9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2001 - Page 0049
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2001 |
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REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) 49 OP AGRICOLA 6 — An ADC’s View eaching the giddy rank of Captain, and still not having been on an operational tour may be acceptable in a num- ber of regiments in the British Army. It is not, however, in the 9th/12th Royal Lancers, who have in their ranks numer- ous members with four or five (and some with more) medals from operations around the world. There is a limit to the gentle ribbing that one can tolerate from highly amusing members of the Regiment, who stand before you with their glistening breast, fining you for being incorrectly dressed. In a similar way to joining the property market, I knew the Adjutant’s offer to become the ADC to the Commander 7 Armd Bde in Kosovo, was an offer that had to be taken, how- ever daunting. The position of an ADC is not truly understood, except by those who have had the honour. There were numerous fables brandished around as soon as the news had leaked out. Fortunately, there were a few officers residing in Schloss Bredebeck who I could quiz and dispel the re-occurring thoughts ofbeing sacked for forgetting to walk the family dog or arriving at a parade with the Brigadier with the incorrect habiliment. A main issue made clear was that my success in the position was mainly down to the ability to establish a trusting and amicable “relationship” with the Commander. After my initial briefing from the Chief of Staff, where I learnt that “Relaxed but not Slack” was the Commander’s ethos, I thought that I had a good chance of survival. Sacrificing the Officers’ Mess Summer Ball to get a head start at the Headquarters Multi National Brigade (Centre) (HQ MNB(C)), Kosovo, I left on an earlier flight to the Commander. I was in mixed feelings after the first day. Jubilee Barracks, which encompasses Slim Lines where the HQ is located, is actually relatively pleasant. The accommo- dation and offices are easy to get around and comfortable. The dining facilities are simple and rather similar to the aver- age motorway services restaurant, but had potential to be upgraded to a Harvester or Bernie Inn. The food, however, presented at the three sittings a day, ably made up for the plastic mugs and paper napkins. The doubts began to rear their ugly heads when I had spent all of five minutes with the outgoing ADC. She was in no way ashamed when expressing her delight, nay jubilation, in the thought that she was leav- ing theatre in two days and that her rapidly approaching six month Junior Division StaffCollege course was altogether an easier option. Combined with the reassuring fact that much of my liaising and planning would be done with other nation- alities, mainly members of United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), I was already aware that I was in a very different world and that I was going to have to raise my tol- erance levels. I am happy to say that my hand-over must have been designed to prepare me for the worst situations. I quickly believed her veiled warnings of long hours as I learnt for the first time that the reason it is called “the hot seat” is because you never leave it. Admittedly, not all of UNMIK are quite as efficient as one would wish for and indeed some aspects of bureaucracy would test the patience of a saint. The biggest challenge, however, was to get to know my way around the working parts of a brigade and the technology that I was sup- posed to be regarding as my aide throughout the tour. Having always known that I should have sat a couple of com- puter courses to improve my one finger typing, I now kicked myself for not having done it. As the tour progressed I still neglected to use eight digits, but my two useful digits were certainly introduced to speed. Throughout the tour, when visiting battle groups and sub units I would often be asked what I actually did and indeed what took so long. This is quite difficult to put across con- vincingly. My theory was that a busy Commander was a happy Commander resulting in an easier life for me. My aim was to have a comprehensive diary everyday made up of office calls on both civilian and military key personalities, visits to troops completing their everyday duties and obviously ensur- ing that the Commander’s regular appointments were attend- ed. This theory worked well but had the drawback that if I was out all day accompanying the Commander on his appointments, my planning for further trips had to be con- ducted in the evening hours. The environment was extremely interesting. MNB(C) is one of five brigades that make up the entirety of Kosovo forces. The other brigades are multi-national, and HQ KFOR controls all five, conveniently for MNB(C), in Pristina. MNB(C) is multi- national, including troops from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Czechoslovakia, which also extended to having these nationali- ties in the HQ. The political situation was unsteady and unpre- dictable with the upcoming elections being the common aim. The infrastructure of the country is beckoning for improve- ment and in time will be able to support it. Unfortunately, the 50% unemployment does little to encourage old-fashioned hard work and the economy, arguably, could be said to be strength- ened by the flourishing black market. The tour was not only interesting and fun but also highly edu- cational. Without doubt, being an ADC is a unique opportuni- ty which allows a relatively junior officer to see the workings of a larger formation than the Regiment work, and also have the ability to feel as though the job being undertaken is significant in the effectiveness of that formation. Some of you who have skimmed through this article hoping for some account of Wilby being sacked will fortunately be disappointed. Although as the Brigadier put it, I am “not a natural ADC” I did manage to muddle through the experience, and I will be able to look back on my first tour as a rewarding experience. NEGW Capt WI/byADC to Comd MNB(C) OP AGE/COLA, Br/g G B/nns MBE MC With CP Team m Pnst/na, Kosovo |
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