REGIMENTAL AND RHQ PARA NEWS
1 PARA
1 PARA continues to support the UKSF community with on average 42% of the unit deployed or at Extremely High Readiness (less than 12hrs NTM). The major peak of activity over the last 6 months was during the Olympics when 3 of the 4 Strike Companies were committed on operations or in direct support of UKSF.
The challenge of the maritime private security companies appears to be receding with the number of soldiers Notice To Terminate falling as the private security companies move their recruiting focus to the Eastern European Market.
Although their actions remain in the shadows, the dangers those on operations face should not be underestimated: 2x US servicemen and 6x Afghan soldiers have been killed supporting SFSG operations, one paratrooper has lost his foot to an IED and a score of others have been wounded. Soldiers have also been awarded 1x MC, 2x MiD and 1x JCC in the last two Op Hons Lists.
2 PARA
2 PARA continue to concentrate on low level training for contingency operations prior to the start of their formal Unit build up training over the period Jan –Apr 13 prior to taking the Air Assault Task Force role from 5 SCOTS in May 13. This has allowed a plethora of opportunities for the battalion including training with a company of the Royal Omani Army, small group deployments on HMS PROTECTOR during her tour in the South Atlantic, the Mortar Platoon trained a Serra Leone battalion about to deploy to Somalia, a small group joined 2nd REP for their Camerone day celebrations, and sent a team to South Africa to compete in an African shooting competition.
The bulk of the battalion was deployed in support of the Olympics and the battalion will rotate companies with 3 PARA through the FIRIC tasking this Summer and Autumn, so it is unlikely the battalion will complete it summer leave allocation much before Christmas! The battalion is currently the focus for recruit inflow and it is anticipated that the battalion will return to a three rifle company ORBAT in Jun 13.
On the sporting front the battalion reached the quarter finals of the Army Football Cup and provided players to the Army and Combined Service Teams. The battalion aims to follow in the footsteps of 3 PARA and is preparing to enter a team in the Army Novice Championships this season. In addition the battalion managed to deliver two large scale skiing expeditions.
The 70th Anniversary of Op BITING was very well attended although the planned parachute descent was cancelled to torrential rain.
3 PARA
3 PARA continue to hold the Airborne Company and Bn TAC HQ in support of 5 SCOTS as the Air Assault Task Force and will do so until 2 PARA takeover the role in May 13. Similarly to 2 PARA the battalion has concentrated on low level skills and has grasped the opportunities afforded by the FIRIC role to conduct some very arduous field firing in harsh weather conditions. The Olympic support task took any remaining manpower from the battalion.
3 PARA retained the Army Novice Boxing Trophy and look set to try and repeat the feat again this year.
The battalion has lost a significant amount of manpower to the private military companies but as with 1 PARA this now appears to be stabilising. In June the battalion celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Falklands with a dinner night at which the majority of the 3 PARA Officer veterans attended.
4 PARA
Another busy year for 4 PARA, the smallest TA Infantry battalion, who mobilised 16 pax to deploy with 1 YORKS in Apr 12, another 71 pax in support of the Olympics and a further 34 pax who will deploy on HERRICK 18 in October with 2 RTR.
The battalion conducted a highly successful Freedom Parade in Liverpool. This event also included a 70th Anniversary Commemoration Supper in St George’s Hall. 4 PARA was involved in this years Arnhem celebrations where over 1,200 paratroopers from 9 nations jumped onto Ginkel Heath DZ in front of some 20,000 spectators.
All of this has been conducted against the backdrop of the Army 2020/Future Reserves 2020 papers. Critically 4 PARA has been selected as the first Reserve Infantry Battalion to integrate into a Regular command structure (16 Air Asslt Bde) and a study has been commissioned by 16 Air Asslt Bde into incorporating Reservists into the High Readiness Air Assault Task Force.
