bobdina
09-25-2009, 12:13 PM
TA soldiers begin preparations for Afghan deployment
A Training and Adventure news article
25 Sep 09
A group of Territorial Army soldiers from the London Regiment, who have volunteered to join their Regular Army comrades on the front line in Afghanistan, began preparing for their deployment last week. Report by Leigh Morrison.
Territorial Army soldiers from the London Regiment preparing for their deployment to Afghanistan
The Reservists from London's only TA infantry regiment, who will be deploying to Afghanistan next year, were put through their paces over a two-week intensive live firing training event in the Cumbrian countryside.
The training at Warcop Camp culminated in a field firing exercise which saw the soldiers implementing platoon tactics in a live firing scenario in which they had to clear bunkers, trenches and other enemy-style positions.
When they deploy in early 2010, the soldiers will put their civilian jobs on hold to support units from the Regular Army and get involved in mentoring the Afghan National Army, providing force protection and augmenting Regular Army units.
Speaking in Cumbria, Major Liam Webber of the Coldstream Guards, who is the Training Major of the London Regiment, said:
"This training is the culmination of a week's worth of live firing for TA soldiers who probably haven't fired live rounds through their rifles for a couple of years, so we've been blowing the dust off some long forgotten skills and developing them further.
"We've put everything together that they've learned over the past week and put together a platoon attack that has lasted a good two-and-a-half hours over some challenging terrain and really tested the guys, but they pulled it out of the bag.
The London Regiment provides infantry support to the Regular Army
"We recognise that as TA soldiers and as Reservists that they make a commitment to serve in the Reserves and we try to match that commitment with the training that we give them.
"It's not easy to maintain a military level of fitness if you're not in the military but these guys worked very hard this week and some of them have lost a lot of weight and some have lost a lot of sleep, but I'd like to think that we've helped them on their road to becoming professional soldiers for their tour in Afghanistan next year."
After this live firing training the volunteers will begin mobilisation which will consist of more specific training as well as fitness and dental checks to ensure that they're in the best physical condition for their deployment.
Company Commander Major Richard Celm, who is a consultant to small businesses on civvy street, will be deploying with the soldiers next year. He said:
"Our job is basically to make sure it's as less of a shock to the system as possible. Regardless of saying that, nothing can prepare you for one of your mates losing a leg or, worse case scenario, losing a life, but the training that we put together prepares them as best as we can for pretty much everything they're going to experience out there.
"First of all they have to get through their mobilisation course which is a two-week course where they do all their mandatory tests, fitness tests and dental and things like that.
"From there, there are a number of courses that they have to do, like specialist skills that individuals will get so that they can train up the rest of the company, driver training, things like that, certain skills that they'll use out in theatre.
"The training that we put together prepares them as best as we can for pretty much everything they're going to experience out there."
Major Richard Celm
"Then they'll go through a number of different scenario training packages to prepare them for the tasks that they're actually doing, so they'll start off with a lot of basic training and then move up to the full formation, so everyone who's going out on that tour will basically get together in England prior to going out there and do a full rehearsal for theatre."
The training at Warcop Camp proved to be rather challenging for the soldiers as they completed an intense platoon attack which saw the sections taking turns to sustain and attack the 'enemy'.
Secondary school teacher Colour Sergeant Jamie Booth was acting in a security role during the exercise. She said:
"It's been very hard work. The terrain itself is undulating, it's a bit up and down, there's lots of boggy patches and ditches and streams everywhere, so it can be quite tiring just running through that. It's good physical fitness too.
"The majority of these guys here have been mobilising and this is just very good practice for them. The more practice, the better. They've been doing range packages all throughout the week and this is their final exercise and it just goes to show that all of the practice that they've put in during the week has paid off really well today - it's been well worth it."
The London Regiment provides infantry support to the Regular Army and a fully operational unit which has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan previously.
