An Cosantóir the official magazine of the Irish Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces.
Issue link: https://digital.jmpublishing.ie/i/40301
on parade RECCE SKILLS PUT TO THE TEST BY LT JOE TYNAN (CAV SCH) The first Cavalry Corps Recce Competition was conducted by the Cavalry School between 12-15 July. Designed to exercise participants' skill-sets in a realistic scenario, the competition allowed the teams to maximise their freedom of action and develop their leadership and tactical awareness skills. On arrival the teams received a mission-scenario briefing and were then allotted time to prepare and issue orders for conducting a CTR (Close Target Recce) on an NAI (Named Area of Interest). The exercise required each six-man team to insert to its NAI from a DOP (drop-off point) in Glenmalure, gather information, and extract along a dif- ferent route to friendly lines. Along their extraction route, teams were required to liaise and RV with friendly forces, use target grid procedure to direct fire onto an enemy position, and also exercise their contact drills. Teams were also tested on their medi- cal skills when dealing with a 'casualty', and then had to prepare a patrol debrief to an S2 (Int officer) on return to FLOT (forward line of own troops). From the Corps' point of view it was pleasing that the participating teams performed to a very high standard and the effort throughout was noted as exemplary. However, in any competition there can be only one winner and the honour of taking the pennant in the inaugural competition fell to 1 Armoured Cavalry Squadron. 1 Armoured Cavalry Squadron with the winner's pennant are: (back row l-r) Tprs Burroughs, Murphy and Allen; (front row l-r) Lt Branagan (Det i/c), Lt Keane (Det 2i/c) and Cpl Parker. In addition to the natural tendency for competition to raise standards there are additional benefits to be gained from the introduction of the Cav Corps Recce Competition. The per- formance of personnel in the competi- tion will help the Cav School to produce an AAR (After Action Review) on the overall standard of dismounted recce in the Corps, and the lessons that were learned this year will help make next year's competition even better. THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 9