Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
EDITION 4
Inside this issue:
Welcome Sapper Walker 7 Hq & Sp Sqn Engineer Logistics World My time in CSC 1st AES Chief of Staff New Year Another day 2 2 4 4 4 5 8 8 8 I write this at a time when the festivities of Christmas and New Year have become a fast fading memory and the Regiment remains as busy as ever supporting the transition of bases and responsibilities to our Afghan partners. As the OC of the Light Aid Detachment (LAD) it is particularly obvious how much the Royal Engineers rely on their equipment and the availability (or not) of working vehicles can seriously affect the progress of work.
OC LADs Foreword
(Capt Tom Holdsworth)
9 10 ECI blues 10 This applies across the Regiment, including the Close Support Squadrons who have 11 Troop worked hard to transition bases to Afghan Forces. This has seen equipment such as arNo place like home 11 moured plant and tractors working non stop for days at a time and it has been pleasing to 12 see the care and attention the vehicle crews show to their equipment. This is underSearch & make standable as without the vehicles it back to using a shovel; a simple to maintain yet much others safe less efficient piece of equipment! 4 AES FOB Ouellette Gate construction Air waves LCpl Turkish Newbold Winterisation 73 AES OP Sterga 2 PB Clifton Artillery Hill Working hard Engineer Specialist Final Points Glossary Of all the Squadrons, especially the Talisman Route Proving and Clearance Squadron 14 rely heavily on their vehicles both for completing their task and providing protection for themselves and others. It has been pleasing to see throughout the tour how effective 14 these vehicles have been in protecting their crews and giving them wide ranging mobility 15 across Helmand Province. It is beyond doubt that these vehicles regularly save lives and more serious injury. 15 As the mission progresses in Afghanistan, focus has begun to move to removing the 16 huge amounts of equipment in theatre. This is where the Resources Troop has been crucial in working long hours to load and prepare hundreds of ISO containers (20 foot metal 17 boxes) for movement back to UK. Particularly important for this has been the Rough Terrain Container Handler (RTCH), affectionately pronounced Wretch, an enormous vehicle that requires skilful driving to pick up and move these large containers. 18 For the LAD the tour has been a fantastic opportunity for the soldiers to do their trade everyday, whether as a mechanic, armourer, technician or recovery mechanic. The job 18 has been all the more satisfying with the chance to see the vehicles at work every single 19 day completing tasks and keeping people safe. They have also enjoyed the opportunity to get involved in the day to day engineering tasks undertaken by the Sappers and 20 gained a valuable insight into how combat engineering tasks are completed. 21 As the Regiment moves into the last couple of months on tour, thoughts have increasingly turned to returning home, with all looking forward to reuniting with their family and 22 friends, attending the home-coming celebrations and enjoying some well earned leave. On behalf of all personnel in the LAD and Regiment, I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing you all on our return in March. 24 25 Page 1
Welcome
Welcome to the penultimate edition of the Bear Necessities, the monthly Newsletter from 21 Engineer Regiment and 42 Field Squadron (28 Engineer Regiment). While the Regiment is deployed the Newsletter will give you the news from all over Helmand province to tell you what your husband, wife, brother, sister, son or daughter is up to. The Bear Necessities will be published around the first of each month. If its late, bear with us as IT out here is unreliable.
As ever, if there is anything in particular you think should be included in the newsletter let the Welfare Office know and we will see what we can do. If there are questions that you have about the tour, pass them to the Welfare Office and if we can answer them you will see the answers in the next edition.
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I deployed on Op Herrick 17 at beginning of September with my Squadron - 73 AES. On arrival at Camp Bastion we conducted the mandatory RSOI (Reception, Staging and Onwards Instruction aka familiarisation training) package, and soon after I was informed that I would be attached to 7 HQ & Sp Sqn working in the Construction Supervision Cell (CSC) department in the role of Surveyor.
Spr Appannah
The CSC was a new environment to me and I found it daunting switching my role from a Field Section to an office job. Secondly, I didnt want to be away from my Squadron and troop in particular whom I had spent the majority of Mission Specific Training bonding with. However it didnt take me long to settle in the office and get to know everybody within 7 HQ & Sp Sqn.
During the handover I was quite amazed by the new survey equipment which I would be using to carry out site surveys. The new GPS kit which I had not come across is less time consuming and fairly easy to use once you grasp the procedure of setting it up. Once the CSC department was formed, works kicked off almost straight away with several statements of requirement, flying about amongst the desks. And it didnt take long when the Military Plant Foreman (MPF) and I were tasked to fly to FOB Shawqat to look at some drainage issues. That was my first job in action.
