In April 2019, a group of officer cadets (OCdts) from Southampton University Officer Training Corps (SUOTC) took part in a skiing exercise in the Norwegian Arctic. The aim of the exercise was to qualify OCdts in Ski Foundation level 3 (SF3), which assesses the competency of skiers’ downhill skiing, avalanche awareness and rescue, navigation …
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Day 1 – Flight and Arrival We arrived at the very early hours of 04:30 in the morning at London Luton airport and proceeded to check in and get some breakfast. We boarded onto the plane and was all sat as a team together. The flight was quick and relaxing, mainly because everyone was asleep …
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1. INTRODUCTION A total of 12 people participated in a sub-aqua expedition to Cyprus from 30th March to 13th April 2019; 8 Cambridge University Air Squadron (CUAS) students, 3 Diving Instructors and the Officer Commanding CUAS. The expedition was named Exercise BLUE PLUNGE. The exercise was planned, organised and run by the CUAS students. …
Exercise DELAGO TIGER was the fourth annual Exeter University Officer Training Corps (EUOTC) expedition to the Dolomite Mountains in N Italy 22 August – 9 September 2018. It comprised 35 personnel, 9 x rock climbing and mountaineering instructors, 3 admin staff and 23 Officer Cadets and was based at campsites near Cortina and Canazei. The …
After close to a year of planning August and September 2018 saw 28 participants from Oxford UOTC headed out to Norway on an unforgettable hiking expedition. Phase One flew out to Bergen on the 13th of August and spent eleven days battling against the elements in the Hardangervidda region. Due to the high risk of …
As the end of the OTC training year drew to a close an expedition to the world renowned, Laugever Trail still lay on the horizon for 14 Officer Cadets and Instructors. This was the first time NUOTC had run this expedition and the first time many of the group had been to Iceland. All bar …
12 Officer Cadets (OCdts) from Oxford University Officer Training Corps (OUOTC), split into two phases, travelled to the Dolomites for an action-packed multi-pitch climbing package. The main aim of the expedition was to challenge the OCdts in a high-pressure environment and develop their climbing skills on some of the best routes in Europe. After packing …
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Exercise Northern Alpine 18 was a Mountaineering exercise based in Wertach, Bavaria, and designed to develop the mountaineering skills and experience of 9 officer cadets. The exercise took place in early August and spent 8 days training in the Allgau Alps. Activities included trekking, climbing and klettersteig (an Alpine discipline that is similar to climbing …
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Morzine Mountain Biking Expedition – Report 1 (Pte Qureshi) After a challenging annual camp in Lydd, 18 officer cadets and staff headed to Morzine for a week of mountain biking in the French alps. This provided a unique opportunity to further test the officer cadets both physically and mentally; needless to say both objectives …
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Day 1 – Napoleonica, Italy (30 minute drive) Vast area situated above and below a disused road. The area chosen was at the far end of the crag, situated slightly above the road. The crag was quiet, well bolted and provided adequate introductory grades for the first day. Student feedback – “Steep terrain: difficult to …
“As a complete novice to yacht sailing, I was unsure of what to expect when I applied to Ex Arctic Express. I imagined a relaxing couple of weeks, perfect to unwind after my exams. I was wrong.” Cadet Ed Duffy In June 2018, fifteen enthusiastic crew members from the University of London Officers’ Training Corps …
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Earlier this year, ten students from East Midlands UAS participated in an adventurous training expedition within the Guyanese jungle. Primarily, the arduous, challenging nature of the activities and environment aimed to develop determination and qualities of self-reliance, confidence, leadership and team ethos in the UAS students, in order to prepare them for potential service careers …
On the 24th March 2018, 12 Officer Cadets and two members of staff from Bristol University Officers Training Corps left for Norway, on a two-week Nordic Skiing Adventurous Training Exercise: Ex CABOT TELEMARK. The Aim of the exercise was to work towards the Nordic Foundation 1 (NF1) and Nordic Foundation 2 (NF2) Joint Services Qualifications …
Day 0 – Sunday 18th Everyone arrived at RAF Wittering and made sure all equipment was checked along with medical forms and travel documents. Day 1 – Monday 19th Met at 0300, loaded the MT minibus and drove to Luton airport. Checked in around 0500, we had a minor issue with luggage as the …
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The second term was drawing to an end for the students of the Northumbrian University Officers’ Training Corps (NUOTC), yet excitement and anticipation was high for their week-long climbing trip to the crags and climbing areas around Alicante, Spain. This trip was designed to enable climbers of all abilities to have an opportunity at climbing, …
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Ex Dragon Eldfjall 2017 began in the early hours on Thursday 31st of August, as twelve Officer Cadets (OCdts) and two supporting staff of East Midlands Universities Officer Training Corps (EMUOTC) were crammed into a van and whisked off to London Luton airport, ready for an early flight to Iceland. The goal of the expedition …
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It was the end of a demanding training year for Northumbrian Universities Officers’ Training Corps (NUOTC). Officer Cadets, Staff and Instructors had worked incredibly hard for 12 months to ensure that every one of the 23 staff and students from NUOTC were ready for the culmination of their Mountaineering Programme, the formidable; Exercise Northern Bear. …
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As part of its role Exeter UOTC is tasked with organising high quality and demanding Adventurous Training (AT) for the Cadets. This should deliver foundation qualifications but also give the Cadets exposure to just how demanding AT can be and how it can be used to develop personal qualities and teamwork. The Dolomite mountains of …
