Emma McMullan, Lowland RFCA Comms Officer
**CONTENT WARNING: Some images featuring fake blood and graphic injury are included in this article**
On Wednesday 11 September, I was invited along with our Chief Executive, Colonel Ted Shields MBE DL, to join a number of other guests at 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron RAuxAF’s Annual Continuous Training (ACT) in Kielder Forest, Northumberland.
As a Force Protection (FP) unit, it is vital for 603 Reservists to be at the top of their game and keep their skills as finely honed as possible. Alongside a separate training exercise taking place in Sennelager, Germany, the ACT in Kielder was aimed at training Reservists linked to the RAF Regiment, which specialises in airfield security and protecting operational aircraft.
The day began with a warm welcome from the Squadron’s Officer Commanding Squadron Leader Derek Read, as well as Wing Commander John Kirkman, Officer Commanding 5 FP Wing, the unit responsible for co-ordinating the training.
‘As well as the training currently going on in Germany,’ Wing Commander Kirkman explained in his introduction, ‘we also needed to have a UK-based ACT.
‘The main reason for this was because the overseas ACT had a fairly ambitious programme which needed a high starting standard that it isn’t always possible to attain for Part-Time Volunteer Reservists (PTVRs), so we’re providing this exercise in Kielder for those who haven’t yet completed all the training required for the overseas deployment.’
With the formalities out of the way, it was time to set off and see the Reservists in action. The first half of the visit saw us following a group from 603 Squadron and 2622 (Highland) Squadron as they underwent a patrolling exercise, putting their observation and team communication skills to the test while clearing a safe path and engaging with simulated enemy forces hidden amongst the dense forest and tall grass surrounding them.
Flight Lieutenant John Young, a Training Officer from 603 Squadron, was good enough to provide me with an outline of the activities that we would be observing:
‘The troops taking part in the training today will be moving into a section attacks phase, working in teams of eight or more.
‘The exercise is composed of several different tasks, ranging from CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) defence to First Aid, section attacks and observation posts, so it covers a wide range of training that is common to RAF Regiment personnel, both Reserve and Regular.’
The exercise completed, the visitors then had an opportunity to have a chat with the Reservists and ask them some questions as they prepared to start over, this time armed with feedback from their Training Officer. For some in the group, this was their first time on such an exercise, and it was great to hear how much they were enjoying the experience, in spite of the unpredictable weather that they had been camping out in through the week.
The afternoon session took a more dramatic turn as it was dedicated to performing triage on victims of a simulated downed aircraft and administering First Aid while under enemy attack. The Reservists were tasked with rescuing a number of ‘casualties’ in the form of a training dummy and real-life actors, all looking very much the part with the help of a professional make-up artist. This provided an ideal opportunity for the troops to test their multi-tasking and resilience: putting the casualties at ease, shielding them from enemy fire and working as a team to complete a safe evacuation from the crash site.
‘Before I joined the RAF Reserve, I wasn’t a very “security-minded” person,’ said Billy, one of the 603 Reservists attending the ACT. ‘Thanks to my getting involved and taking part in exercises like this, however, I’ve gained the discipline and attention to detail that I need for my civilian job in the security sector.’
From a civilian perspective, the whole day was a real eye-opener for me. It’s one thing to hear or read about the various training exercises that Reservists take part in throughout the year, but it’s another thing entirely to see them tackling those challenges head-on, accomplishing difficult and high-pressure tasks in a calm, confident manner.
Many thanks again to the 603 and 2622 teams for looking after us throughout the visit, taking time to answer our questions and giving us a valuable insight into life as a Royal Air Force Reservist.
