26 members of Wales UOTC assembled on a pleasant Friday afternoon excited at the prospect of mountain biking in the French Alps and all looking forward to the 20 hour road trip to the Le Biot, our base for the trip. On arrival at Chalet Hugo the following day we had a few hours to […]
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Exercise Dragon Ascent 22 – Tyrol, Austria – 1st to 14th August 2022 Officer Cadet Oliver Goldsack – Exercise ICExercise Dragon Ascent 22 was a 14 day adventurous training exercise which took place this summer in the Austrian Alps. On Monday 1st August, 12 Officer Cadets from East Midlands Universities Officer Training Corps left the
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Expedition Summer Camp 22 for the Bury and Radcliffe Sea cadets The cadets arrived at the camp site in the evening, in the middle of a woodland. Some cadets had never been away from parents overnight, so they were very excited. The bus was emptied, and the cadets had a look round the site. While
Following 2 delayed bookings due to COVID Plymouth College CCF Sailing Expedition to Menorca, Poseidon II, finally went ahead over the period 11-18 July 2022. This was not the only setback as the expedition planner and lead instructor Retired Navy Commander William Andrew was refused his overage extension from Navy Cadets HQ at short notice
The winding path following the Bharbun Khola bent round to the South as we approached Kakkot, in the afternoon sunshine. We were met by 6 women carrying immense loads in Doko Baskets. The usual team chorus of ‘Namaste’ began. They looked quizzically at us. There had been no trekking groups this deep into the Dolpo
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Cornwall Expedition PXRMonday 25 July – Saturday 6 August Intro The CVQO Westminster Award has been running for over 20 years and is the only competition in the UK open to all types of uniformed youth organisations. It is an annual competition designed to recognise and reward the most deserving of our learners. Each year,
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EXERCISE ITALIAN ODYSSEY 22 – 42 ENGINEER REGIMENT (GEO) Spending 20 hours traveling through 4 countries in a minibus isn’t ideal, but as day breaks on the winding road leading out of Innsbruck, it all becomes apparently worth it. Resting high above our campsite is the Marmolada Glacier. After setting up camp in the town
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This adventure was a continuation of a collaboration between cadet forces in Birmingham and Snow Camp, the social mobility programme run by Switch180 charity. https://www.snow-camp.org.uk . Snow Camp uses snowsport to raise aspirations and create opportunities for disadvantaged young people. It operates a three tier system which culminates in some young people qualifying as Level
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From the 23rd of August to the 3rd of September 2022, Officer Cadets from Birmingham UOTC deployed to the French Pyrenees to undergo a road cycling training camp. The team completed seven days of riding, cycling through the mountainous terrain and hot summer conditions of Southern France. They successfully completed five of the top ten
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WALES OFFICER CADETS TAKE IN THE BEAUTY OF THE HEBRIDES IN A NAUTICAL ADVENTURE Wales Universities Officer’s Training Corps were able to join the Joint Services offshore sailing expedition HIGHLAND EXPRESS, on Scotland’s stunning west coast. The expedition aim was to give a new and challenging experience to some of the Officer Cadets and enhance
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Short report on EMUOTC’s expedition along the West Highland Way – Summer 2022 One of our core missions at the East Midland Universities OTC is to foster resiliency and confidence in our officer cadets through adventurous training. For us, this involves putting on multiple trips a year, organised by our third year Officer Cadets, for
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HQ RAFAC/OYT Scotland West Coast Challenge Offshore Sail Training Expedition 7th – 14th August 2022 Introduction In August 2022 eleven Staff Cadets from across the UK took part in the 18th annual HQ RAFAC offshore sail training expedition hosted by Ocean Youth Trust Scotland. The below report has been produced by Cdt FS Georgia Greenwood
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On the 11th August 2022, 12 OCdts from London UOTC set out on the Ex-Arctic Express; a passage which would be split into 3 phases. The first leg, sailing from Reykjavik to Vestmannaeyjabaer (a small island off the South coast of Iceland, was helpful for developing confidence with managing the boat). Next, the longest and
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Royal Marines and Sea Cadets from the following units, City of Liverpool, South Liverpool and Holylake deployed to Holy Island, Anglesey between 17-22 July 2022 for Adventure Training. The Training aim was to provide Royal Marines and Sea Cadets from the Mersey West District with the opportunity to conduct Adventure in the arduous environment of
Having been 5 years since the last overseas adventurous training expeditions ran at EMUOTC, there were many Officer Cadets (OCdts) keen to travel to Iceland and complete the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails. Exercise Dragon EMU Ice saw 16 OCdts and 2 instructors trek an 8-day expedition, walking the Laugavegur Trail, (55km long trail between Landmannalauger
