G And D Feb 06

Alnwick Detachment, Northumbria ACF

The George and Dragon Online at www.nacf.org.uk

Northumbria Special points of interest: • Gain more from your ACF membership: D of E and BTEC: Real qualifications for little extra effort. • The Adjutant General’s Corps: keeping the Army running smoothly like a well-oiled machine. • What’s happening in the Company and County? • Forecast of Events.

Inside this issue: Cadet Vocational Qualifications

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Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme

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News from Around the Company

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Army in Focus: Adjutant General’s Corps

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Forecast for the Next Few Weeks

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News from Around the County

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13th February 2006

Volume 1, Issue 2

The Future Face of the Army Back in 1996 the Conservative government of John Major heralded a new face of the modern British Army. ‘Options for Change’ as it was known saw several Regular and TA infantry battalions axed. The support arms also suffered a battering. In Northumberland the 6th (Northumberland) Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (6RRF), one of the most efficient and fit for role units in the Army, lay squarely on the chopping block. Their Regular Army counterparts 3RRF had already disappeared a couple of years earlier after the first Gulf War. It was a sad time for the Fusiliers. There was much disillusionment and many good officers and soldiers voted with their feet. The Tyne-Tees Regiment, a hybrid of two RRF Companies, a Durham Light Infantry Company and a Green Howards Company, was formed in 6RRF’s place. It was a bum deal: the pedigree that was 6RRF, with five Companies proudly displaying the Hackle, now had only two RRF Companies and dubious Regimental identity.

Bye bye Tyne-Tees.

In 2005 the Chief of General Staff (CGS), General Sir Mike Jackson, announced that the Army Board intended to restructure the Army once again. In the ‘Future Army Structure’ the Army needed to be light, manoeuvreable and pack a heavy punch in all terrains rather than the temperate local war, with clearly defined enemy, we had always bargained for. The modern Army needed fewer infantry soldiers at the pointy end. Sir Mike outlined several changes to the infantry. Luckily, being a Para himself, he is a keen advocate of the multi-battalion Regiment.

The Parachute Regiment has 3 Regular Battalions and a TA battalion. This meant the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, with two Regular Battalions, were spared from any further cull. More details about the Future Army Structure can be found online but, it is fair to say, the infantry in Yorkshire, the Home Counties and Scotland were particularly hard hit. One good thing to come from FAS is the rebirth of a North-East Fusilier battalion. Tyne-Tees will become the Fifth Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and will be up and running by autumn 2006. The remodeled TA will be more closely integrated with the Regular Army in the ’One Army’ concept. More information on FAS: www.army.mod.uk www.ta.mod.uk www.mod.uk

Hello, and welcome back, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

Cadet Vocational Qualifications Senior cadets (2 star, aged 16 years or older) can obtain a BTEC First Diploma in Public Services alongside their APC training. The diploma, the vocational equivalent of 4 GCSE grades A-C, is achieved by completing 6 out of 7 units:

* The first three units are compulsory.

• Public Services* • Public Services Skills* • Public Service Fitness* • Outdoor Activities • Land Navigation • Expedition Skills • Nautical Skills

For an ACF cadet, completion of the units will involve leadership tasks, a small project, a short presentation, map read-

ing, expeditions, first aid training and completion of the CVQO resource book. You may have even already completed some of these units through your APC or D of E training. Participation in the scheme is free of charge to cadets.

obtain a BTEC First

For more information check out the Army Cadet magazine or the Cadet Vocational Qualification Office website: www.cqvo.co.uk

equivalent to 4

tary to the APC: you can gain a D of E award by very little extra effort on top of your ACF training. The Award can be achieved at three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each level includes four sections: Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Expeditions. Additionally, at Gold level, participants complete a residential project. You can start working towards Bronze

at the age of 14 years, Silver at 15 years and Gold at 16 years. The upper age limit for completion of any level of the award is 25 years. To enroll on the scheme you need to buy a record book (~£8) and fill in a form. Further details from the DC, or check out the website: www.theaward.org

W Company presented the retired CSM, Michael Mitchinson (Mitch), with an ice bucket and Fusiliers print.

Lt. Kevin Haggerty of Broomhill Detachment was recently

Services….

GCSE grades A-C.”

“Learn new skills, help other people and experience adventure…. Employers and universities take a

Correction appointed the County Shooting Officer. It is hoped Lt. Haggerty will operate ‘doublehatted’ from now on and will remain at Broomhill.

New W Coy CSM, SMI Paul Elliott

Diploma in Public

good view .”

News from Around Company After a few months of being acting Company Sergeant Major of W Coy, SSI Paul Elliott has been confirmed in the role. This was a closely fought competition and SSI Elliott narrowly edged ahead of the other candidates at a Commandant’s interview on Wednesday, 15th February.

“Senior cadets can

To participate speak to the DC.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme (D of E) is a challenging programme of activities which will help you to learn new skills, help others, experience adventure and gain a great sense of achievement. What’s more, many organisations such as employers and universities take a good view of the Award and the person who has achieved it. The award is complimen-

Volume 1, Issue 2

The cadets of W Company performed tremendously at the recent County First Aid Competition and Cross Country. Y Coy were better on the day when it came to first aid, but next year we’ll be back with avengeance.