Estate agent Lance Corporal George Anderson said:
"We recognise that as TA soldiers and as Reservists that they make a commitment to serve in the Reserves and we try to match that commitment with the training that we give them."
Major Liam Webber
"I was in cadets so I've been involved in the Army for a long time now. I've been in the TA since 2002 and I went to Iraq in 2004 which I really enjoyed which probably sounds slightly morbid.
"We did take a few casualties on our tour which is obviously unfortunate, but what is good about the tour is that, when you're working as an estate agent or whatever, your priorities are different because you have a hangover or you have to write an essay and, it's such a cliché, but it does put life in perspective.
"I missed out on the tour in Afghanistan in 2007 for various reasons so I'm determined to do it now.
"I did Iraq as a private soldier and since then I've had the opportunity to be promoted and do the career courses so now I'm going out most likely as a Section Commander which is the role I've been doing here over the past two weeks.
"There are a lot of our mates who went out in 2007 and I was just back home so I'd rather go out on the ground properly this time."
Many of those deploying to Afghanistan from the London Regiment see their time with the TA as vital to their career progression. Lance Corporal Martin Goodright from B Company, London Regiment, said:
The London Regiment, one of the most deployed infantry units, prove their mettle on the hills of Brecon
"I've done it for the challenge and I've always wanted to be in the Army. The TA suits me down to the ground in terms of getting the best of both worlds. I work in property maintenance and I also do landscape photography and weddings and stuff like that so it's a little bit different to this.
"I plan to take some pictures when I'm out in theatre and want to do this tour as infantry to get knowledge of what is going on in the battlefield and then once I come back from this tour then join a group that has something to do with photography in theatre.
"I've got no problems knowing that I'm coming back, just like the rest of the London Regiment. We've been training hard and putting 110 per cent into the training. Some of these guys had never seen live fire before this week. The majority have progressed so much since last week. It can be done, you just have to knuckle down and hold tight."
The London Regiment is comprised of five companies which are spread geographically across the London area in Westminster, Catford, Edgware, Hornsey, Battersea, Balham, Camberwell, Hammersmith and Blackheath.
A Training and Adventure news article
25 Sep 09
A group of Territorial Army soldiers from the London Regiment, who have volunteered to join their Regular Army comrades on the front line in Afghanistan, began preparing for their deployment last week. Report by Leigh Morrison.
Territorial Army soldiers from the London Regiment preparing for their deployment to Afghanistan
The Reservists from London's only TA infantry regiment, who will be deploying to Afghanistan next year, were put through their paces over a two-week intensive live firing training event in the Cumbrian countryside.
The training at Warcop Camp culminated in a field firing exercise which saw the soldiers implementing platoon tactics in a live firing scenario in which they had to clear bunkers, trenches and other enemy-style positions.
When they deploy in early 2010, the soldiers will put their civilian jobs on hold to support units from the Regular Army and get involved in mentoring the Afghan National Army, providing force protection and augmenting Regular Army units.
Speaking in Cumbria, Major Liam Webber of the Coldstream Guards, who is the Training Major of the London Regiment, said:
"This training is the culmination of a week's worth of live firing for TA soldiers who probably haven't fired live rounds through their rifles for a couple of years, so we've been blowing the dust off some long forgotten skills and developing them further.
"We've put everything together that they've learned over the past week and put together a platoon attack that has lasted a good two-and-a-half hours over some challenging terrain and really tested the guys, but they pulled it out of the bag.
The London Regiment provides infantry support to the Regular Army
"We recognise that as TA soldiers and as Reservists that they make a commitment to serve in the Reserves and we try to match that commitment with the training that we give them.
"It's not easy to maintain a military level of fitness if you're not in the military but these guys worked very hard this week and some of them have lost a lot of weight and some have lost a lot of sleep, but I'd like to think that we've helped them on their road to becoming professional soldiers for their tour in Afghanistan next year."
After this live firing training the volunteers will begin mobilisation which will consist of more specific training as well as fitness and dental checks to ensure that they're in the best physical condition for their deployment.