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On the 24th July 2022, 12 OCDTs and 3 staff from Oxford UOTC embarked on a 10-kayak expedition along the Ottawa River, Canada’s 8th largest. The aim was to provide lake and river-based training in a challenging environment, promoting teamwork and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones. Throughout this expedition the OCdts had the
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Officer Cadets from Cambridge University Officer Training Corps left Cambridge Army Reserve Centre at 11 pm on Monday 4th July and departed for France. We arrived at Dover in the early hours of Tuesday morning and arrived in Calais at 6 am. We then drove for a further 12 hours and arrived at the Campsite
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On the 22nd of July, 13 Officer Cadets, two Mountain Leaders and one further member of staff, met at the Birmingham Army Reserve Centre (ARC) to begin the expedition with the aim of circumnavigating the Mont Blanc Massif following the Tour du Mont Blanc route. The original goals were to complete the 170km route in
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Sir Edmund Hillary, the first mountaineer to summit Mount Everest stated, “People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.” Hillary understood that life challenges provide opportunities to achieve personal growth and development. In July 2022, sixteen committed army reservists from 156 Regiment RLC achieved a remarkable goal and summited Point
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East Scotland Universities Air Squadron Exercise Apennine Stag Post Exercise Report Introduction Adventurous Training (AT) as well as being fun and exciting, expands personal limits and improves operational capability because so many of the skills and characteristics it develops are directly transferable to frontline duties. However, AT comes at a price, especially if it is
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From 9th to 19th July 2022, 8 participants and a Mountain leader from Birmingham University Officers Training Corps took part in Ex DRAGON SLIM SHADY an adventure training expedition that aimed to complete the GR20 Nord route in Corsica; a route known as one of the toughest in Europe. The route climbs up 2500 meters
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Over 17-30 Jul 22, 11 members of 71 Engr Regt took part in Exercise Northern Baltic Express. The aim of the exercise was to introduce soldiers to offshore Adventurous Sail Training, promote teamwork and cohesion and push individuals both physically and mentally beyond their comfort zones. The Exercise was split into 2, 1 week legs
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The Royal Armoured Corps competed in three offshore races this summer, with teams of soldiers and officers from multiple units, Regular and Reserve*. The aims of competing in are to develop participants’ sense of competition, courage, leadership and resilience, with a view to enhancing operational effectiveness; and to develop individual and team sailing skills, with
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In late June 2022, 12 members of the University of Birmingham Air Squadron travelled to Croatia, in pursuit of learning how to sail. We arrived in Split on the 25th of June, and the students along with four instructors then travelled to Sibenik, where our expedition began. In Sibenik, we picked up two yachts, the
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A group of 9 Cadets and 2 staff from Selly Oak Trust School (KES) CCF travelled from sunny Birmingham down to Portsmouth where we boarded Tall Ships Challenger Yacht 1. During our 5 day sailing expedition the Cadets were responsible for all aspects of onboard living and travelling. They worked in two watches to complete
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Over the early May Bank Holiday weekend the seven Sqns from Derbyshire Sector RAFAC, Trent Wing undertook a Sector Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) Expedition weekend, the first for many years and for most Sqns the first AT activity of any sort since the Covid 19 restrictions had eased. The weekend was possible due to
Some 48 Cadets and 12 staff from Derbyshire Sector RAFAC, Trent Wing have recently returned from a multi-activities weekend based out of Thornbridge Activity Centre, Bakewell. The primary aim of the weekend was to give an opportunity for new (post Covid) cadets from across the seven Units in the Sector to undertake their first residential
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Between 13-19 June, 7 students from Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron hiked the northern segment of the infamous GR20 in Corsica, which is often described as one of Europe’s toughest treks. This expedition aimed to challenge our mental and physical resilience, placing us outside our comfort zone in a testing environment. The students carried all their
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Tpr Rory Kyle said the following about his experiences: ‘The exercise was a great opportunity to develop new ski racing techniques under expert tuition. Through the week I was able to refresh the skills I already had, on and off piste before applying them in a competitive racing environment. The courses set demanded an appreciation
