A Day in the Life

By SSgt Alan Lothian

I was posted to Army Career Centre Bolton in July of 2021; I’d previously been a Fuel Troop MT SNCO in 4 Squadron 4 Regiment RLC, so it was a completely different role to anything I’d previously done.

I quickly discovered that recruiting was a busy and dynamic job, that is challenging in a completely different way to any other role I’d previously undertaken. I am still required to fulfil my G1 duties as a SNCO, overseeing the JNCOs under my command on a day-to-day basis, as well as undertaking the added challenges that working in a public facing role brings.

We work alongside civilian Capita staff within ACC Bolton, which was a new experience for me. I was apprehensive at first, but after seeing what the Capita staff do on a daily basis, I feel that we have now built a good working relationship.

On an average day, we get potential candidates and their parents coming into the office. Some of the candidates are interested in the Regular Army, but we do get a lot of enquires about the Reserves and officer selection. When we have someone showing interest in a particular corps or cap badge, we will sit them down and discuss their motives and expectations for going into the military. If, they are still interested, we will then guide them through how the recruitment and application process will look for them.

Another part of my role, as the Military Career’s Adviser, is to spread awareness of the opportunities that the Army provides. We have built a good relationship with the schools, colleges and education providers in the local area and regularly deliver Army briefs to them and also to employment providers that show an interest in the Reserves.

As with any job, these events take a lot of organisation, and a key part of my role is to make sure that the staff I have are up to date with their training and knowledge base. In turn, they can deliver briefs that keep the audience engaged and will hopefully bring more potential recruits through our doors.

Since I began my journey with the Recruitment Group back in July last year, I have had a lot to learn. I have put my all into my team and into learning the new skills to make ACC Bolton an approachable and helpful recruitment office. COVID-19 brought many challenges, but we are starting to see more candidates coming into the office now.

I enjoy every minute of being part of such a hard-working team. My team is made up of various different cap badges and we support and encourage each other daily. I know that my team feels a great sense of pride when they have supported a candidate throughout their journey and helped them to reach their goal of becoming a soldier.

My role has given me an insight into a side of the Army that I knew very little about. It is an extremely rewarding role; meeting different people from all walks of life and ultimately, helping to nurture and shape the next generation of British Army soldiers. I have another year in post, and I hope we can continue to help and support the local community of Bolton.

An insight into a day in the life of ACC Bolton

8 Military Careers Advisors spread

awareness of the opportunities the Army provides

8 Helping to nurture and shape the

next generation of soldiers is extremely rewarding

By Maj Toby Oliver

Over the period 4 – 21 Jul 22, I was fortunate enough to attend the International Integrated Brigade Logistic course (IIBLC) in Israel. Alongside logistic officers from Germany, Singapore, India, Greece, the US, Cyprus and Austria, I received a unique insight into Israel, its Armed Forces and how it conducts logistic operations.

The first part of the IIBLC was based in Be’er Sheva, the majority of which was spent in the Consolidated Training Centre, a vast complex in the Negev desert region which serves as the principal training facility for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Here we received several briefings regarding Israel and the IDF along with a range of CSS related topics including logistics, supply, maintenance and medical; including practical demonstrations of the equipment, vehicles and procedures used by the IDF.

Away from the classroom we visited a kibbutz (community settlement) in the Gaza region where we learned about various security operations and entered a Hamas attack tunnel before touring the Urban Training Centre, a similar facility to Cellini Village. The final

International Integrated Brigade Logistic Course

part of the week consisted of a jeep tour of the Negev desert and a visit to the home of David Ben-Gurion, the primary national founder of the State of Israel and its first Prime Minister. This provided a fascinating vision into the past (and perhaps the future) of the country.

For the remainder of the course, we relocated to Tel Aviv where upon arrival each international student was invited to an IDF colleague’s home for a Shabbat Dinner, taking part in the breaking of traditional challah bread and enjoying fantastic hospitality amongst our hosts’ extended family. The following day we visited Jerusalem where we explored the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, followed by a swim/float in the Dead Sea overlooking Jordan.