To be perfectly honest I was a bit unsure of what to expect in terms of living in a forward base and carrying my job out there for the first time. Though it all went well and then afterwards I realised it wasnt a bad move for me to be attached to the CSC department as you get to travel all over Helmand carrying out surveys. I also came to realise the importance and role of every individual in the CSC department and how a Statement of Requirement can involve the whole team to work together.
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Over the duration of the task we were based in FOB Ouellette where the 73 AES, 9 Troop boys are based. As for me, I got the chance to catch up with the boys from my troop which is always good to share your own views on different topics.
A few days after we got back, I went out again with SSgt Wright (Military Plant Foreman) this time to carry out a topography survey and any relevant tasks in order to help designing a new road. The road is heavily used, however, rutted and very uneven, and during the rainy season it will become boggy. Spr Appannah in action As for me being a class 2 surveyor I havent done much on road design in my course and that was the most challenging and interesting task I had done until now. I was glad to get some help and support from the class 1 surveyor from the UK Works Group.
Now it is the New Year and I have been given another chance to work with my Troop from 73 AES. I have been attached to help with the construction of a CP on the outskirts of Gereshk. This has been a two week task, away from the comfort of the drawing office but it has been worthwhile. Spr Appannah working inside a CP
I can honestly say I have had best of both worlds from being part of the design team to making up the plans to completing the works. When I look back now I can say it was a wise move getting attached to the CSC because my tour has been varied. I have two months left in the CSC and Im sure they will be as fulfilling as the last four.
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Attached Arms Adjutant Generals Corps Staff and Personnel Support Branch
A Night in the Life of an SPS Soldier in Afghanistan SSgt Angelique Adams
Its 2100hrs and Im about to leave the office for the day. Do I try to sleep for the next few hours or do I push through and stay awake until I need to go on sangar duty at 0045hrs? The choice is mine and to help me choose, I decide to conduct a quick survey around the office. Whilst posing the question to sleep or not to sleep, I throw one in about clothing. Do I wear/take an extra layer with me or is it not yet cold enough? There are clear winners here (one Ill slightly regret) and its to stay awake and not to take any extra layers 0030hrs and I start to gather my kit to take the short walk up to the Guard Room. To be fair, the last 3.5 hrs have gone by quickly, although trying to log on to the internet passed about 30 mins straight away! On arrival at the Guard Room, I notice they have moved the Signing on Sheet. For a moment I think maybe they dont need me, until the Guard Commander pops his head round the corner and asks Am I looking for the sheet which has now moved from inside the office to the window round the back? Never mind! I complete my details along with 3 others (2 UK and 1 US personnel). Tonight one of the officers is stood down but before we have a chance to say how lucky he is, he tells us that hes only just come off a stag 2 hours before. Dont ask, its confusing he says and then explains that there was a mix up with names but that he was glad hed turned up for the earlier duty as that would of caused him 3 extras as a no show. At 0045hrs we are given our ongoing brief by the Guard Commander. Our kit is checked (full Personal Protective Equipment-PPE) but Im a bit disappointed that there is no show pants. The Guard Commander is happy that we are all wearing our bomb pants! We receive an intelligence update and then make our separate ways to our sangars. I am just around the corner from the Guard Room. Before I climb the ladder I give a coming up warning to the off coming soldier who kindly gives me a bit of red light to assist me. We conduct our short handover/ takeover and then the soldier leaves the sangar with me closing the hatch behind him. This is the first thing I always do as I hate the thought of 1 wrong step backwards could literally mean down the hatch for me! Using my red light, I complete my check sheet, ticking off each bit of kit present as I confirm its there. I then carry out a radio and telephone communications check to the Guard Room and give the sangar a good blast of insect repellent. That will help to keep the mosquitoes at bay, or so I thought! I realise quite early on in my duty that actually, the temperature has started to drop recently and the t-shirt under my shirt would have been better replaced by a fleece; but Ill know for next time, plus doing the squaddie shuffle round the sangar not only helps to keep you alert, it helps to keep you warm too! Its a very quiet 2 hours, with only the mosquitoes and nearby barking dogs to keep me company. During the next hour, I make the following observations: 0215hrs 1 x motorbike and 1 x car drive past in a Southern direction. The bike beeps its horn, causing a group of dogs to bark. 0217hrs 1 x car drives past in a Northern direction. 