On Monday 18th July 2022 16 cadets and 4 Adult Volunteers from the Pioneer CCF Company travelled from Stoke Poges (South Bucks) to Aberdovey in North Wales to complete a 5-day residential Adventure Training Course with the Outward-Bound Trust. This exercise could not have taken place without the financial support of our sponsors – The
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Kirsty Thomas, English Teacher turned sailor, gives her account of an incredible weekend racing with students round the Isle of Wight. The weekend of 24-26 June was the culmination of many months of organisation and fundraising, but the rewards were paid in dividends. Ten lucky students and two teachers completed the Round The Island yacht
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‘You don’t get to the top of Mount Everest by coincidence’ – Major Garth Miller, London Guards On 02 May 2022, Major Garth Miller from the 1st Battalion London Guards, left the UK bound for Nepal. He returned just 21 days later, having summited not only Everest itself, but also Lhotse (the 4th highest mountain
Ex SKIMO WARRIOR Ulysses Trust Report ID 2859. In April 2022, a 16 strong military team trained for and conducted a ski mountaineering expedition across the Swiss mountains from Zermatt to Verbier, also known as the Patrouille des Glaciers. As background to what this activity involved: the Patrol Race is mildly comparable to a trail
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Completing the Scottish Islands Peak Race – Nearly Within the Rules On the 19 May, 2 Reservist ETS Officers; Lt Col Reid and 2Lt Coleman, set off to complete the Scottish Isles Peak Race, a niche event on the endurance athletes’ calendar. The two seasoned yachtsmen completed this supported by 3 Regular ETS Officers: Maj
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Expedition Northern Ascent 2022Ulysses Trust ID 2795 To mark the 80th anniversary of the RAF Regiment an ambitious and strenuous mountain bike expedition was planned. The Expedition would follow the route of The Great North Trail which is a newly established off road long distance track covering approximately 800 miles. The Trail starts at the
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Forty cadets aged between 13 and 18 years from Greater London South East Sector, Army Cadet Force spend the half term break (28 May to 4 June 2022) in Snowdonia, North Wales as part of an adventurous training package aimed at challenging and developing the young people by encouraging them to try new experiences and
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EX IVERNA VENTURE 2022 In April 2022, 7 Rifles ran Exercise Iverna Venture; an alpine skiing adventurous training exercise to Val Thorens, in the French Alps. For many of our Riflemen this was the first time they would try the sport and training was divided into three qualifications: Ski Foundation 1, which took soldiers from
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On the 7th of April, the first detail from 151 regiment and paired unit 10 Regiment departed from the UK to take on the Three High Passes challenge in Nepal’s beautiful Himalayas. The second detail would arrive a day later to complete the 12 personnel from the paired units accompanied by two instructors. Service personal from
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East Midlands University Officers’ Training Corp conducted a foundation ski Adventurous Training event from 8-17 Apr 2022. The training took place in Val D’Isere and those attending were accommodated in UCPA Val D’Isere, which is a type of hostel funded by the French Government to promote alpine sports in the winter and mountaineering in the
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Ex TIGER AMA ISKLATRING22 Expedition Report – Ulysses Trust ID 2833 In Feb – Mar 22 the Army Mountaineering Association (AMA) conducted an Adventure Training (AT) expedition to Norway to climb frozen waterfalls. The aim of the expedition was simple – push people outside their comfort zone, develop individual resilience, teamwork, and of course have
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Our adventure started at 1105 (City of Winchester) Squadron HQ at Hillier Road ,Winchester, at 5 o’clock in the morning of Monday 11th April 2022 when 12 cadets and 2 adults departed for The Ullswater Trust Outward Bound centre in the Lake District in the trusty Squadron minibus. Our journey took 7 hours in total,
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On Saturday the 2nd of April, 30 Students, 6 instructors and 2 drivers set off from across the UK to Folkestone. Travelling form York, Leeds, Sheffield were the majority of the group, with additional team members coming from Manchester, Middle Wallop, and elsewhere. On arrival at Folkestone, those who needed to complete a Military Swim
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After a long couple of years under various Covid-19 restrictions, 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment were finally able to deploy on Exercise EAGLE POWDER 22, the 2-week-long regimental skiing trip in March 2022. This AT expedition involved deploying 2 groups of service personnel, 47 in total, to Tignes France to partake in training in alpine skiing
FANY (PRVC) Ex. MANX ODYSSEY April 2022 – Ulysses Trust ID 2828 Ex MANX ODYSSEY was a four day adventurous training exercise on the Isle of Man, by kind permission of our Commanding Officer, based at her home on the Island. The exercise was designed to promote teamwork and reward our volunteers for their work
