Page 37 - The Bugle 2018

Counter-Poaching Training Team, Gabon
Riflemen from 2 RIFLES have continued to build upon the excellent work of their predecessors through the delivery of two further highly successful and impactful counter-poaching Short Term Training Teams (STTTs) in Gabon in recent months. The STTT programme has seen over 70 Riflemen and supporting personnel deploy to Gabon to deliver five STTTs to assist the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) in training its counter- poaching force to protect its fauna, including the extremely rare forest elephant. The fourth STTT saw 17 Riflemen deploy to Gabon for six weeks in October-November 2017, and was followed by the fifth STTT comprising 16 Riflemen who deployed to Gabon for a similar period in April-May 2018.
Significantly, the last two STTTs have shifted their training focus to an approach which trains and tests the different levels of the ANPN, from the Ecogarde park rangers at the ground level to the Conservateur park managers responsible for the management and command of each national park, as well as the ANPN’s national operations centre in the capital Libreville. Field skills and the use of intelligence continue to be taught, but planning, leadership and management are now included. The fifth STTT tested the ANPN by requiring the Conservateurs attending the training course to independently plan and execute simultaneous seven-day patrol operations for their Ecogardes as part of a final test exercise. The fifth STTT received significant media interest, and the team enjoyed the challenge of hosting six journalists from The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Mail and social media organisation LAD Bible for 48 hours. This was an impressive feat, especially as the STTT was focused on coordinating and supervising the delivery of the final test exercise! The journalists were thrilled with their visit and each organisation delivered well-publicised feature articles and films which featured deployed Riflemen in a variety of settings.
The STTTs have provided 2 RIFLES with a bespoke task that has positively contributed to retention and recruiting. The deployments attract the keenest and most energetic young commanders to test their instructional skills with competent and willing ANPN Ecogardes as well as allowing them to improve their field skills and learn important lessons in the harsh, unforgiving environment of Gabon. There are few other locations where Riflemen will be charged by a gorilla whilst on patrol, observed by a leopard during a night-time trip to the lavatory, and be required to shepherd British journalists into the back of four-wheel drive vehicles as they were being charged by an angry bull elephant having ventured too close to its family. Riflemen who have deployed to Gabon have been universally struck by the beauty of the country and the elusive nature of its wildlife; unlike in Kenya, one will not be woken by curious hyenas looming over one’s trench in the middle of the night!
The fight to protect Gabon’s wildlife and natural environment from poachers and other malignant actors is a constant struggle; similar counter- poaching efforts are occurring throughout Africa and are being ably supported by the British Army troops, including fellow Riflemen in Malawi. A sixth
STTT drawn from 2 RIFLES will deploy to Gabon in the autumn, and will provide similar training and capability development to that undertaken by the fourth and fifth iterations of the task. Given the brilliant work of the Riflemen on the ground, the Gabonese government and the head of the ANPN (Professor Lee White, a British zoologist) would like it to continue. Particularly when coupled with the Battalion’s recent experience of delivering training to Iraqi security forces personnel on Operation SHADER, it has confirmed 2 RIFLES as the Army’s standard bearer for the delivery of training and mentoring to foreign troops.
Captain Simon Swindells
Officer Commanding Mortar Platoon
THERE ARE FEW OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE RIFLEMEN WILL BE CHARGED BY A GORILLA WHILST ON PATROL
THE RIFLES
SECOND BATTALION 43
Capt Swindells and Lt Kelk with Capt Dunn, a US Army officer, and members of the ANPN, at Lope National Park
The instructors of STTT
5 pose for a group photo at the conclusion of a successful final exercise. Left to right are LCpl Freeman, Cpl Flanagan, LCpl Preston, LCpl Whicker, LCpl Rigby, LCpl Joyce and Lt Kelk