Last month it was incorrectly stated that the name of the Master Cadet’s Competition at Frimley was the ‘Claire Short’ competition. The competition is actually named after Claire Shore, an Army Cadet who was tragically killed in a training accident.

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Volume 1, Issue 2

Army in Focus: Adjutant General’s Corps The Adjutant General’s Corps is one of the largest Corps in the British Army and deals with it’s most vital resource: it’s personnel. The AGC is made up of four branches: Staff and Personnel Support (SPS), Educational and Training Services (ETS), Army Legal Service (ALS) and Provost. SPS provides specialist business administration, financial, accounting and IT support to every unit in the Army.

ETS run the Army foundation colleges, language training and general education courses for officers and soldiers alike. The ALS is an all-officer branch responsible for advising Army Commanders on matters of law and juristriction. They also prepare evidence for Courts Martial. The Provost Branch is home to the Royal Military Police (RMP) who are responsible for maintaining discipline and military law, the Military Provost Staff (MPS) who look

after military prisoners and the Military Provost Guard Service (MPGS) who provide security to major Army, RAF and Royal Navy establishments across the UK. The MPS only recruit serving soldiers and the MPGS recruits from former Regular Army and TA soldiers.

“Dealing with the Army’s most vital resource: it’s personnel”

More information about the AGC is online at: www.army.mod.uk/agc/ index.htm Or phone: 01962 887 887

Forecast for the Next Few Weeks •

W Coy Skill at Arms Weekend, 18th-19th Feb 2006, Alnwick (anyone)

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Regional Cross Country, 25th Feb 2006, CTC Otterburn (selected cadets only)

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County Range Weekend, 25th-26th Feb 2006, Ponteland (must have passed 1 star skill at arms and be a decent shot)

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W Coy Range Day, 4th Mar 2006, Ponteland (must have passed 1 star skill at arms)

If you want more information about any event ask the DC.

News from Around the County On 28th January the officers mess said a fond fairwell to our Honorary Colonel, Sir John Riddell Bt CVO and greeted his successor, Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington K St. J QPM DL. Sir John Stevens was born in October 1942 and is a familiar face around the North East having served as the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police between 1991 and 1996. He was also the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, the top Police-

man in the UK, between 2000 and 2005. He is currently presiding over an inquiry into the role of the Army, Royal Ulster Constabulary and loyalist terrorists in the deaths of Irish nationalists. He also chairs the inquiry into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. SMI (RQMS) Stew Lee has been promoted to RSMI and takes over as RSM from Ian Murray. Former RSM Ian Murray hopes to be commis-

sioned in a few months time although, as avid readers of Army Cadet will know, he also hopes he’ll be able to achieve this feat without attending the Cadet Force Commissions Board at Westbury. The promotion of SMI (RQMS) Lee leaves a vacancy for the RQMS job at County. Currently in the running for this job are SSI Don Smith of Y Coy, SMI Anika Morrison of Y Coy and our very own SSI Alan Perry.

Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington K St. J QPM DL © Northumbria University

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February’s Adult Profile Still no adult has given me information for this slot. Maybe next month, huh?

Alnwick Detachment, Northumbria ACF

TA Centre, Lisburn Terrace, ALNWICK, NE66 1XQ Monday Evenings: 7-9.30 pm Det Mobile: 07776 475089

February’s Cadet Profile The cadets are keeping quiet too…...

Inspiring to Achieve

W E ’ R E O N THE WEB : W W W . NACF . ORG . UK

Disclaimer

February’s Review

This document is not an official publication of Northumbria ACF. It is produced for the guidance of Alnwick Detachment cadets only. Any opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Northumbria ACF or the Army.

Submissions

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ryan Merriman and Kris Lemche in Final Destination 3

Deadline for March 2006 edition:

FINAL DESTINATION 3

Monday, 6th March 2006

Combustion, mutilation and decapitation are only slightly less painful than watching Final Destination 3. James Wong, director of the first instalment, returns to the helm for this much maligned sequel. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Wendy, a control-freak who has visions of her cocky school chums perishing in a roller-coaster crash. Wendy, sensing impending doom, gets off the ride and tries to drag her friends with her. Some remain on the ride and are wiped out in an impressively staged adrenaline-packed sequence. In common with the other films, the few lucky survivors are wiped out one by one in a series of highly implausible accidents. Once more Wong raises the issues of fate and predestination, but fails to address them. Instead of filling the audience with fear the lingering camera shots of faulty electrical wiring and misplaced tools make this appear to be a cheesy public information video. There are many more satisfying ways of filling 93 minutes of your life—like watching Sunderland lose a football match.

Publication of March 2006 edition: Monday, 13th March 2006

The following items can be published: Personal notices and announcements, adult & cadet profiles, reviews of weekend camps, photos. Items do not have to be ACF related. All items will be vetted and may be edited.