Ex COCKNEY WESTMINSTER 22 – Ulysses Trust Report By Major Steve Higgs REME Ulysses Trust ID 2840 Exercise COCKNEY WESTMINSTER 22, 11 – 27 March 2022, Flaine, France. HQ London District The 2022 winter season drew much attention for those working within Headquarters London District (a hybrid Regular and Volunteer Reserve organisation), having spent the
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A big question mark loomed over this year’s deployment on Exercise Snowstorm; another batch of pan-continental COVID restrictions had just been announced with attendance now only being possible for the treble vaccinated. After significant effort and juggling from the organisers the exercise finally was able to take place in mid-March. Exercise Snowstorm is the annual
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Expedition Report: Exercise EAGLES DESCENT, Lake Elsinore, California, 25 Feb – 15 Mar 22.Ulysses Trust ID 2773.23 Parachute Engineer Regiment. EAGLES DESCENT was a level 3 adventurous training expedition to Skydive Elsinore, USA, facilitated by Royal Engineers Sports Parachute Association (RESPA), delivering Accelerated Freefall (AFF) parachuting to 16 students & continuation training for 9 personnel
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3 Military Intelligence Battalion’s Annual Ski Exercise: COCKNEY SKADI VII (2022) This was the 7th edition of Exercise Cockney Skadi, which is 3 Military Intelligence Battalion’s (3 MI Bn’s) regular skiing expedition. 34 members from our London-based Reserve Battalion were able to attend this year’s Exercise and travelled to the Tyrol region of Austria. Home
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FORCES WIVES CHALLENGE HEROES OF TELEMARK EXPEDITION MARCH 2022 From 13-24 March 2022 Forces Wives Challenge (FWC) took a team of 12 ladies to Norway in an attempt to become the world’s first all-female team to re-enact the famous Heroes of Telemark (HOT) – a WWII mission by Norwegian Special Forces across the Hardangervidda Plateau.
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Chamonix, France18-26 March 202214 reservists, 1 regular (from our paired regiment, 10 The Queens Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, QOGLR) and 3 ski instructors managed to make it away onto their first overseas adventurous training expedition after the easing of COVID restrictions. For some, it was their first time on skis, for others it was an
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Intro “You build a connection like no other when you jump out of a plane together” Cadet Liam Pollitt On 15 April 2022 Norfolk ACF completed their expedition to Skydive Hibaldstow returning home after more than 500 skydives in total with 9 cadets as newly licenced skydivers and 7 more cadets and CFAVs hoping to
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Post Exercise Report EXERCISE CANFORD SCOTTISH WINTER SKILLS 18 – 24 Feb 2022 General Canford CCF conducted a L3 Adventurous Training expedition to the Cairngorms, training Cadet NCOs in the necessary skills to benefit from the challenges and rewards of the Scottish mountains in winter. This PXR summarises the expedition and gives key recommendations for
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Ex FINN SKI CADET EXIGENT Val Thorens, France 19 – 26 Mar 22 26 OCdts, 4 staff and 5 instructors conducted an overseas ski Exped following easing of COVID restrictions. I was part of the planning over a number of months and with all overseas exercises cancelled over the past few years, it was a
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PXR For Ex Northern Jacobite Venturer 2022, UT ID 2830. Preamble: Our now annual Scottish exploit is in it’s 14th year but due to COVID has had to reset its ambitions to year 1 of a four year development programme. Our long serving local instructors now have an expectation of great training weather and this
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Ulysses Trust ID 2842 Ex SNOWBOARD SAPPER 22, Austria, 12 – 24 March 22 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (EOD&S) Exercise Snowboard Sapper 22 was the Corps of Royal Engineers Snowboard Championships for 2022 and for a long while it looked like it wasn’t going to happen… luckily Covid-19 restrictions in Europe lifted just
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Ulysses’ Trust ID 2805 Exercise Shamrock Neige 12-19th March, Argentiere, France 253 (NI) Medical Regiment From 12-19th March 2022, 253(NI) Medical Regiment took a group of 15 Soldiers and Officers, including 2 instructors to Argentiere, France. The group was made up of personnel from different Squadrons and Detachments of 253 from various locations in NI
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Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School Combined Cadet Force Gold Duke of Edinburgh Expedition 24th – 28th February 2022 Ulysses Trust Expedition Grant Number 2847 Authors: Captain Graham Naismith & Lance Corporal Layana Joshy The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expedition is the highlight of the arduous Duke of Edinburgh Gold Programme. It requires participants to immerse
