Peoples Stories
LEAD FIRST – Opportunities for Reserve Officers Scribe: 2Lt Wells
F
or the last 12 months since commissioning into 102 (Force Support) Battalion REME, I have been working full-time on Lead First, a programme for recently Commissioned Officers to work on a Full Time Reservist Service (FTRS) commitment to work alongside Regular Army peers. The programme is designed to give young Army Reserve officers the confidence and experience which would otherwise take years to attain. By virtue of this, they are a better asset when they return to their normal Reservist role, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience back to pass on to their peers and subordinates. The programme does this with two main elements: firstly, by integrating Young Officers within Regular units to shadow their counterparts. Secondly, by participating on career courses which mean you will have all the qualifications you need until you reach Capt, allowing more time to be put towards exercising with the unit. So far I have completed the Defence Trainer Capability course and with a recently agreed six-month extension up to May 22, I will also have also completed the Military Systems Engineering Course (LAND) (MSEC(L)), Junior Officer Leadership Programme 3 (JOLP 3), The Junior Officers’ Tactics Awareness Course (JOTAC) (Regular Course) and the Land Nav SME course. As an Army Reservist, fitting those courses in around a civilian career would take a couple of years, whereas with Lead First the ability is there to do the longer Regular courses and get them all done within 12 months; meaning you are much further ahead in
2Lt Wells on Op RESCRIPT with 1 CS Bn REME, sniff test to check the seal of the COVID PPE
your career progression than you otherwise would be. As a Reservist, Lead First provides opportunities that you can’t get in any other way because the programme is funded through its own budget pot; therefore, you’re not using your parent unit’s Reserve Service Days (RSD) allocation, or, other resources so the opportunities can be great for all parties. This has allowed for a wealth of opportunities for me to experience this year; after two months of Regimental Duties, my first attachment was to 1 (Close Support) Battalion REME (1 CS REME) on Op RESCRIPT. Dubbed an “RAF exercise” due to the comfort of the hotel we were staying in but the work came straight at us on the first day. The hospital staff, as well as the patients, were really pleased to see us and we were delivering a real effect that was rewarding for all involved. Whether it was moving patients throughout the hospital, “runner” tasks or cleaning; nothing was beneath anyone involved. The morale boost to the staff and patients was huge and they were evidently sad to see us leave. This was definitely the highlight of my year because of the tangible effect we delivered. Out on a daily PT session in Cyprus following this where I had 5 weeks on Ex LION STAR 4 with 4 (Armoured Close Support) Battalion REME (4 ACS REME) as Ex LION STAR 4 with 4 ACS Bn REME, out on a daily PT Session in Cyprus Platoon Commander on a
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