Afghanistan CO's Update 6

This a selective extract from the Commanding Officers written brief to the soldiers and families.

"Most of you will now be aware that A Company Group is due to deploy to Afghanistan imminently for a relatively short deployment of 4 to 6 weeks. They are to support 1 RGR, who were our successors as the Regional Battle Group (South) (RBG(S)).

The Company Group will spend a few days in Camp Bastian in Helmand Province conducting in-theatre training prior to deploying to and linking-up with 1 RGR.

No members of the Company Group are in any doubt as to the potential demands of the forthcoming operation, but they are looking forward to it and are highly motivated, especially as their planned deployment in early July was cancelled just a week before they were due to deploy. A Company Group are well trained and well prepared and are aware that the demands of the operation are likely to be very different to those experienced during B Company’s deployment, where extremes of heat were encountered. This time, as much of the Province is at altitude, conditions are likely to be quite chilly, with light snow and freezing temperatures being possible at night."

Thanks to Al for putting the details of the most recent deployment on the site already. For those of you who may have access to ArmyNet, I will continue to run a Blog on the Battalion's webpage covering developments and activities on this deployment, but for those who do not have access, Al and I will try to keep you up-to-date via this Forum.

As Al has said, A Coy Gp has just deployed for about a 4 to 5 week period in order to reinforce the Gurkhas, who took over from us in Afghanistan. On current plans, A Coy Gp will return to Cyprus in late November. Their deployment is for a specific large-scale opertion to clear the Taliban out of an area that they currently control. We are under no illusions that this is likely to be a high-intensity war-fighting operation and A Coy Gp will be in the midst of things. I have the ultimate faith in their ability to conduct this operation in a professional and determined manner which will ultimately lead to success. They were itching to deploy, especially as their deployment in July was cancelled at the last minute. .

We have also been warned-off for two further small-scale deployments, of about Platoon size, to Afghanistan later this year. D Company, who only recently returned from 4 months in Iraq, will be providing the manpower for these deployment.

As you will be aware, we will retain the role as the Theatre Reserve Battalion (TRB) until 1 June 2008, so with 7 months still to go, two deployments under our belts, a third deployment ongoing and another two in the pipeline, things are shaping-up for a busy time ahead. I shall continue to keep you informed as and when I have more to report.

Regards,

Huw James