Page 15 - Demo

for the basic military qualification for all land trades.
The plan was clear, the staff were to maintain social distancing with all candidates and not use any facilities, not even a pen that a candidate used. Course sizes were shaved to maximize social distancing practices inside candidate quarters. Classrooms were spread out and Lysol and Purell were everywhere. Transportation had its own challenges as the usual crammed caravan was a no-go. Out of all the precautions, adherence to mask- wearing was the hardest. Communication, a core part of daily life, was a challenge while teaching, and especially during close instruction like section attacks and range coaching. It meant that hand signals were reinforced while in the field and Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) were engrained into the candidates from the first day. COVID-19 quarantine areas of the camp were erected in case of possible cases but through it all we focused on training and kept an eye on the new normal.
By the end of the course we were COVID training pros and would flip a mask on in close proximity of
anyone or when we entered a building. We executed the training plan the same as any other course just that the candidates dug single-man trenches and slept in single- man hoochies, and we even saw a grand return of the lean-to in the field. All in all, this was a learning curve for both staff and candidates alike.
These times have reinforced and demonstrated that the resilience and dedication of the Black Watch soldier is as present as ever. We all have a job to do whether on the front or behind the scenes. No matter where we served, we did so with pride, integrity, and bravery, some stepping into the relative unknown emphasizing service before self.
Many things will have changed by the end of this period but rest assured that the steadfast Black Watch soldier is as determined as their predecessors. COVID-19 has and will face a worthy opponent as every Black Watch soldier will continue to accomplish their duty. The fight against the virus goes on.
15
2RHC SNIPER SECTION
KOREA 1953