THE SUSTAINER | ARTICLE At the beginning of April this year, I was fortunate enough to fly out to Canada as part of the ongoing exchange programme, LONG LOOK. The programme enables Service Personnel from Sergeant to Captain, to visit a unit of a partner nation, for up to three months. Upon arrival in Canada, I along with a REME WO2 who was also joining Canadian Army Unit, 1 Service Battalion (1 Svc Bn), began the mandatory two-week COVID-19 isolation period and prepared for the upcoming exercise we were due to deploy on. Two weeks later and eager to get started, we deployed to Wainwright Training Area to begin a second 48-hour isolation period, while we awaited a negative COVID-19 test result, before joining our respective platoons. Once out on the ground, the bulk of the force had already been out for two weeks and the exercise was in the AGILE RAM Part 1 phase. This was ring fenced for platoon level training and build up to the tactical exercise, Ex MAPLE RESOLVE. The units attending this year’s exercise would include: 1 Svc Bn, 1 Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) with B Coy 1 RIFLES attached, 2 PPCLI, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (LDSH) and the Bde Recce. After a brief stint in the Coy HQ, understanding how COVID-19 had affected the lay down of forces and the exercise in general, it was time to join the Transport Platoon I would be with for the foreseeable future. Despite being from a Log Rv Tp, I joined the Transport Platoon as all the supply elements were in a separate bubble, acting as something akin to third line and the current Platoon Commander was fresh into the role. The platoon was to all intent and purposes the same as a typical transport troop in an RLC Squadron, but with far less lift available and a larger percentage split focused on fuel. During this phase of the exercise, we focused on the key skills such as night driving and the mechanics of setting up and running a distribution point (DP). I had multiple opportunities to go out on these serials, which were non-tac but providing real life support and was thoroughly impressed with the 28
#BritishArmyLogistics
Exchange Programme LONG LOOK – Canada By Lt Tom Davies, 7 Regiment RLC
level of maturity and professionalism displayed by the junior Canadian soldiers. Being in an administrative posture for this phase of the exercise meant I was able to integrate with relative ease into a position in the Platoon HQ where I could offer input to the Pl Comd and absorb information from the SNCOs. On 1 May 21, we entered the tactical force on force phase Ex MAPLE RESOLVE, which saw an intensifying of DP cycles along with me and roughly half the platoon pushing forward to set up a Commodity Point. We initially set the Commodity Point (CP) up to facilitate a swift transition of OPFOR in a tactical pause; but due to its success the Bde Comd requested that we use the same format again to sustain for a further 72hr period a day later. This was an interesting experience for me as the CP doesn’t have a direct comparison in British doctrine. Twelve days later, Ex MAPLE RESOLVE had passed by swiftly and we were soon back into an administrative posture in AGILE RAM Part 2, which saw me leave the Platoon and move to the supply
8 Canadian transport platoons have less lift capacity and a greater emphasis on fuel
element located to the rear of the BSA. The supply element, due to COVID-19 force health protection measures, was isolated within a bubble that was acting as a hybrid of 2nd and 3rd line; meaning it was not a typical window into the standard operating procedure, but it did outline some points of interest. It was immediately apparent that the footprint of CSS in the Bde space, was larger than that of the British equivalent, both in personnel and infrastructure. Another point of interest noted was that the burden on the Supply Specialists largely came from issues surrounding finance. This was rather alien to me; however, I quickly learnt that there is a far greater reliance in the field on LPOs rather than the supply chain and thus, Supply Specialists and especially the Supply Officers, are conversant in financial policy. It was also during this phase that I had the opportunity to first join the LDSH zeroing their Leopard 2 tanks and then 2 PPCLI doing the same in their LAV 6.0 fighting vehicles. It
www.royallogisticcorps.co.uk • Facebook: The Royal Logistic Corps • Twitter: @UKArmyLogistics