Company Commander Major Richard Celm, who is a consultant to small businesses on civvy street, will be deploying with the soldiers next year. He said:
"Our job is basically to make sure it's as less of a shock to the system as possible. Regardless of saying that, nothing can prepare you for one of your mates losing a leg or, worse case scenario, losing a life, but the training that we put together prepares them as best as we can for pretty much everything they're going to experience out there.
"First of all they have to get through their mobilisation course which is a two-week course where they do all their mandatory tests, fitness tests and dental and things like that.
"From there, there are a number of courses that they have to do, like specialist skills that individuals will get so that they can train up the rest of the company, driver training, things like that, certain skills that they'll use out in theatre.
"The training that we put together prepares them as best as we can for pretty much everything they're going to experience out there."
Major Richard Celm
"Then they'll go through a number of different scenario training packages to prepare them for the tasks that they're actually doing, so they'll start off with a lot of basic training and then move up to the full formation, so everyone who's going out on that tour will basically get together in England prior to going out there and do a full rehearsal for theatre."
The training at Warcop Camp proved to be rather challenging for the soldiers as they completed an intense platoon attack which saw the sections taking turns to sustain and attack the 'enemy'.
Secondary school teacher Colour Sergeant Jamie Booth was acting in a security role during the exercise. She said:
"It's been very hard work. The terrain itself is undulating, it's a bit up and down, there's lots of boggy patches and ditches and streams everywhere, so it can be quite tiring just running through that. It's good physical fitness too.
"The majority of these guys here have been mobilising and this is just very good practice for them. The more practice, the better. They've been doing range packages all throughout the week and this is their final exercise and it just goes to show that all of the practice that they've put in during the week has paid off really well today - it's been well worth it."
The London Regiment provides infantry support to the Regular Army and a fully operational unit which has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan previously.
Estate agent Lance Corporal George Anderson said:
"We recognise that as TA soldiers and as Reservists that they make a commitment to serve in the Reserves and we try to match that commitment with the training that we give them."
Major Liam Webber
"I was in cadets so I've been involved in the Army for a long time now. I've been in the TA since 2002 and I went to Iraq in 2004 which I really enjoyed which probably sounds slightly morbid.
"We did take a few casualties on our tour which is obviously unfortunate, but what is good about the tour is that, when you're working as an estate agent or whatever, your priorities are different because you have a hangover or you have to write an essay and, it's such a cliché, but it does put life in perspective.
"I missed out on the tour in Afghanistan in 2007 for various reasons so I'm determined to do it now.
"I did Iraq as a private soldier and since then I've had the opportunity to be promoted and do the career courses so now I'm going out most likely as a Section Commander which is the role I've been doing here over the past two weeks.
"There are a lot of our mates who went out in 2007 and I was just back home so I'd rather go out on the ground properly this time."
Many of those deploying to Afghanistan from the London Regiment see their time with the TA as vital to their career progression. Lance Corporal Martin Goodright from B Company, London Regiment, said:
The London Regiment, one of the most deployed infantry units, prove their mettle on the hills of Brecon
"I've done it for the challenge and I've always wanted to be in the Army. The TA suits me down to the ground in terms of getting the best of both worlds. I work in property maintenance and I also do landscape photography and weddings and stuff like that so it's a little bit different to this.
"I plan to take some pictures when I'm out in theatre and want to do this tour as infantry to get knowledge of what is going on in the battlefield and then once I come back from this tour then join a group that has something to do with photography in theatre.
"I've got no problems knowing that I'm coming back, just like the rest of the London Regiment. We've been training hard and putting 110 per cent into the training. Some of these guys had never seen live fire before this week. The majority have progressed so much since last week. It can be done, you just have to knuckle down and hold tight."
The London Regiment is comprised of five companies which are spread geographically across the London area in Westminster, Catford, Edgware, Hornsey, Battersea, Balham, Camberwell, Hammersmith and Blackheath.