Later we visited the National Transportation and Movement Control complex and the Home Front Command, both of which play a vital role in the day-to-day operations of Israel and ensure the continued readiness of the IDF. The course was also taken to one of the supply depots which equip all IDF recruits upon conscription along with a storage warehouse which can be rapidly utilised by the IDF reserves when required.

Returning to Jerusalem, the course visited Yad Vashem, the national Holocaust Museum, where we received a guided tour from a second-generation Holocaust survivor in what proved to be a sombre day but provided the course with a vital understanding of one of the cornerstones of Israel’s national identity. We then travelled to the Northern Command where we visited 91st Division which is responsible for overseeing the border with Lebanon, the Blue Line with the UNIFIL mission and ongoing operations against Hezbollah, followed by a practical demonstration of armoured resupply and recovery operations. The course concluded with a Low Intensity Conflict planning exercise, which highlighted the logistic challenges the IDF face when operating in a congested and condensed battlefield.

Throughout the course each of the international students presented an overview of their respective country, its Armed Forces and how it conducts logistic operations, whilst several members of the course also delivered contemporary briefings regarding logistic lessons learned from recent campaigns in Afghanistan and Ukraine, all of which furthered our understanding of logistic operations.

The IIBLC provided me with an incredible opportunity to learn not only about Israel and its Armed Forces but many nations across the world and has been one of the highlights of my career to date. I sincerely hope that it will be as equally rewarding for the next British participant in 2023.

The Defence School of Transport

Integrating technology and simulation within DST

The Defence School of Transport’s drive to exploit emerging technologies has gathered strength and is beginning to deliver tangible results across all areas of activity.

For driver training DST now has eight PC-based car simulators based on a trial conducted by 25 Regt RLC and which are covered in more detail in Sgt Wright’s article in this issue of Sustainer. Evidence gathered so far suggests that simulation will offer a tangible reduction in the average time to pass a car driving test, with the associated cost savings in contract delivered training and reduced environmental impact.

Building on the School’s experience with car simulators, funding has been secured to procure a concept demonstration suite of bespoke truck simulators this year. The ‘feel’ of a fully loaded vehicle is essential feedback for HGV drivers and requires advanced hardware and software. Integration of effective driving simulators with existing training methods offers opportunities to deliver greater efficiency in training in terms of; Licence Acquisition, Driving Instructor/Driving Examiner training and assessment. It will support consistent and safe environmental training, hazard awareness and student assessment. Building on this will allow DST to explore opportunities to support specialist training such as blue light driving and military driver scenarios.

The School is also exploiting Defence’s Virtual Battlespace (VBS) programme, with a suite of 20 stations being brought online. The stations are equipped to suit vehicle scenarios, with steering wheels, pedals and gear stick; allowing experimentation at scale for military driver training. A detailed simulation of DST’s Training Area has been replicated in the VBS environment and will help instructors and course design staff to conceptualise training opportunities. While the simulators contribute to platform operator training, VBS has the potential to offer scenario-based driver training that is impractical in real life. This might include climatic conditions, actions on situations such as RTA’s, enemy action or the opportunity to drive the virtual streets of operational areas.

Technology of a different sort will provide DST with an immersive Urban Driver Training Area. Printed screen techniques similar to those used to cover scaffolding in cities will provide over 1km of simulated urban streets; big enough to swallow a packet of military vehicles. Training which cannot be conducted on public roads such as manoeuvring, recovery, vehicle camouflage and concealment, air sentries, CBRN and NVG driving is currently conducted in the rural setting of DST’s Driver Training Area. The addition of the Urban Area to the current landscape will allow the military to ‘train as we fight’ on contemporary operations.