0240hrs 1 x motorbike drives past in a Southern direction, the driver carrying a passenger on the bike. At 0250hrs, I hear the oncoming stag heading towards the sangar and I open up the hatch. I am greeted by one of my Engineer Officers ready to start the next shift. We conduct our handover, have a quick chat then I head back to the Guard Room to sign off. Thats another duty done and I head back to my accommodation tent where the girls are sleeping peacefully. I take my PPE off outside so that I dont wake them and then I happily climb into bed. Good night, or should that be good morning Afghanistan?! Page 7
New Year, same task WO2 (SSM) Joe Aldridge, TALISMAN SSM
The Squadron has started the New Year on the same operational footing that it finished the old one, no New Years celebrations were called, due to having two lines (two troops) deployed on operations. January started well with both 10 & 11 Troops supporting both the Combat Logistic Support patrols and the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF) in their operations around the Province. The type of mobility support being provided by the Squadron has not changed, neither has the way in which the Squadron are delivering that support, as one of the busiest Engineer groups in the Province, our TALISMAN lines have completed 125 days in theatre, 100 of which have seen our troops out on the ground. With that amount of time outside of base locations the odds of being engaged in kinetic activity are high, this is a point the troops are well aware of and brushes with the insurgency this month have seen us having to return two of our injured lads back to the UK and a third shortly after having broken his ankle whilst running for a pre-mission bacon butty! All three are doing extremely well and being such a tight Squadron are very much missed. Plans are already afoot to get them back out to Cyprus to join us on our decompression. Life out here in Afghanistan continues with 10 Troop proving routes into the open battle spaces allowing the ISAF soldiers to infiltrate areas occupied by the insurgency in order to capture or kill and seize lethal aide and weapons, often destroying both in situ before extracting safely behind our TALISMAN lines. 12 Troop have been operating with the Armoured Infantry in the Lashkar Gah area. In true 11 Troop (formerly 2 Field Troop, my old team) style, they pushed the limits of support even further by clearing directly into compounds, hard knock style, conducting mobility support in the form of potential fascine crossings, reconnaissance of crossing points and future route construction. Page 8
During the search the lads found several insurgent laid devices, due to time constraints the Troop could not destroy the devices and had the more pressing issue of extracting the Warthog Group safely from the area. They achieved just that and are now back in Camp Bastion awaiting future tasks. The Squadrons involvement in support of these missions is helping to weaken the insurgency and path the way for Afghan led security and a successful transition. Echelon and the LAD have been up against it of late, further mandated equipment inspections, another half vehicle line re-generation and the usual business of keeping the lines well supported and well maintained have been on the menu. Stalwart and resolute throughout the guys have cracked on and achieved good results. At the start of another year, life on Op HERRICK goes on without change and on the ground in the face of a resilient insurgency the Squadron is still delivering the goods.
I am happy to say I had no trouble quickly getting used to normal life, not one time questioning where my weapon was, and having no trouble lying in past 10am! It was over all too soon, but I did not get on the return leg with that feeling of dread sometimes accompanying me on return to work. I was looking forward to hearing what my troop had been up to, and I knew that my return to theatre meant I was one step closer to the end of tour. Upon my return it all became normal again very quickly, and after hearing the escapades the other Troop Commanders had taken my troop on, I am less willing to let them go out together again in the future! Page 11
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For the work we were split down into two sections with the plant operators bouncing between the two sections depending on where they were needed. I was put into Cpl Jacobs section and our first task was the taking down of the FOB unit ammunition storage, A new and separate entrance has been made outside the MOB for the Afghan National Civil Order Police compound
which was no small task as it required a lot of manpower at the start and then became a very plant intensive task. This turned out to be our biggest and most important task and as a result we fired straight into it beginning at 0700 and working all the way through to 1800 stopping for only 1 hour at lunch.
