Page 22 - QARANC Vol 14 No 12 2016

20 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Perspective of a Phase 1 Platoon Commander – ATC Pirbright
My posting at ATC Pirbright as a Platoon Commander began only a few months ago in November 2015. While it was a surprise to be posted here, I considered the prospect a welcome challenge and knew it would offer an interesting change from life at DMG North. One of my primary reasons for joining the Army after all was a desire for diversity within my job, as it would allow me to develop my nursing career whilst also offering opportunities outside of a direct clinical role. Thus a role at Pirbright presented just one such opportunity.
I belong to Chavasse Company which is part of 1 Army Training Regiment (1 ATR). Before arriving I had already been forewarned that I would be commanding an intake of recruits soon after my arrival. It was a Reserve Bravo course, which is the final stage of Reserve Phase 1 Training. Lasting only 16 days, this is a whirlwind of a course combining teaching and assessment components of a variety of subjects, two short field exercises, and of course the long awaited pass off parade. Unlike regular intakes reserve platoons can be mixed gender in composition, as mine was. Additionally, Infantry Reserves also complete their Phase 1 Training at Pirbright rather than ITC Catterick, which means that over the course of your posting you could easily have been involved in the training of personnel from every single cap badge. In fact, I’m yet to have a recruit from my own cap badge in one of my platoons!
It was a completely hectic first few days on the Bravo course, with a steep learning curve. Packed into the first three days were weapon handling and physical assessments (confirmation assessments from their previous Alpha course), a field exercise, and I also had to teach lessons on map reading, Values and Standards and Law of Armed Conflict. However, with the guidance of a very experienced Training Team of a Platoon Sergeant and four Section Commanders, by day four I felt like I was beginning to find my feet somewhat, as the systems and policies of Pirbright became more familiar to me. Outside of the training programme there were the usual health, welfare and discipline issues to manage just as is the case for any Platoon Commander, albeit in a different context when dealing with soldiers under training. And then on the final day came the Pass of Parade, which was a really proud (and nerve-racking!) moment in my Army career. I had never led a Platoon on a Parade before, and this time I also needed to act as Parade Commander, as we were the only Platoon passing out on that day. Despite nerves however it was conducted without any major hitches, and my platoon of trained Reserve soldiers departed that day, ready to continue with their Phase 2 training.
Since then I have now commenced command of an intake of Regular recruits, predominantly aspiring to join the RE or REME. Though a tough initiation, having my Bravo Platoon so early on in my time at Pirbright was really helpful, as it enabled me to experience very early on how an entire course runs from form up to Pass out, albeit in the shortened Reserve format. This time however, with the 14 week Regular course, everything is being taught from scratch and in more detail, and there are lots of additional components to the programme that I have not yet experienced. The next couple of weeks are set to be very busy, with a trip to London this weekend, followed next week by an instructional field exercise and a WW1 battlefield study tour to Belgium.
Whilst training the recruits is clearly the priority of one’s time at Pirbright, there are certainly opportunities to get involved in other activities as well. The sports facilities are good, and there are several ATC(P) teams and fixtures to join if you want. In between intakes of recruits sub-units may also organise sporting, Adventure Training or Battlefield Study trips. It is also encouraged to attend further courses that will assist you for future intakes, or indeed later on in your Army career. Mess life is active, and as was the case in Catterick, I enjoy the diversity of living with people from outside of the AMS. Additionally of course for me, maintaining my clinical practice is also important and thus I have arranged to undertake regular placements in both Emergency and Primary Care.
This role at Pirbright is without doubt a fantastic opportunity in a Junior Officer’s career. There are of course frustrations in any job, and here is no different. Efforts to ensure that the recruit training programme is of a high and standardised quality are clearly important, but at times this means that it can seem somewhat restrictive to training teams who would prefer to have more freedom to assert their own individual and creative spin on learning objectives. Despite this, though, it is certainly a privilege to be playing such a direct role in the shaping of young soldiers’ careers. Nursing Officers are increasingly taking up command roles in Field Units and beyond with much success, and I believe this is a good progression for the Corps. For me, my roles as both an Army Officer and a Nurse are equal, and therefore I should be able to operate in both guises with equal capability. I have no doubt that my experience at Pirbright will be of great benefit to me throughout my Army career. It facilitates development of CLM skills in an all cap badge environment, gives invaluable instructional experience, and expands knowledge of recruitment, training and retention systems for both Reserve and Regular soldiers. And all, with any luck, without losing my Nursing skills!
Lt Jane Keenan, QARANC, 1 ATR Pirbright
To advertise in The Gazette and support Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, please call us on 01536 317000
DESIGN & PUBLISH
1 Rothwell Grange Court Rothwell Road, Junction 6 A14 Kettering, Northamptonshire NN16 8FB
t 01536 317000 jayne@crestpublications.com www.crestpublications.com