YOUR CAREER, YOUR CALL

Career management team

Rlc Soldiers

SO1: Lt Col Bratcher

SO2: Maj Polson

SO3: Capt Bannister

WO1: WO1 Neilson

QOGLR: SSgt Subba

Following on from the winter issue’s insight into some of the roles that are challenging for us to fill, this time we are focussing on jobs that could be described as The RLC’s best kept secrets. There are multiple opportunities available for officers and soldiers from all trade groups to undertake employment in places that they might otherwise never have heard of, let alone visited. Here, we have two examples of RLC Service Personnel undertaking roles in Brunei, both for the British Army Garrison and on loan service. If these stories have sparked a desire to undertake a similar role somewhere in the world, ask your RCMO to contact your career manager and ask about what is available in your rank and Career Employment Group.

Pegawai Waran 1

(WO1) John Canning

Royal Brunei Armed Forces

(RBAF) Loan Service (LS) Senior Ammunition Technician (SAT)

Brunei Darussalam is a small Islamic Sultanate on the northern part of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coastline, it is surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. With a population of around 461,000, it is 200 square miles smaller than Norfolk. Brunei is the 49th member of the Commonwealth and until 1984 was a British protectorate. The Sultan and his son Prince Mateen both attended Sandhurst.

The RBAF was founded in May 1961 and consists of around 7,000 active personnel. It is split into three branches: The Royal Brunei Land Forces, which is approximately the size of a UK Brigade and is comprised of a Special Forces unit, three Infantry Battalions, an

Engineer (CS) Battalion and a Logistik (CSS) Battalion. The Royal Brunei Air Force is a mainly rotary wing force, tasked with support to the other military branches. The Royal Brunei Navy is a small force tasked with navel defence, maritime patrols of the oil platforms and search and rescue operations.

I am part of the LS team which comprises 30 Tri-Service personnel ranging in rank from CSgt to Lt Col. The SAT post is the only RLC specific post within the LS team. We are fully integrated into the RBAF meaning we wear RBAF uniform, use RBAF ranks and are issued with RBAF ID cards. We are to all intents RBAF soldiers for the duration of our assignment. Each member of the LS team is placed to add value to the RBAF, whether that be through providing assurance and oversight to operational tasks and training, plans roles within the Ministry of Defence, or training delivery within the Officer Training School. Most of the RBAF practices use UK policy and doctrine, giving a familiar structure albeit with a variety of different equipment.

My role within the LS team in Brunei is to ensure explosive safety across all three Services, offer SME advice on all ammunition, Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD), Conventional Munitions Disposal (CMD) and search matters and provide professional development for two RBAF units, the ammunition technical personnel from Ammo Group within the Logitstik Bn and the EOD teams from CBRE which sit under the Engineer Bn. The role provides an interesting view into how UK practices and procedures have been adopted and adapted to suit this challenging environment. In the UK, issues like moisture or vegetation growth are small and easily fixed issues. Here they are exacerbated by the heat, the amount of rainfall and the speed at which the jungle grows! Ammo Group has recently conducted a demolitions programme to reduce some of the life expired ammunition stocks, this gave the perfect opportunity to provide training to newly qualified technicians and reassess Ammo Group personnel in their ability to conduct demolitions is a safe and reliable manner.

Like many of the LS posts, I am the only UK SP within my department, giving the opportunity to fully integrate with the Bruneian personnel and sample Brunei far more than any tourist ever could. The pace of life in Brunei is a lot slower than that of the UK, which can be a double-edged sword. It does however provide an opportunity to spend time with family and enjoy the amazing features in this part of the world, including exploring the wildlife in the jungle or in your garden. In the UK we had squirrels and stray cats, here we have Asian water monitor lizards, macaque monkeys and the odd wild boar!

Having only been in post for a couple of months I’m still finding my feet, I’ve managed the river tour and a trip along the coast to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia so far and have many more plans to travel and make the most of this amazing country and the opportunities for travel around this part of the world.

British Forces Brunei: An Ammunition Technical Warrant Officer’s perspective

by WO2 Bishop

The British Forces Brunei (BFB) Ammunition Sub Depot (ASD) supports the Resident Infantry Battalion, 1 RGR, and Infantry Battle School, as well as ever-expanding strategic interests in the wider Indo-Pacific region and Tri-Service deployed assets. Like each of the isolated ASD posts globally, Brunei’s geopolitical position presents some exceptional opportunities to engage locally and overseas with specialist British units and foreign forces to provide Ammunition Technical (AT) Support to organic and partnered nations.

The team comprises one ATWO, a Sgt and Cpl Logistic Supply Specialist who fulfil the roles of Depot Supervisor and CA Account Holder, respectively, and a Class 2 AT. Whilst all SMEs, the scaling encourages a deep mutual understanding of all roles by all personnel. Location and a fragile logistic bridge demands precise stockpile management and forecasting up to 18 months in advance – typically the preserve of the LSS but understood and deliberated by all. Equally, non-AT team members effectively plan and execute (under ATWO supervision) the disposal by detonation of tonnes of unserviceable ordnance. Climate dominates all aspects of the job with infrastructure and munitions management an absolute focus. Exposure to tropical heat and near-saturation humidity for munitions compromises the firing performances and safety –the efforts to maintain operational effectiveness and reduce the logistic and financial burden of excessive commodity wastage is constant and dynamic. Recent infrastructure investment has enhanced the climatic conditioning capacity of the ASD to 40% representing a 100-fold return on investment over the next three years in recovered stock. The environment is ideal to conduct in-service surveillance and explosive trials to support the broader efforts of inventory managers within Defence to manage through-life capability.

Imminent OTXs include destinations such as Australia and New Zealand for Ex PACIFIC KHUKRI to support the RIBs company and battalion level exercises. Thailand and Malaysia are on the horizon for Defence Engagement opportunities in the near future.

Emerging from COVID-19 restrictions on movements and integration, plans are underway to reinvigorate mutual support to explosive safety audit training with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF). The relationship with the Loan Service ATWO, embedded within the RBAF, is as robust as ever with combined efforts to offer British C-IED doctrine and CBRNe IED disposal assurance regimes a priority for the approaching training year.

The local flora and fauna, unique to the Borneo biosphere, is truly fascinating and worthy of safari. Monitor lizards, the national Hornbill birds and the resident troop of monkeys are a daily sight from the office. Popular pursuits beyond the wire include the cult-like jungle hashing and trekking. The SFA and SLA, each have community swimming pools and are close to the local surfing beaches. Regional travel is undoubtedly one of the biggest perks of the post with the Borneo States of East Malaysia less than 30 minutes’ drive away and the majority of South East Asia within a two-hour flight. Forthcoming AT is planned to include skiing in Japan and a battlefield study throughout Vietnam is also on the agenda. They say some would pay for these privileges.

By Cpl Nanda Atherton

I have always loved taking photos. From weekend walks with the dogs, to friends’ and family events, I have always been behind the lens. It never even crossed my mind that I could do it for a job. Having joined the Army as a Dental Nurse in the Royal Army Dental Corps in May 2014 I learned new skills, made lifelong friends and grew in confidence. After six years I started to get the itch for something more; something more challenging and rewarding. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a chance conversation with a colleague drew my attention to The RLC’s Army Photographer trade. After a bit of research both online and through friends and colleagues, I knew this was what I had been searching for. In September 2020, I enquired about transferring and sought advice on how best to prepare myself. By Christmas 2020 I was hooked on the idea and my