On the adventure training side 4 PARA ran a very successful Regimental skiing trip to Kitzbuhel where 54 paratroopers endured a P Coy on skis and a cross Regimental group conducted a diving trip in the Red Sea.
PARA TRG COY, 2 ITB
After failing to load fully the first 4 platoons of the training year, PARA Trg Coy are now building up to full training capacity and agreement has been reached with ARTD for an additional SE platoon to train this year. This will maximise the PARA Trg Coy out load to 10x SE platoons (starting at 48 per platoon) and 2x JE intakes from AFC(H) with a maximum of 60 JE soldiers joining senior platoons in Week 6. The CIC (PARA) course has been overhauled again to undo the resources driven changes which impacted negatively in the previous training year and the use of professional athletic psychological training techniques has been employed to better prepare the recruits prior to P Coy. These have increased the pass rates both in P Coy and throughout the course and for the first time pass rates are averaging 50%.
The PARAs 10 was again hosted by P Coy in September and we wait to find out what the total amount raised for Parachute Regiment charities.
MANNING AND RECRUITING
My focus, in line with the Col Comdts ME, since arriving in Apr 12 has been to return the Regiment to full manning. In order to realise this have I engaged with ARTD, the Commanders Regional Recruiting (CsRR) and coordinated and focussed the efforts of the Regimental Recruiting Team. ARTD has authorised an increase in the number of platoons that the Parachute Regiment can train at ITC (although manned with BE), and on the back of a National Infantry Recruiting campaign the RRT has focussed on the main conurbations in the Midlands and London.
From a position where the Regiment was failing to fill the recruit platoons starting at ITC, we now have the highest number of candidates attending Army Development and Selection Centres (ADSC), have fully loaded platoons with a 12 week lead time for loading into a platoon, have increased the JE out load from AFC(H) to ITC from 30/yr to 60/yr and through a review of training at ITC have increased the overall recruit platoon pass rates to 50%.
It will take about 6 months before the effects of this will be seen by the battalions but, with the diminishing lure of the PMCs, the effects of A2020 on the wider Infantry which is likely to lead to increased interest in transfer to PARA Bns, and a proposal from APC that the Parachute Regiment is taken out of the Tranche 3 and Tranche 4 redundancy pools as a Pinch point trade, I would anticipate that 2 PARA can return to a 3x Rifle Coy ORBAT by Jun 13 and 3 PARA to a 3x Rifle Coy ORBAT by Jan 15.
RHQ / REGIMENTAL RECOVERY CELL (RCC)
Paul Rogers continues to give clear direction to the Colchester RHQ, with Maj Paul Raison now established as the Regt Adjutant.
The RRC continues to deliver the coordinated and coherent service in the recovery and or transition of Regimental soldiers who are downgraded. The impact of Tranche 3 redundancy is forcing COs to ensure that any downgraded personnel are being managed within the PAP10 regulations (any that are not within the PAP10 process by Jun 13 will become liable for T3 action) which has increased the numbers they are coordinating to approx 250.
FFT
The Red Devils continue to be a success and as previously reported is one of only two Army Display Teams to be formally recognised and publicly funded. The team will be publicly funded from 01 Jan 13, however the Team’s current operating model and sponsorships will remain in place. Negotiations are ongoing regarding the recovery of sunk equipment costs (approx £264K) but there is a recognition that the Regiment should be reimbursed for the transfer and use of their freefall equipment.
The Regimental Branding will remain prominent as it moves into the public domain.
COMMEMORATIONS
Since the last update Commemoration Pilgrimages have taken place in Normandy, South of France and Arnhem. The 70th Anniversary of Op BITING took place in June with representation by CO 2 PARA and Major Gen James Bashall on behalf of the Col Comdt.
The unveiling of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum on 13 Jul 12, in torrential rain, was a memorable occasion and it is the intent that the Regiment use the Memorial as a centre of gravity for future memorials. The PRA will be leading on a memorial day on 22 Jun 13.
