
JOINT SERVICE ADVENTUROUS TRAINING WING, CYPRUS
Maj (MAA) I Bareham RAPTC
Joint Service Adventurous Training Wing, Cyprus (JSATWC) was formed in 1974 and was originally set up as ‘The Commands Adventurous Training/Water Activities Centre’. Cyprus basks all year-round in the warmth of the Mediterranean sun and due to the weather JSATWC hosts a great range of AT activities. But as I sit here and write this article in February, I didn’t believe people when they said I would get this cold, how quickly you can get acclimatised to the Cyprus weather.
I believe in ‘do something that scares you’, to some they may have believed that was me moving outside of Aldershot but whilst I have enjoyed it there, I have always relished a fresh challenge and I believed JSATWC would provide that. Being a non-ATI and having conducted minimal AT since my probationers’ course, I was a tad apprehensive to say the least but in the 6 months I have been in post now I can honestly say my apprehension was not needed.
With a current total of 31 staff, breaking this down looks like 7 Army, 2 RAF, 1 civil servant, 12 locally employed civilians and 9 temporary employed elsewhere staff, I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by a great team and do honestly mean this. The chief instructors of each branch reassure me on a daily basis that we are delivering top notch safe training.
The time difference between UK and Cyprus affords me the opportunity of escaping the desk each morning to watch training taking place, with the ultimate aim of taking part in more activities during my time here. This leads nicely onto ‘do something that scares you’. Since arriving WO White RAF, chief instructor of the Para branch constantly invites me to parachute and I have been up and down in the plane so many times I think the staff thought I was a trainee pilot. Then one grey day with some winds blowing, WO White asked me if I wanted to do a tandem jump. Grey day,
winds blowing I have my excuses ready but shortly after agreeing the winds changed and the sky turned blue. I have watched them deliver that many times now, the team reassured me with the training and I can honestly say it was one of my best experiences and recommend it to all to give it a go.
I thank the current JSATWC RAPTC team in particular for their continued assistance to their non-ATI OC and being able to break down some new acronyms that aren’t Policy or G1. Whilst the opportunity to serve abroad these days is getting limited and should you be ATI trained, this posting is a must for your preferences. You won’t regret it.
Remembrance Day 2019. L-R Sgt (SI) Kane Mortimer RAPTC, Sgt (SI) Tom Kirby RAPTC, Maj (MAA) Iain Bareham RAPTC, WO2 (QMSI) Joe Stapleton RAPTC, Sgt (SI) Ben Swinfield RAPTC, Sgt (SI) John Thurlbeck RAPTC