Voijek Guardian

In February 2023, elements of 663 Squadron Groundcrew, Signallers and REME deployed to Bassingbourne on Ex VOIJEK GUARDIAN, a basic soldiering skills exercise.

The purpose of the exercise was to refresh basic skills such as patrolling, break contact drills and section attacks, progressing onto platoon level work towards the end of the exercise. Bassingbourne is a small training area, currently home to the Mission Ready Training Centre (MRTC), but is most famous for being the location used to film early scenes in the popular film “Full Metal Jacket”. Utilising recent infantry experience, the instructors progressively built up the skills of those attending, in particular the leadership of those in junior command positions. The lessons were instructional, with the aim to teach rather than assess. This allowed those attending to develop, practice and enhance skills rather than just being tested. Each section was taken through a number of serials, with thorough debriefs on how each element of the patrol could improve. Sections were often able to try the same serial again for the opportunity to immediately learn from mistakes and put new knowledge into practice. Once each section had a solid understanding of the basics, the course was reconstituted as a platoon, and the process began again. Other lessons included practical applications of Battlefield Casualty Drills (BCD, essential first aid), Platoon level Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) and the Combat Estimate. The Combat Estimate is used in all levels of planning. From Section Commanders to Commanding Officers, it is used to formulate complex, well thought out plans, which are then communicated by Orders. This training insight allowed the sections to prepare for the final attack.

The final attack pitted section against section in the attack/ defence of a Forward Operating Base (FOB). Each section was allowed time to plan their attack/ defence using all of the skills they had learned, including an introduction into Close Quarters Combat. As the Army moves to a more conventional fighting style, basic soldiering skills become even more important, and exercises like these allow AAC and REME soldiers to conduct their core trades with greater capacity, knowing that their basic field skills are well honed.