9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2004 - Page 0069
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Transcription |
REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) 67 HQ 4th Armoured Brigade th Armoured Brigade entered its Training Year on lst November 2003 with the prospect of a full Brigade deploy- ment to Iraq looming at the end. As the S03 G3 Training/Plans, it was my job to co-ordinate the Training Programme for the Brigade and put the wheels in motion for the Pre-Deployment Training that would follow in preparation for Op TELIC 5. Having hitherto worked outside of the Formation Readiness Cycle it was an excellent opportunity to become better acquaint- ed with the workings of both Armoured and Armoured Infantry Battle Groups and gets myboots a little muddy following 2 years behind the desk as the Adjutant! The Brigade currently has 3 units under command; The Royal Dragoon Guards, The Scots Guards and The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. Sadly, due to an overspend in funding relating to Op TELIC not all the units would get the opportuni- ty to consolidate their training fully as Battle Groups in BATUS. Nonetheless, the Brigade training package commenced with vigour on return from the Christmas stand down with a 2 day all ranks training brief for Trooper through to Commanding Officer, in order that everyone knew what to expect in the forth- coming year and how they were to prepare for it. As part of their training, each Unit deployed on a Live Firing Period (with the addition of an Infantry Field Firing Camp for the Infantry Battalions), a Mini CAST, a CAST, a Mini CATT for all Sub Units, a BG CATT, 5 days CP 1-2 training and a Brigade 2 Tier CAST involving some 600 personnel. All this was squeezed in between 4th January and 2nd April with little time for anyone to come up for air. The Brigade Headquarters itself endured 3 Training Days, 2 Mini CASTs and 2 CASTs facilitated by LWCTG(G). With all this to juggle at short notice the Headquarters also ran a JOTES 1 exam, prepared by myself, held in mid February. The culmination of this training was met with the hard tests that BATUS presented, training 2 Battle Groups (lDWR BG initially followed by RDG BG) to CF 4 under the new gruelling “30 day programme”. The 30 days on the prairie involved pro- gressive Live Firing training starting at Individual level and culminating with an All Arms Battle Group Live Firing night attack where the fire power capability of such an organisation could be in no doubt. The second half of the BATUS training is the TES phase which the vast majority of the Regiment will be very familiar with having deployed as the OPFOR twice in recent years. What was clear by the end of my time at 4 Brigade was that no better preparation could have been had for ICSC(L). A gru- elling year with a steep learning curve, the benefits of such an SO3 appointment are considerable and I commend it to every junior officer looking for a challenge outside of RD. GDHC Hot and bothered at the end of Med Man 2, Ju/y 04, |
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