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Headquarters Home Command EXERCISE MONTY MERGER 26 Feb – 5 Mar 22 Exercise Monty Merger is Headquarters Home Commands’ annual skiing expedition to Mayrhofen, Austria. This year, thirty personnel participated in both alpine and ski touring. With varying abilities and skiing experience, the exercise accommodated Ski Foundation One (SF1) for beginners, Ski Foundation Two (SF2)
CADET CENTRE FOR ADVENTUROUS TRAINING (CCAT) EXERCISE CADETROCK VENTURER 2022 Major Kevin Edwards OC CCAT A group of Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) assembled at Manchester Airport to fly to Spain in search of winter sun and dry rock. The aim of the CCAT rock climbing concentration course is to provide the opportunity to further
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DRAGON CALPE BLUE Cambridge UOTC Ulysses Trust Grant Id 02835 On the 13th February 2022, Officer Cadets from Cambridge University Officer Training Corps returned to Cambridge from a field exercise in Thetford. Tired from the weekend’s activity we were now sat in the mess awaiting a brief on the week that was to come. Once
“The Shackleton Commemoration Expedition – Antarctic Quest 21” – Written by Lt Cdr Paul Hart RNR It’s never easy to organise an Antarctic expedition, especially when that expedition is going to travel well away from the commercial routes, operated by Polar Tourism companies and, thereby, well away from their Search & Rescue services. While it
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On the afternoon of 29th January staff from the Army Staff Leadership School departed Pirbright in Surrey for Tignes in the French Alpes, a total of 15 staff (1 Lt Colonel, 1 Major, 2 Warrant Officers, 10 Staff/Colour Sergeants & 1 Lance Corporal (3 of whom were reservists) along with 3 instructors. The aim of
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On the 5th of January 2022, East Midlands University Officer Training Corps and one member from Birmingham Officer Training Corps set off for the Scottish mountains, with 21 Army Officer Cadets, 2 Army Reserve Officers, 4 Instructors and 2 Trainee Instructors. Once we arrived in Kinlochleven, Glencoe, we were allocated to our instructors, issued a
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Being a part of the maritime forces, taking part in Adventurous Training (AT) in the form of sailing is particularly pertinent. As such, sailors from HMS WILDFIRE decided to organise another National Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) Sailing Exercise (SAILEX) after the inaugural exercise in 2019 was such a success. The principal objective of the exercise
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On the 15th Of October 2021, a small band of maritime reservists from HMS Dalriada made their way from their Unit in Glasgow, through the dark and winding country roads of Royal Deeside, towards their weekend adventures in the Scottish Mountains. Arriving in the crisp autumnal air and pitch black, carrying their bergans and armed with
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“No plan survives contact with the enemy” or “The best made of mice and men ” were two maxims that sprung to mind when the exercise leader developed a trapped nerve in his neck 72 hours prior to the expedition starting. The immediate issue was how to safely staff the activities and allow the cadets
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Exercise Phoenix Adrenaline was a 579 Fd Sqn (EOD&S) led adventurous training event in Jersey for 2021. The team combined members from 101 Engr Regt (EOD&S) comprising personnel from 579, 350, 217 and 221 Sqns. The advance party travelled across on the ferry taking all the kit and luggage a couple of days before the
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TRAILRIDER 2021 In late September a group of 9 adult volunteers from Central and East Region Royal Air Force Air Cadets deployed to North Wales to undertake some much-needed staff development training. As the country slowly returns to state where face to face cadet activity could resume it was recognised that having a team of
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of planned overseas expeditions had been put on hold due to the uncertainty around international travel. Advice from the Air Cadets was to consider UK-based expeditions for 2021, so a concept was drawn up for a UK based sea-kayaking expedition for Cadet Force Adult Volunteers. Within the Royal Air
On the 3rd of September 2021, 3 2nd Lieutenants, 25 Officer Cadets (OCdts) and one Permanent Staff instructor (PSI) from Sheffield and Leeds UOTC of the Yorkshire Officer Training Regiment travelled up to the Lake District for a week of Adventure Training, delivered by 6 coaches from both inside and outside of the regiment, and supported by
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The Exercise was oversubscribed from the start and the senior officer cadet had the unenviable task of getting the right mix of experience and enthusiasm within the crew. With three novices, one qualified competent crew and an ex sea cadet plus the skipper we met our Joint Services Adventure Sail Training Vessel ‘Placuna’ and embarked
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In August 2021, 9 enthusiastic Officer Cadets from the University of London Officers’ Training Corps voyaged from Gosport to the Isles of Scilly and back. With many of the Crew it was their first time on board, so it was a quick process to build their skills up to competent crew level. This proved very