Emerging technology also has a role to play in DST support functions. The PROMETHEUS Solar Farm has been a huge success, producing significant savings in energy costs. DST has invested in a fleet of six electric

Commandant: Colonel Chris Henson QGM COS: Lt Col Ben Aumônier RLC GSM: WO1 J Girvan

8 One of DST's eight Car Driver Training

Simulators

8 DLW meeting DST staff during his visit

vehicles; replacing the diesel Ford Rangers used by Quartermasters and Estate Support staff. These new vehicles are effectively powered for free from the abundance of solar energy on site, are discrete, rugged, reliable, and 100% emissions free. The theme of technology being used to unlock cost savings and environmental benefits has been exploited further in the most recent initiative to address issues with the School’s aging transit accommodation. New NetCAP (carbon neutral) energy efficient accommodation blocks will be built this financial year to house short term courses. These blocks will replace the oldest twelve-person barrack room accommodation with modern blocks providing 100 bed spaces in two and three person rooms. With a supported life of up to 60 years, the NetCAP buildings offer value for money and reduced environment impact. As well as being the right thing to do, offsetting the School’s high annual road mileage is important in preserving its license to operate in the community. Happily, these green technology initiatives are also proving to be money savers for Defence.

All the above is only possible because of the effective collaboration of DST’s ‘Whole Force’. The staff of tri-service personnel, Civil Servants and contractors covers every discipline imaginable from expert instructors to information systems, infrastructure, carpentry, estates, training management, catering. Proud to include 25 Regt RLC in DST’s ranks and to be the ‘home of the Corps in the North’, DST is a thriving Defence establishment. The School is always keen to take on new talent and has a strong ex-service community amongst the instructional staff: search Civil Service Jobs.

Visit of DLW to DST

DST recently had the pleasure of hosting the newly appointed Director Land Warfare, Major General Barry CBE and the Land Warfare Centre Command Sergeant Major, WO1 Hird.

During the visit DLW observed the diverse training delivered at DST, both on the 550-acre training estate and in the classrooms where he also had the opportunity to view the new high-tech Virtual Battle Simulators in action and the CSS CIS training facility, which enables the communication challenges posed by differing physical and electronic environments, EW threats and equipment types to be replicated.

DLW met with some of the military and civilian permanent staff as well as students in training. His visit concluded at Ladysmith House with a guided tour of some of the welfare facilities open to all staff and students at DST.

Rewarding excellence

DST staff have continued to secure promotions and awards which reflect the quality of the School’s team. Most recently, Cpl Nicole Wilhoite was awarded a Commandant Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration (DCLPA) Commendation for her work in supporting the welfare of students, staff and families. Cpl Wood RAF was selected as the RAF driver of the year and promoted to Sgt, DST sporting teams and individuals won accolades in several sports including Orienteering and Iron Man triathlon events. Most recently, DST has been selected as this year’s winner of the Defence Road Safety Award as a result of the road safety campaign and linked initiatives led by DST staff throughout 2021.

Beverley Armed Forces Day

Having supported the National Armed Forces Day in Scarborough this year, by providing equipment, stands, and personnel at the venue and a logistic hub and C2 Coord at Leconfield and Driffield; DST had its own moment in the limelight celebrating Armed Forces Day locally the following week. In 2010, DST was awarded the Freedom of the East Riding of Yorkshire, and on a gloriously sunny 3 Jul this year, the School exercised that freedom in the market town of Beverley. 25 Regt RLC led the parade with marching contingents provided from across the School, and, with bayonets fixed, proceeded to the Beverley North Bar Gate to find it shut and barred. It took CO 25 Regt, Lt Col Rob Amor, to bang on the gate’s doors with his sword hilt to gain permission from the Town Crier for the gates to be opened. On officially entering the town, the parade marched to the market square where they were inspected by HM Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire, Mr Jim Dick OBE accompanied by the Commandant, Town Mayor and Chair of the East Riding Council. Supported by static displays showing some of DST activities, stands from the Yorkshire Regiment (Reserves) and 150 Regiment RLC, the day was a great success.

8 Beverley Armed Forces Day, Freedom of

the ERY Parade

8 Cpl Wilhoite received a Comd DCLPA

Commendation