An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie 12 | by LT AOIFE ShANLEy, 3 INF BN PhotoS COURTESy OF ThE UK MOD AND DF STUDENTS E x 'Arduous Serpent', the british army's annual medical services tactical training competition took place in June 2014. the aim of the exercise is to provide a competitive format for "the demonstration of the leadership, command, control, military and medical special-to-arm skills required to succeed in the current and contingent operational environments." Eleven Defence Forces per- sonnel, a team of ten and a coach, travelled to the Catterick military training area to participate in the event. this was an invaluable opportunity for members of the Medical Corps to gain a greater un- derstanding of how their UK counterparts operate and to compare tactics, techniques and procedures (ttPs). The competition comprised 20 teams of ten, drawn from both regular and reserve units. Teams were required to have both males and females, and could not include more than three non-medical personnel. The Defence Forces team comprised Capt Cathal Berry (DFTC HQ), Capt Cormac Brady (DFHQ CMU), Lt Lisa McMahon (Cdt Sch, DFTC), Lt Aoife Shanley (3 Inf Bn), Cpl Dominic Dempsey (2 LSB CMU), Cpl Philip Greene (CMU HQ), Cpl James Condon (2 LBH), Cpl Coran O'Reilly (1 Bde CMU), Cpl Des Kennedy (CMU), Pte Adam Boland (LBH), along with our team coach Coy Sgt David O'Connor (2 LSB CMU). Although the Defence Forces were the only international team involved we were well prepared as having taken part previously, in 2012, had allowed us to develop a very worthwhile pre-deploy- ment training programme. Numerous DFTC schools and external units were involved in the programme and their instruction proved invaluable throughout all stages of the competition. These included the Med Sch (medical skills); the Ord Sch (vehicle search, C-IED and other skills); the Engr Sch (mine awareness and CBRN drills); the Air Corps (heli landing-site marshalling); the DFPES (obstacle courses); and the DBO (tent erection). Team members also worked on their personal fitness and basic military skills including: patrol drills, fieldcraft, care under fire, and casevac drills. Range practices were also carried out in Kilcoran with the Steyr, using the new ACOG (Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight). We were aware of the high standard set by the previous Defence Forces team in 2012, who had finished 3rd of the regular units and 8th overall, and we were determined to represent the Defence Forces in a professional, highly motivated and proficient manner. Phase 1 of the exercise dealt with reception, staging and onward integration. This included a kit inspection and exercise and safety briefings. Failure to have kit and equipment as per the warning order would result in teams being penalised. Once we had completed this phase, and passed without any penalties, we were deployed on the ground by TCV into one of three large multi-team patrol harbours. Other teams arrived throughout the evening as they completed Phase 1. Team captains were briefed that night back in barracks and grid references for the following day's stands were issued. On their return to the patrol harbours the captains briefed their teams. Phase 2 began at first light the next morning, with each team navigating to the grid reference they had received. All movement had to be conducted in accordance with the tactical situation and timelines strictly adhered to. We had been briefed that teams would be assessed on their patrolling proficiency and would be observed both covertly and overtly throughout the exercise. Each team navigates routes of approximately 20km on foot, complet- ing tasks at ten stands along the way. Each task consisted of an independent 45-minute exercise in which teams were assessed on a broad range of scenarios designed to test basic soldiering and medical skills, and the team captains' leadership skills. An additional element of competition was introduced by having two teams arriving at each stand at the same time. Scenarios included the occupation of a Role 1 medical facility and management of a casualty; handover and treatment of cap- tured persons; dealing with a road traffic collision, incorporating the delivery of medical treatment while under small-arms fire; lo- cating casualties in a CBRN environment while wearing Dress Cat DF Medics' Silver Standard

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