An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 17 Week 6 and 7 were spent in a battle camp, an 11-day exercise conducted to combine all the previous weeks training and exercises. The first five days were spent in the Brecon Beacons conducting a combination of offensive and defensive exercises, including raids, ambushes and deliberate attacks. Day six was an admin/ move to a 6km squared abandoned am- munition factory in Caerwen. The next five days were spent clearing the compound, conducting 2-3 Coy level raids per night to occupy a new area for the next day. "The intensity level and sleep deprivation were immense over the 11 days, sometimes only getting 1 hours sleep a night." "At the end of the seven weeks, I was delighted to follow in Sgt John Butlers footsteps in winning the best supporting student over the seven weeks." After the PSBC Rory moved onto the Live Firing Tactical Training (LFTT) course, five weeks in the Small Arms School Corps (SASC) in Brecon. The first two weeks were spent doing rasps and traces in the barracks and then onto the range for two weeks. "Here we lived in what I could only call a range hut building, purpose-built to house everything, equipment, weapons, ammo and troops. Initially, we carried out single person Close Quarter Battle (CQB) drills and progressing up to platoon level attacks with night vision and IR illume. Conducting these kinds of drills were a bit nerve-racking at first but you become so proficient in your own drills and everyone else's that it becomes second nature." The fifth week was spent doing summa- tive tests and exams, four exams in total, tak- ing 3-4hrs each, doing entire plans for exercis- es on the range. "Each test got progressively harder with more variables to overcome." "The 12 weeks was an unbelievable experience, I met people I still stay in contact with today. The students/instruc- tors fitness and skill levels were second to, you definitely need to arrive on the course extremely prepared." "In comparison to the DF's Infantry Platoon Sergeants Course (IPSC) the PSBC would be on a par with each other, the only dif ference I could see was the in- tensity levels were higher in the UK - You definitely need to arrive on the course extremely prepared." Since the course, Rory has instructed on two IPSC courses and he's looking to get a permanent vacancy in the NCOTW, as he's currently on long-term detachment. He is looking forward to a busy 2018 with the NCOTW instructing on various career courses throughout the year. Soldiers are tested on Exercise 'Green Dragon' - a trench-clearing phase (week 4) of the seven-week Platoon Sergeants Battle Course 2017. Photos: © British Army Cpl Rory Behan on exercise. Photo: Sgt Paul Millar Cpl Rory Behan. Photo: Sgt Karl Byrne

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