Weekend @ RAF Boulmer

About a month ago we had a weekend at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland, on this weekend we passed our MATTS (mandatory annual training tests) to qualify for the annual bounty. What this involves is pretty much a quick going over of what you would have gone thru during your basic training. Some of which are,

Navigation test (classroom)

WHT (weapons handling test) including a shoot.

First Aid test (classroom)

PFT (personal fitness test) could be 1.5mile run or a Bleep test, also press ups & sit ups in a certain time depending on age.

CFT (combat fitness test) 8mile fast walk with 20 kg Bergen to be completed in two hours.

Plus more things which i wont bore you with but the above are the main parts.

We got to RAF Boulmer at around 9pm on the Friday night, our accommodation was to be the transit block, now those who have stayed at Army barracks will know that the accommodation for private soldiers is pretty basic to say the least, so it was a great boost to see what accommodation the RAF gave us, basically you had your own room (the door even had a lock) two wardrobes, nice comfy bed, bedside light (major luxury), window that opens, mirror, and your own sink. The room even had carpet. and this was the transit block.

I unpack and hang up my uniform ready for the morning, and go to the main classroom, we have a few talks about OP tosca (Cyprus) and then the make shift bar opens, these weekends are good for catching up with people you met while going thru basic training or other courses in the past. After a few drinks i went to my luxurious bedroom and slept like i log without any worries about getting woken up by someone snoring, 6 am I'm up and ready, we have quite a few classroom lessons otherwise known as death by PowerPoint, then we do the navigation test and first aid test.

After that we go to a separate part of Boulmer where the indoor shooting range is DCCT (Dismounted Close Combat Trainer) basically a giant xbox 360 with real SA80`s converted for use with this amazing bit of kit. you have to take five shots at a target in the sitting, prone, standing and kneeling positions and you have to get a certain grouping per target to pass. I find the standing position the hardest, but i pass anyway, altho the DCCT is great and i could easily play on it all day if i were given the chance, i much prefer live shooting, the smell you get after firing a live round, the kick in your shoulder, the sound, the nervousness you get when you know you have live rounds and you need to be 100% in control at all times, you don't get that with the DCCT.

After the DCCT its onto the Gas chamber or the CBRN testing area (Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) Basically here we get into our CBRN kit, put our respirators on and enter a chamber where CS gas is released, I've done this a few times now but it still gets to me, if you are unfortunate to get a lung full of CS gas while trapped in a small indoor space its not pleasant, luckily this time all went well and i carried out the drills perfectly and didn't choke.

After that we were back to the transit block for yet more PowerPoint lessons. Mustn't forget to mention the food, i thought the food we got with the army was good until i tasted the RAF food, it was absolutely perfect, and lots of it, i would happily pay a decent amount to receive this good quality food in a restaurant, the RAF people are lucky, great accommodation, great food, what more could you ask for. I made the effort to find the chefs and thanked them personally.

Sunday it was time for the dreaded CFT (combat fitness test) 8 miles with a 20kg bergan. We all lined up, had our bergans checked to see if it was the correct weight, then fell in to three ranks, off we went, now i had no idea i was carrying an injury to my right calf muscle until we started, after only five minutes into it i was in pain, every step i took felt like i was being kicked in the leg, i knew i was in for hell.

On a CFT you HAVE to keep in three ranks, there can be NO gaps between you and the person in front, so basically i had to run to keep up, every time i put my right foot down i was almost collapsing with the pain, normally CFT`s do not bother me, they are easy to be honest, but if you have an injury to your legs or your feet you will suffer.

Halfway thru i was suffering, i was shattered having to run to keep up, two others dropped out and that made things even worse, not only did it piss off the SGT Major but we had to carry the bergans from the guys who dropped out, i wanted the ground to open up and swallow me, my leg was in intense pain, was shattered from running and to make things worse a bitch of a blister was developing on my left heal, but one thing i will never do is give up, i will never quit, i would have to be put on a stretcher and carried away before i quit. I just thought about the lads who have lost their legs in Afghanistan and then realised altho in pain i still have mine, that carried me on to the end and i completed the CFT.

That was the final part of the weekend, Very enjoyable, RAF personnel were very friendly and welcoming.

Next blog update will be Weekend @ Berwick.