FOB Ouelette Artillery Compound Cpl Strickland .5Tropsmighty2Secn,lu5 Troops mighty 2 section, plus attachments, were given
the job of replacing the perimeter wall and the compartmentalisation of the artillery tented area. Due to the site restrictions and the fact that the perimeter wall had to be replaced, the section was briefed that once work had commenced, they would remain on site until the job was complete. The initial strip-out of damaged Hesco was completed in no time at all. Once fully stripped out, the ground works could commence but the nature of the whole task was very plant intensive. LCpl Neil Thornley made short work of levelling the ground in his MWT so that the new Hesco could be put in place. Concurrently, under the watchful eye of Spr "Big Coombz" Coomber, the remainder of the Section prepared the Hesco and were soon bouncing it out into the correct position. Due to the nature of the site only one piece of plant could fill the Hesco at any one point; this meant that the going was quite slow. The section began work replacing the cat wire fence and we were soon running out of daylight. By dusk there was only three baskets left to fill. The final baskets were filled and the razor wire was pulled out along the tops of the walls to complete the task. 5 Page 14
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We started with shovels and picks, which wouldnt have been difficult if we were back in the UK however because the ground is softer than the baked desert sand here in Afghan. We cracked on with the job; some people were struggling more than others in the heat, so there was a lot of water being guzzled down!
We noticed there was a skid steer (mini digger) parked in the vehicle park at the bottom of the camp, so we asked Sgt Matthews - a plant operator - if we could use his skills as a plantie to operate it to make the whole process a lot quicker. There was still some manual work to do, getting in the trenches and clearing out what Sgt Matthews couldnt with the skid steer, and moving the spoil from the dug trenches away from the tents, allowing the water to run into the trenches instead of pooling around the tents but all in all it made the whole process a lot quicker than if we had dug it all by hand.
Once all the trenches were dug out around the camp, we had to fill loads of sandbags up with all the ground which had been dug up so we could put them around the trenches - to stop the water from overflowing and going in to the tents. Once we had done this we had to stack the rest of the other sandbags, which we had not used, nicely near the Ops Room.
Once we all started to put the tools back in the store and pack away the skid steer we spotted a 73 AES lad start stealing the sandbags that we had filled to use for his own camp - what a cheek they had doing this! He got stopped straight away, until they asked if they could use some of them and we happily obliged.
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The next phase of the new perimeter wall was the installation of the new camp gates, offering double access for the ANA. New holes had to be dug using the nimble Bobcat (Skid Steer/ mini digger) to create the right size pilot holes for the gate posts to be placed in. The posts were then prepared using the existing concrete which we chiselled away at so the new concrete we used would form the correct strong enough bond, with plywood formwork placed and levelled into the new pilot holes, the gate posts could be placed and fresh concrete laid. With that all done the second post was now ready for the same treatment. While the wall task and new gate installation was under way, the ever busy MWT driven by Spr Griffin and Spr Hetherington was busy gutting any existing Hesco walls within the PB, which would no longer be required due to the re-alignment plan. Several old accommodation protective walls are now down plus the whole artillery compound, which included two vehicle ramps made of large Hesco baskets that stood 7ft tall and were over 15 metres in length; the planties made light work of ripping them down.
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And Finally....
SSgt Gibson and LCpl Moorhouse LCpl Wilson and Cpl Storey
L-R: LCpl Hollings, LCpl Smith, Spr OConnor, Spr Cairns, Cpl Hencher, LCpl Bloomfield, Spr Rakabu, Spr Huntley, Spr Clark, LCpl Meredith, Irwin Cpl Ramsay, LCpl Smith & SSgt Hill go Gangnam Style
Capt McCracken
Spr Frederick
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Glossary
Ranks
CfnCraftsman Spr - Sapper LCpl - Lance Corporal Cpl - Corporal Sgt - Sergeant SSgt - Staff Sergeant WO2 - Warrant Officer Second Class WO1 - Warrant Officer First Class Lt - Lieutenant Capt - Captain Maj - Major Lt Col - Lieutenant Colonel
Formations
AES - Armoured Engineer Squadron Fd Engr Sqn - Field Engineer Squadron Hq & Sp Sqn - Headquarters and Support Squadron LADLight Aid Detachment REMERoyal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Sect - Section SqnSquadron Tp - Troop
Jobs
OCOfficer Commanding SSMSquadron Sergeant Major
Equipment
Apache - Attack helicopter Chinook - Troop carrying helicopter HMEE An armoured tractor HUSKY - Large armoured vehicle LWTLight wheeled tractor MASTIFF - Large armoured vehicle with a with a heavy machine gun for protection Merlin - Medium Royal Air Force and Navy helicopter used to move Troops around from base to base MWT - Medium wheeled tractor SLDT(P) - Self Loading Dump Truck (Protected) Sea King - Royal Navy helicopter used as search and rescue in the UK TALISMAN - A series of vehicles used to clear a route of improvised explosive devices
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