An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie 12 | By COMDT KENNy O'ROuRKE, ChIEF INSTRuCTOR, INF WPNS WING, INF SCh, DFTC PhOTOS By ARMN ADAM MuRPhy A t 1000hrs on Friday 7th July in Kilbride Camp the com- petitors and staff of the 2017 DF Reconnaissance Con- centration stood at ease on parade awaiting the arrival of GOC DFTC, Brig Gen Joe Mulligan. Almost on cue, the wind picked up from the southwest and the clouds closed in. This was noted by a number of the more seasoned competitors, and grins and an eye roll or two, were passed knowingly. The rain started to fall as the GOC later addressed the parade and handed out prizes. As he spoke he paused to acknowledge the change in the weather, telling the parade that this was indeed "good weather for recce soldiers". he wasn't wrong. The dismounted recce detachment is an important com- ponent of Infantry and Cavalry Corps capability and is the main building block of infantry recce platoons, cavalry troops and, in recent years, the DF's contribution to the EUBG ISTAR Company. It is the capability of this detachment that is tested as part of the DF's annual recce concentration. Ten teams came together for the 2017 concentration to learn new skills and to compete against each other for the opportu- nity to represent the DF at the British Army's Exercise Cambrian Patrol in October. This year for the first time, a foreign military team participated in the concentration, with a UK detachment from ISR platoon, 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment (RIR). The 'Irish Rangers' quickly found themselves to be amongst like- minded people, as the team coach, Sgt Ken Baily, told me later: "The atmosphere and environment that we are experiencing this week has made us feel right at home; this is how we like to train." Concentration 2017 aimed to present participants with a challenging and rewarding four-day exercise based on realistic offensive scenarios. The week commenced with a concentration phase early on Monday where all teams met in a disused quarry in northwest Wicklow. This phase focused on the exchange of ex- perience and ideas, TTPs, safety checks, and rehearsals. The final briefings informed teams of how the week would be assessed and that a portfolio of score sheets would be presented to team captains at ENDEX to guide follow-up training back in their units. After 1800hrs the focus changed and the scored competition phases commenced. Detachment commanders (DCs) attended an 'O' Gp based on a robust crisis-management operation scenario. Teams were briefed by IWW staff role-playing company and platoon commander and informed of the rules concerning the 'enemy' counter-recce unit who would be operating in the area. Recce Concentration

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