Page 104 - AGC Journal 2018

AGC JOURNAL 2018

Educational Support to Go Ape Course

The Falkland Islands By Corporal Thomas Baynton

Here at 1st Battalion Rifles our detachment, as usual, are currently under
a high work load due to the current busy nature of the Battalion. As such,
By Captain Sam Walker
when the idea of an afternoon off to spend a few hours at the Go Ape course

Captain Sam Walker deployed to the Falkland Islands in a Learning in the Forest of Dean arose we were quick to jump at the opportunity.

Development Officer role.

Pre-Deployment Go Ape Overall

My first two months wearing a Captain’s rank slide were not the This was to not only let our hair down outside of the office, The detachment cohesion was a success. We grew

usual few months an Officer in Command of Windsor Education but to help build comradery, and team spirit amongst the stronger and closer as a team and got a well-deserved
Centre would expect. I deployed to the Falkland Islands to detachment. The tree top adventure was the perfect place afternoon break from the usual daily grind. Hopefully, after
support Number One Company 1st Battalion the Irish Guards, for all the new members to get to know their colleagues the success of this event and with some fresh members of
in the last two months of their four-month deployment as the outside the working environment. This in turn has the team we can get out again soon for some fun.

Roulement Infantry Company. Prior to deployment, establishing developed the working team and made us more efficient.
who in the Company needed which qualifications proved to be

one of the first hurdles to cross. Fortunately, with a supportive

Career Management Department at the Irish Guards, and a
Company Commander, Second in Command and Company
Sergeant Major who have their Guardsmen’s best interests at the
front of their minds this became a much easier task.
Lessons Learned
The first lesson I learned was that prior engagement is

invaluable. Due to the niche nature of what an Education

Officer can provide, it can be misunderstood and therefore early

expectation management allows for your time to be spent in

a way that realises maximum benefit for the soldiers. Working
out what a unit truly needs is important. For this deployment, it
was decided that Junior Non-Commissioned Officer Command,

Leadership and Management courses and Functional Skills were
the key priorities, with Army Leadership Code study sessions
being a ‘nice to have’. For my deployment two Command,
Leadership and Management courses, a week of literacy and
a week of numeracy were delivered. The decision to study the

Army Leadership Code in more detail proved highly beneficial.

The discussions about leadership between Officers, Non-

Commissioned Officers and Guardsmen allowed the Platoons
and the Company to develop into a more conducive team.
Resource Management A sleeping Nic Maggorian
stretching his legs
Sea Lion out of the office

The second key lesson was how to teach in such a remote as he attempts to
environment, with little supporting infrastructure. A few good manoeuvre across
textbooks can become invaluable when internet is so unreliable, the obstacle
the Educator’s ability to apply military context to a civilian based
text book gives previously disengaged students a chance to
shine, which Number One Company’s Guardsmen truly did. Each

environment we deploy to is different, so I strongly recommend
learning from Post Exercise Reports, and most importantly from
your peers.
Opportunities
The final lesson was making the most of the opportunities

around you. While in the Falkland Islands I was fortunate enough
to join the Company on a Battlefield Study of Tumbledown and Francis Okumu

witness a Sergeant being promoted on the site where his father Sam Walker (on the coming to The team prior
had fought in the conflict in 1982; a very poignant promotion right) outside the the end of the to descending

which I will never forget. I was also fortunate enough to be Joint Education Centre course via a on to the two
high speed zip
hour tree top
able to mountain bike over the incredible countryside, spotting with Royal Air Force wire adventure
penguins on the beach and even a sleeping sea lion. colleague
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