Page 136 - The Bugle 2018

AFTER A VERY
SHORT TIME
IN MY PIT, WE
WERE WOKEN
UP BY THE
AMERICAN BUGLE PLAYING REVEILLE
US-UK exchange:
Michigan
National Guard
In early March the Battalion wanted volunteers to go on the Military Reserve Exchange Programme with the American Army Reserve. I decided to put my name forward as it was either Otterburn for two weeks or the USA for 3 weeks - not a hard decision to make!
Having made my way to Washington DC via Heathrow, I ran up against US passport control, so missing my connecting flight to Detroit, giving me a 5 hours later wait in the airport. I eventually arrived in Detroit at 2330hrs where I met the other three UK reservists who would be doing the same thing as me. After a further 3-hour road move, we eventually arrived in Camp Grayling, Michigan, where we would be staying for the duration of my trip.
After a very short time in my pit, we were woken up by the American Bugle playing Reveille where I opened my eyes and saw half a dozen weapons laying on the floor by each bed, (have this lot not heard of an armoury?) and after morning routine it
was off to meet the Chain of Command and to find out what squad I’d be in.
I was put into 1 Squad (Platoon) with Captain K as Squad Commander and Platoon Sergeant Hughes. I got issued my TES-kit, M4 and was ‘ready to rock’. Morning
was admin but the afternoon saw walk-through-talk-through of Platoon attacks. Off they went with their webbing, Bergens and support weapons - had they not heard of fight light? Demonstrating a bit of initiative and some bitter lessons learnt in Brecon I went off with webbing and daysack only - they will soon catch on! Once we had completed a few scenarios it was time to move back to the block to continue with tactics on the white board, doing Rehearsal of Concept drills. The whiteboard was an interesting way to learn platoon tactics but I feel I added some value with my experience and a hot
debrief.
Sjt Rider off to show the Americans how to do it
The night before deploying on exercise I was asked if I would like to work with their First Sergeant Hamilton who was their Company Serjeant Major equivalent. Beans, bullets, and bandages is more down my street!
We deployed on the Tuesday for 12 days in the field, moving to a Platoon base to start the battle procedure for 2 days of platoon attacks and then a company night attack moving every day to a new PB.
Once the first Platoon had moved back to the PB I was waiting for them to put them into the Company harbour location. I briefed the Platoon Sergeant what I wanted: Squad One would be 10 through 12 to 2, Squad Two through 4 to 6 then
THE RIFLES