An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2015 www.dfmagazine.ie 26 | by SGT PAUL MILLAR, INSTR NCOTW, MIL COL PhOTOS by MEMBERS OF THE 2ND PR PHOTOGRAPHERS COURSE T he infantry are the core of the Defence Forces. All other units support or augment the effects of our infantry corps in some way. So it is fitting that the course designed to promote NCOs within the infantry is an all-encompassing and comprehensive one, testing the physical and mental limits of soldiering to an extent that no other career course comes close to. An intensive seven weeks of instruction, mainly in the best classroom of all, on the ground, brought the candidates on the 3rd Infantry Platoon Sergeants Course one step closer to promotion. The course builds on the all-arms Standard NCO Course and develops the more advanced tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) that are applied by the infantry sergeant at home and overseas. The first two weeks' lessons dealt with the theory behind the actions and effects they would be achieving over the subsequent five weeks on the ground. Everything from patrol- ling, ambushes, defence, target grid procedure, casevac and combat service support (CSS) were covered. A new standard in military fitness was established with the introduction of a lung-expanding, lactic acid-inducing, two-mile battle run in full fighting order. The purpose of this was to assess the different type of fitness required to undergo a course of such robustness. It was a tough test that many found chal- lenging, but it was essential to determine the quality and level of preparation that the students had undergone. The next three weeks focused on the practical application of a number of diverse infantry tasks. Defence was examined through Exercise 'Black Light'. This was a delay operation, a mobile and difficult form of defence that tested the students' understanding of a commander's intent and how that translates in the field. It was a large exercise, using a full company, and it placed a lot of pressure on those in appointments, with liaison and communication between the platoons being the lynchpin for success. The exercise also helped the students appreciate their role in the bigger picture; how the platoon relates to the company and so on. This is an appreciation that cannot be gar- nered from theory, only from the sweat and effort of practice and rehearsals. Exercise 'Immediate Action' is where the students really de- fined themselves. A patrolling exercise, set in an area unfamiliar to the majority of students, it tested their basic admin, field craft and resilience in one of the toughest tasks an infantry platoon sergeant has to get right. Having to motivate and lead fatigued and weary classmates is a job in itself; having to do it in an area you've just been landed in while trying to find an enemy, against the clock, is a whole different animal. the STandard Setting

• Cover