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After 18 months of very little or no adventure training, Expedition ‘Summit Adventure’ couldn’t have come any sooner! Aimed to provide cadets with an opportunity to undertake adventurous activities and push themselves out of their comfort zone, cadets had the opportunity to undertake the following activities: Abseiling and Rockclimbing. Set in an historic slate mine,
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EX DRAGON DEVIL was a 13-day trip involving 13 young OCdt’s in the Scottish Highlands. It not only allowed its participants to develop their outdoor experience, but also allowed them to gain their Summer Mountain Foundation qualification while creating lifelong friendships. Participants were challenged daily by covering distances of up to 30km per day, while
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After so long stuck in lockdown, with hardly any in-person training, and having had most of last year’s Adventure Training expeditions and all Easter training cancelled, the Officer Cadets were very keen to get going. Exercise Dragon Gold 21 took two groups of six Officer Cadets, two instructors and two support crew from Horton-in-Ribblesdale to
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Dartmouth Regatta is steeped in history, the earliest recorded regatta in Dartmouth was in 1822. There were three sailing races and one six-oared gig race. A military band was recorded as playing out at Dartmouth Castle and a ball took place with 120 in attendance. In 1834 the Dartmouth Regatta was officially formed, when the
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12 London wing RAFAC cadets finally got the chance to swap their computer terminals and urban streets for the good outdoor fresh air of the lake district. Having spent most of 2020 online it was great to see cadets from all round the London Wing, including East Ham, Romford and Balham area get out and
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In January 2021 the call went out to the Royal Engineers (RE), “Who wants to take part in the RORC Fastnet campaign?” The RE had entered a yacht since the race’s inception in 1925, so it was a fixture on the Sapper’s calendar. The campaign was open to Regular and Reserve. From the initial call,
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After a long break from adventure training, the summer of 2021 saw a crew of 11 Officer Cadets from the University of London Officers’ Training Corps prepare for a voyage from Portsmouth to the Isles of Scilly. For the vast majority it was their first experience sailing and it should have been an opportunity for
Essex army cadet force adventure training Exercise annual camp 2021 23rd July – 4th Aug 2021 During COVID 19, the ACF had become a virtual world, and Adventure training had been put on hold Exercise Annual Camp 2021 has given us the chance to re-launch Adventure training, and with the support of the Ulysses Trust
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Exercise BLUE PHOENIX Adventure Training package was an ambitious mix of activities and locations designed to get as many Army Officer Cadets of the Oxford University Officer’s Training Corps qualified in foundation level adventure training as possible. The original plan was to spread 100 people across 3 geographically dispersed locations conducting a myriad of activities
Longbenton Air Cadets happily swapped their parade shoes for walking boots to trek as they embarked on their expedition season; leaving their estates behind for the beautiful Northumberland Coastline and striking Cleveland Hills. The 34 cadets were split into eight teams (“bubbles”) as they successfully trekked their way through the parks, forests, moors and beaches;
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On the evening of the 26th of February 2020, 5 personnel from HMS King Alfred, the Royal Naval Reserve Unit in Portsmouth set off to the Cairngorms – a mountain range in Scotland. After a long drive and a stopover at Faslane (HMS Clyde), we arrived at the Rothiemurchus Lodge on the 27th February. Health
EXERCISE COCKNEY STRANDLOPER – SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY – MARCH 2020 – A report by Maj L.E.S. Webb RE “I wish I was still there” (Quote by Major Lizzie Stileman who is now ( as at 01 Apr 20) fully committed to operations in support of COVID19) This report will share the story of Exercise
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Overview The aim of Ex Snow Cub 7 was to create a challenging and arduous expedition on the mountainous areas covering the German border in Bavaria. The mandatory lectures on weather and winter mountain hazards were put into practice as the ski runs were made even more challenging due to fresh falls of snow overnight
The ability to recognise the signs and symptoms of decompression illness or ‘the bends’ as it is commonly referred to, is something that all divers are taught. Being able to respond quickly and effectively could mean the difference between the life and death of the diver concerned. For the expedition members of Exercise Neptune Serpent
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Canford School CCF has been embarking for a number of years on a cross-country skiing expedition to Norway on what is described by all who go, as the toughest and the best trip the School offers. This year saw twenty-seven cadets, a fifth of our year 10s aged 14 to 15, challenging themselves in
