A group of Officer Cadets (OCdts) from Glasgow & Strathclyde Universities’ Officers’ Training Corps (GSUOTC) were recently invited to join Reservists from the Scottish & Northern Irish Yeomanry (SNIY) on a training exercise in Cyprus.
From 16 September – 3 October, the OCdts joined SNIY on Exercise Kronos Hunter 7, taking on a variety of tasks and challenges that were completely new to them.
Here is what they had to say about their experience.
An Overview of the Exercise
Ex Kronos Hunter 7 was the first time all three of the OCdts had been to an exercise with another unit, and also their first time in Cyprus.
‘It was amazing to be given the opportunity to be embedded with the SNIY during their two-week annual camp this year. To us, it was a new and different environment that we had never had the opportunity to train in before. Paired with being deployed overseas, it was a very exciting and unique experience. One that we will never forget.’
Week One: Exercise Week
The exercise conducted during the deployment saw the GSUOTC group operating in new and challenging situations.
Alongside members of other UOTCs, the OCdts were tasked with playing the part of civilians and the enemy in a simulation exercise. This enabled the Reservists to report on the different scenarios, to build up a situational picture, and to strategise their response.
‘The week gave us a very different perspective on how a light recce unit works and operates. We could see exactly what skills were being enhanced through the SNIY’s exercise. Although we were not embedded with the exercising troops, we brought back our own unique perspective from the training.’
Week Two: Range Week
In the second week the OCdts had a chance to spend several days firing at the Dhekelia range. There, they were able to enhance and improve their skills with the SA80 rifle. They conducted basic static range shoots to qualify before they progressed onto moving targets; something they do not practice in the UOTC.
‘We all hugely appreciated how the team at SNIY took time out of their busy schedule to fit us in and give us range time. After speaking to other OCdts we all agreed that the most fun was CQB (Close Quarter Battle) firing which involved moving from a starting point and engaging pop up targets as they appeared. It was a lot of fun and a change to regular static shooting.’
