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Recent
Activities
Since
the transition from the FCA to the Army Reserve things have been very
busy for B Company. The new organisation requires a higher level of training
and B Company has certainly been heavily involved in this. In addition
to increased training opportunities there has been more interaction with
the Regular Army which has helped improve the level of training for all.
2007
has seen another busy year of training so far with the company being represented
on a wide variety of training courses, ceremonial events and operations.
Annual Personal Weapons Tests were completed in January and February on
both Steyr and GPMG with good results.
The period
from January to June saw the completion of 2-3 star training for last
years two stars and the beginning of recruit training for our new recruit
platoon. Most of the recruits completed their recruit training at the
annual recruit camp held in the Glen of Imaal and the Curragh with instructors
from the company teaching them, along with the rest of the battalion's
recruits.
In
March members of the company were sent on the Brigades MT (Motor Transport)
driving course qualifying them to drive Nissan Patrol off-road vehicles
and other vehicles.
From
January until April instructors from B company ran the battalion's Preliminary
Potential NCO's (PNCO) course to prepare the PNCO's from the unit for
the Brigade PNCO course in the Summer.
B Company
was represented at the Brigade and All Army rifle and Light Machine Gun
(LMG) shoots winning the best individual on the LMG in the Brigade. A
team from the company also participated at the Brigades Orienteering competition
winning Novice Individual (Female).
The company
was again represented at the 1916 Easter Rising commemoration with members
having the honour of participating in a 100-man Presidential Guard of
Honour outside the General Post Office in Dublin.
Members
from the company also attended and completed the Potential NCO's Course,
and Standard Officer's Course.
In 2006
the company conducted several courses including a General Purpose Machine
Gun course (GPMG), a GPMG
SF (Sustained Fire) course, and an 84
Anti Tank course. Personnel from the company were also represented
on the 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun Course (HMG)
, the SINCGAR Radio Operator's course, the Potential Non Commissioned
Officers (NCO's) course and Standard NCO's course.
In
addition to these courses troops from the company participated in 2 weeks
of exercises with the regular Army. Other activities throughout the year
included training new recruits, advanced training for 2 & 3* privates,
shooting practices, combat training weekends and ceremonial events including
the Easter Parade.
One of
the high points of the year was the Eastern Brigade (Reserve Defence Forces)
Combined Weapons Shoot in the Glen of Imaal where members of the company
put their training into practice and fired the GPMG SF and 12.7mm HMG.
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