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Introduction Alpine Ski Touring Course “This is what skiing is about” – Ethan A 6-day journey of discovery into a challenging alpine back country skiing environment by a mixed team of eight Senior Cadets and two Cadet Adult Volunteers who were experienced alpine skiers on piste but complete novices to alpine ski touring. The aim
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Expedition Barra Honda Aim: To witness and embrace one of the worlds most amazing biodiverse environments and the culture within. To embark on a life-changing adventure and to construct a conservation education facility – working closely as a team whilst overcoming the challenges given from such a harsh secluded environment A vision.. In 2019, 282
In November 2019, soldiers from 106 Regt RA deployed to Malta on Exercise Cockney Abyss 3 in order to gain BSAC scuba diving qualifications through the MOD Approved Centre Dive Deep Blue and follow on our programme of introducing soldiers to the sport of scuba diving. Some of the team had absolutely no diving experience
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Expedition Jungle Hart 2019, was the first expedition conducted by Herts and Bucks Wing ATC in over 10 years. It was a multistage expedition to the Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. On expedition from the 18th October to 2nd November 2019, the Herts and Bucks contingent climbed Mount Kinabalu, trekked through
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Military personnel require mental and physical robustness to withstand the rigours of military life and specifically, operational tours such as Afghanistan or Iraq. Adventurous Training (AT) is the only way in which the fundamental risk of the unknown can be used to introduce the necessary level of fear to develop adequate fortitude, initiative, and leadership.
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Derbyshire ACF is a leading youth training organisation in the East Midlands and is held responsible for, delivering a programme of challenging military, adventurous and leadership training to young men and women aged from 12 to 18. Over the period 23 Oct – 03 Nov 19, the county provided the opportunity for 17 adult volunteers,
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National Royal Naval Reserve Sailing Exercise (Ulysses Trust Application 2620) The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) unit, HMS WILDFIRE, has been conducting sailing expeditions for the past 10 years during which 30 members of the Ship’s Company have benefitted from essential navigational, boat handling, seamanship, team building and leadership training. This training has become particularly pertinent
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On the 19th October 2019 the Third Battalion, the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, alongside members of the First Battalion the Anglian Regiment mounted a unified Queen’s Division Rock Climbing Expedition in Croatia. The aim of this expedition was to build bonds between the division and also deliver a Rock Climbing Single Pitch Award as
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In October 2019, we supported 6 Reservists to take part in a parachuting exercise. The aim of the exercise was to provide a mentally challenging and physically demanding two week parachuting course where moral courage and leadership would be tested. One of the participants describes the experience: A big thank you to The Ulysses Trust
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Mid-August 2019 saw many months of preparation finally become reality as nineteen Gold DofE cadets from Oakham School CCF headed to Telemark in southern Norway for their assessed expedition. After a short flight to Oslo they were collected by the advance party who had driven around from the UK before heading off towards Rjukan which
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2019 was a significant year for several reasons. One of the biggest in the SCUBA Diving Calendar was the Centenary of the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow after the end of the First World War. This was marked with events throughout the year including the BSAC SCAPA 100 project that
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EXPEDITION AIMS AND THE DIVING TEAM: Lt Cdr Jez Spring RNR, a Leadership Instructor based at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, has just returned from leading a sub-aqua diving expedition on the island of Borneo. EX ASIAN ADVENTURE II (28 September – 13 October 2019) was the most ambitious Adventurous Training Diving Expedition undertaken by
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On a rather grey, wet and blustery Saturday 13th October 2019, 12 cadets, aged 12 to 17 from Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth Sea Cadet Unit set voyage for a week away on T.S. Jack Petchey. T.S. Jack Petchey is a Training Ship which is a power vessel and is 24meters long, 2.2meters draught and accommodates 12
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As the first half of the Autumn term drew to a close, a group of twelve cadets and two of their adult volunteers from Morrison’s Academy CCF were preparing to head to the town of Peebles in the Scottish Borders, for a weekend of Adventurous Training. After a quick stop for an evening meal in
Northern Borders Venturer 19 2019 Read More »
