Page 66 - The Bugle 2018

THE COMPANY HAS TAKEN THE FIRST STEP ON THE JOURNEY TOWARD WHAT THE SPEC INF WILL BECOME IN THE FUTURE
A Company Foreword
A Company’s inclusion in the vanguard Spec Inf readiness cycle brought about the privilege of ‘learning by doing’; institutionalising the positive practices picked up whilst undertaking a range of tasks split across four continents. Whether operating as a company in Afghanistan or as formed teams in the USA and Middle East A Company’s deployments have been characterised by mission command and the empowerment of junior leadership, made possible by the trust developed through the robust training progression undertaken in 2017. Tasks assigned to the Company have rarely been sufficiently mature to have formal orders or clearly defined tactical outcomes which has given deploying elements the freedom to shape their own operations within the intent of the deployment. This freedom has been assured by the ability (down to team level) for Spec Inf force elements to recce, plan, prepare, deploy, execute and recover from operations; a capability that is underpinned by the ability to conduct analysis of the partner force and recommend a capacity development plan.
inaugural Spec Inf exercise in 2017) have been repli- cated in reality during the readiness period. Teams have been able to identify specific capability gaps on their recces (ranging from partner force weapons training to understanding partner force planning processes) and using their core infantry skills have been able to close the gaps prior to deployment. The flexibility and ability of the teams to thrive with minimal direction and limited information has been impressive. The selection of personnel on their strength of emotional intelligence, humility and patience has proven operationally invaluable. The aptitude of personnel, regardless of rank, to rapidly form relationships, sense issues early and enable the credit to be owned by the partner has been essential to many of successes that have been achieved. This ability, at the core of the Spec Inf capability, has enabled the company to operate in the lead of multinational special operations forces.
The Company has taken the first step on the journey toward what the Spec Inf will become in the future. Deployments alongside more mature yet similarly tasked forces, such as the US Green Berets on Ex RATTLESNAKE , have highlighted the
The Spec Inf training undertaken by A Company
has proven to be ideal in generating the ability to
deploy rapidly ‘from the line of march. Many of the numerous areas (including communications and
serials experienced on Ex ASKARI SPEAR (the
joint fire integration) that require development in the next years. Fundamentally, these improvements (predominantly equipment and training) will be added onto what has proven to me to be funda-
mentally suitable the human capital.
Maj Henry Coltart – Officer Commanding
Cpl Reay working alongside pattners from the Jordanian QRF
Eight months of readiness in a Spec Inf Team
The first eight months of readiness as a twelve strong Spec Inf team have been varied and gratifyingly frenetic. Despite huge variety in the location, tasks and partners the nature of operating independently and with the responsibility to reconnoitre, plan, prepare, deploy, execute, recover and capture lessons have been unrivalled outside the special operations forces.
72 FOURTH BATTALION THE RIFLES