solution to be found, whether it be Jordanian or British, and we have achieved at least 80% of what we had planned. There is a proverb that when the wind is blowing the wrong way a pessimist will lower his sails, an optimist hopes the wind will change and a realist will adjust his sails - as an STTT here we have to be realists. The course has so far entailed a combination of classroom based lessons, model exercises, demonstrations and practices in camp encompassing the spectrum of Offensive, Defensive, Enabling and Stabilising Ops. These have been augmented by TEWTs and mounted and dismounted exercises on a combination of rural and urban training areas. We have run an intensive navigation concentration and we have also implemented a fairly robust physical training programme with section stretcher races being the incentive of choice for lack of effort - something which has ensured a marked improvement on overall fitness levels! The Jordanians have operated to a good standard on both dismounted
and mounted exercises, demonstrating decent low level skills and drills and working hard for each other. Whether working on YPRs, a Dutch upgrade of the M113 with a gyro-stabilised 30mm cannon, or Fox, a cross between a WMIK and a Jackal with .50 cal and 7.62mm, their crew competencies have been clear to see and they seem to have found the exercises challenging and rewarding. There has too been the added bonus for us that at weekends there have been opportunities to visit some incredible places within Jordan such as Petra, Aqaba, Jerash, Madaba and the Dead Sea to name but a few. Petra is an awesome Nabatean city carved from rock, Jerash has the best preserved Roman ruins outside of Rome and Aqaba has beaches, cocktails and shisha. We have enjoyed all of them for different reasons. There have of course been challenges - not least in operating to a slightly different tempo than on British courses - yet it has been extremely encouraging to see how attentive and eager to learn the Jordanians have been. They have consistently demonstrated
their understanding during practical exercises when in the field and have shown genuine potential to become effective recce soldiers. This job has been a fascinating insight into operating with another country’s army and it has been encouraging to see the esteem with which they hold the British Army. BMATT (J) and the Jordanian Army have an excellent relationship and the strategic effect of British soldiers training Jordanians should not be underestimated. Jordan is likely to remain a key NATO ally at the heart of the Middle East and so the importance of retaining strong links with the country through Peacetime Military Engagement and upstream capacity building is clear to see, especially considering the fractured state of the Middle East region as it stands now. The hope is that this course will progress to being Jordanian led by the end of 2015 and so will endure to leave the Jordanian Army with an enhanced recce capability and will serve to strengthen the already strong ties between the UK and Jordan.
The Light Reconnaissance Commanders’ Course (LRCC) by Lieutenant C J P Murphy, The Blues and Royals The aim of the Light Reconnaissance Commanders’ Course is to qualify all students to command and train a light reconnaissance platoon in all operations of war. It is run by the Infantry Reconnaissance Wing as part of the Reconnaissance and Armoured Tactics Division (RATD) in Warminster. Traditionally the preserve of Infantry Reconnaissance Platoons, it is also attended by soldiers and officers from recce units within the Royal Marines, Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery and Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps. As a Lieutenant from the HCR, not only was I the most junior officer on the course but also one of only two students not from the Infantry. This was initially daunting but made little difference in the end. The course teaches Close Target Reconnaissance Patrols (CTRs), Observation Posts (OPs) in both the rural and urban environment, mobile reconnaissance using wheeled vehicle platforms, patrolling skills, contact drills and delivers a comprehensive photography package. A lot of the course content is very similar to what we (HCR and other RAC Recce Regiments) cover on our Troop Leaders’ Course. This meant that whilst I was the most junior officer on the course, I had more recce experience than most of the other students. However, the standard required on LRCC is significantly high-
26 ■ Household Cavalry Regiment
er than on what was the Brigade Reconnaissance Commanders’ Course (now split into Armoured and Light Cavalry Commanders’ Courses). The emphasis placed on individual soldiering skills and the detail required in planning, orders and execution make this an excellent, though demanding, further training opportunity. The first two weeks of the course are spent either in the classroom or on the back training area. Initial assessments include an eight-mile best effort carrying 25kg, a map-reading test, vehicle and weapon recognition test, military knowledge test and three tactical night navigation exercises which are conducted carrying 20kg based on an average speed of 3 km/h. Following these, time is devoted to introductory lessons and practical instruction. All of the lessons are extremely well-taught by a team of experienced Colour/Staff Sergeants who work under the supervision of the SO3 and WO2 running the course. The third week of the course takes place in RAF Cosford at the Defence School of Photography. It is a week of intensive tuition in using camera equipment to capture high quality images of moving and static objects in both day and night conditions. This is one of the highlights of the course and enables stu-
There’s no easy option when it comes to spreading the essential loads
dents to use the camera equipment on subsequent exercises to produce images which greatly enhance patrol reports and back-briefs. The next four weeks of the course are devoted to high quality training exercises. The first of these is an introductory exercise all Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) in which CTRs and OPs in the rural environment are the primary focus. The second exercise