Exercise COCKNEY ENDURO 2 (CE2) was a Unit Mountain Biking Expedition conducted in the high-altitude splendour of the Haute Alpes in Southern France, on routes following the final section of the Grand Route Chemins du Soleil (‘Path of the Sun’) descending from the mountainous and remote Verdon National Park through to the Mediterranean Sea. National
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The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) unit, HMS WILDFIRE, has been conducting sailing expeditions for the past 10 years during which 30 members of the Ship’s Company have benefitted from essential navigational, boat handling, seamanship, team building and leadership training. This training has become particularly pertinent given the confirmation that RNR members will play a greater
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34 cadets and 12 staff members from across the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and Air Training Corps (ATC) had the venture of a life time when they were selected to attend the new style Exercise Venture Challenge in Cyprus. Exercise Venture Challenge is a 10 day Camp based out in Cyprus. The purpose of this
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Between the 31 Aug and 08 Sep 22 cadets and 8 staff from Sussex and Hants / Isle of Wight Wing undertook an expedition to the Italian Dolomites thanks to generous support from the Ulysses Trust and RAF Charitable Trust. The main thrust of the expedition was a four day trek linking a number of
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On Sunday the 12th of August 14 Riflemen from across 6 Rifles plus two external instructors flew from Heathrow Airport to deploy on Ex Kazbegi-Bugle, a summer mountaineering T3 AT Expedition to the Georgian Caucus. The aim of the expedition was to deliver the Summer Mountaineering Foundation qualification to the 11 novice personnel on the
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The Concept: In October 2018, the Regimental Administration Officer (RAO) for Northern Ireland Garrison Support Unit, Major J Swanson MBE, aspired to organise an Adventurous Training (AT) package to the Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Canada. His aim was to promote cohesion and develop the soldiers within the unit through level 3 AT training. For an expedition
In early September 2019 eleven Officer Cadets and three members of staff from Northumbrian Universities Officers’ Training Corps (NUOTC) embarked on a twelve-day high risk and remote expedition to the High Atlas Mountain Region of Morocco, which would include the ascent of the highest mountain in North Africa, Mount Toubkal at 4167m above sea
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This report will cover activities, locations, accommodation, safeguarding and logistics, it will be broken down into phases, to highlight, the experience had by all members of Warwickshire and West Midlands (SS) ACF Pre –Tour Preparation The preparation in the UK was extensive. Warwickshire and West Midlands (SS) ACF staff ran four pre weekends, which involved,
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Genghis (or Chinggis) Khan was a strong leader, powerful diplomat and seasoned traveller according to most Mongolians, who revere him. In the west and the Islamic world the view tends to focus on some of his more negative attributes. Focusing on the positives you soon realise that Genghis Khan had many of the skills required
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Introduction Northumbrian University Air Squadron recently embarked on Exercise Icelandic Traverse – a two week expedition in which students would cycle from the north coast to the south coast of Iceland.The expedition began with squadron members meeting at RAF Leeming on 26th August 2019. Here, mountain bikes were checked and prepared, kit was issued and
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It’s the late evening after a hot day in Southern France …And then, the question is asked, “shall we run this again?” A couple of nods later and, the next iteration of the Essex Wing Ardèche Expedition had begun with two years of preparation ahead for another fantastic journey down the Ardèche River had begun… One significant advantage
In August 2019, eleven Army Reservists from 156 Regiment RLC, a Reserve supply regiment based in Liverpool, conducted an arduous adventure training expedition through the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Classified as a high risk and remote expedition by the Army’s Adventurous Training Group, this represented a real physical, mental and, in some-cases emotional challenge
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On Wednesday 18th September 2019, the advanced party for Exercise Barbarian Odyssey 3, a 159 Regt RLC diving expedition, arrived in Gibraltar during early afternoon following a 2½ Hour flight from London Heathrow. The advanced party were there to complete an initial recce and other key activities in preparation for the arrival of the main
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Exercise FINN GLACIER 19 was a 152 (North Irish) Regiment Type 3 mountaineering expedition to Chamonix, France, which was undertaken during the period 14 – 23 Jun 19. The proposed 9 Day training programme was delivered mainly as forecast within the JSATFA. Activities included a two day Alpine Mountaineering expedition up into the Glacier Du
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