An Cosantóir

27 EXERCISE CAMBRIAN PATROL 2021 physical and mental resilience required for the mere length in distance of the exercise and consisted of measured route marches which slowly increased in both distance and weight across the different training areas in the Defence Forces to include the Cooley Mountain Range in County Louth and the Glen of Imaal in County Wicklow. This incremental increase in both the distance and weight over the course of six to eight weeks allowed each member of the team to slowly adapt to the ever increasing demands placed on their bodies and acted as a safeguard against potential injury. Throughout this training phase not one injury was sustained by the team which is testament not only to the training plan that was afforded to them by the 27th Infantry Battalion but also to each member of the team in how they applied themselves professionally to it ensuring appropriate recovery measures were taken after each rigorous session to allow them to fight another day. Following the weight and distance acclimatising training, military skills became the main objective during the final weeks. This included orders procedure, dismounted close combat skills in the context of military operations in urban terrain (MOUT) and section level quick attacks, battlefield casualty drills (BCD), armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) recognition, counter chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (C-CBRN) drills, water obstacle crossing drills, countering the explosive ordnance threat (C-EO), operational law and ethical behaviour, media handling, artillery target and emergency close air support procedures, patrol reporting and radio communication skills. Because of the wide range of experienced personnel and instructors both within the team and the 27th Infantry Battalion most of these military skills could be revised and practised within the 27th Battalion installations of Aiken Barracks and Gormanstown Camp with both of these areas offering excellent facilities which could be tailored for the specific needs of the team. The team also utilised training facilities in the Curragh Camp Artillery School and were given the opportunity to use the newly installed Virtual Battle Space Simulator under the instruction of Sgt Alan Smyth and Lt Gary Marron. The level of instruction given to the team on artillery targeting procedure was of the highest standard and it was an excellent opportunity to use the state of the art facilities to put the team through their paces. Media training was provided to the team by Captain Risteard Byrne. This was not only an educational session with regards to media handling, but also in regards to the patrol itself. Captain Byrne had completed Exercise Cambrian Patrol on two previous occasions as Patrol Commander achieving both a Gold and Silver Award. The guidance he was able to offer CPER's Training in Gormanston Camp carried out by 27th Infantry Battalion prior to there deployment to the competition area in Wales

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