An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 20 | 20 | BY LT FERGAL FITZGERALD AR, 2 BTC PHOTOS BY ARMN JAMIE BARRETT & SGT WAYNE FITZGERALD T he first all-army Potential NCO course for members of the Army Reserve (AR) was recently completed in 2 Brigade Training Centre (2 BTC). Comprising of students and in- structors from 1 Bde, 2 Bde and the DFTC, the course crossed the start line in September 2017. The range of civilian jobs repre- sented by the students, who came from Mayo, Galway, Louth, Dublin, Kerry, Meath (one via Latvia), Derry, Offaly and Cork, included validation engineer, distiller, solicitor, retail, IT, pur- chase officer, electronics, aviation security, trainee accountant, landscaper, fisherman, undergraduate, medical engineer, retail manager, software developer, and a fire fighter. For many, the journey began long beforehand, with course briefings in each formation, and refresher training taking place at local unit level to prepare students for a pre-course assessment day held in Cathal Brugha Bks, which saw students assessed in drill, knowledge of section weapons and map reading. Module One of the course concentrated on military instruc- tor training, were students focused on the theory and practice of military instruction, leading on to student-led lessons in the classroom and on the square. Classroom assessments held in Gor- manston Camp in January tested the students' ability to control a class and deliver effective and accurate instruction in a safe manner, and lecture skills assessments afforded students the op- portunity to present on a topic of their choice, provided there was a military connection. Presentations ranged from The Winter War and The Latvian Junior Guard to the History of Dun Uí Mhaoilíosa in Galway. February saw a move away from the barracks environment and down to the Curragh Plains, were students practiced their navigation skills by day and by night. This was followed by a series of distance-learning tasks, in which students prepared route cards and navigation assessments during the week. In March, with snow still on the hills, the students completed their day and night navigation assessments in Wicklow. The final phase of the course took place in the Glen of Imaal as the course completed six days in a forward operating base (FOB) in Stranahealy Wood. Within an hour of arriving in Stra- nahealy, and mid-shakeout, a member of Donard Community First Responders approached seeking assistance for a hill walker experiencing chest pains on Table Mountain. In this case, the di- versity of RDF skillsets came to its own, as between students and instructors the course had two paramedics, an emergency first responder and two emergency medical technicians, who were dispatched to assist. The team made their way to the casualty, who could not be airlifted from his position due to dense cloud cover. Using the course GS, the hill walker was transported to

• Cover