Underused asset? Discuss…
Visited an old colleague recently where he had nearly 20 of the bad boys that have never been drawn in recent times yet nobody was willing to get them moved to a wing that might like to use them.
It does depend entirely on where you are. We use ours regularly for ISCRM training, but it generally requires you (as a Wing) to have competent target rifle shooters on the staff.
Definately underused, which is a shame really, as a Cadet, I loved the fortnightly or so trips to Strensall ranges to fire this weapon, as a staff member, I can’t remember the last time any shooting opportunity came the Squadrons way.
[quote=“sirvicalsmeer” post=641]Underused asset? Discuss…
Visited an old colleague recently where he had nearly 20 of the bad boys that have never been drawn in recent times yet nobody was willing to get them moved to a wing that might like to use them.[/quote]
I’ve got 9 of them issued to my Wing. They’re used fairly regularly… (We’ve got 37 Sqns).
Went to a local CCF unit and they’ve got 10 of the buggers chucked under a table and they’ve never been fired in anger. The only entries in the log book at the annual 5 rounds by ABRO
[quote=“sirvicalsmeer” post=641]Underused asset? Discuss…
Visited an old colleague recently where he had nearly 20 of the bad boys that have never been drawn in recent times yet nobody was willing to get them moved to a wing that might like to use them.[/quote]
The same could be said of some of the [ever decreasing] No 8’s left in circulation - a local armourer mentioned that when they saw the logs, they hadn’t been fired since their last service. Sad times when there’s squadrons out there without and/or hammering the few they have for everything.
RE the L81s, it’s quite hit and miss [forgive the pun] across the country, some are well used and utilised, others aren’t. One thing we have noticed recently - which has certainly impacted on our own LR shooting, is the availability/willingness of booking cells to provide access to suitable ranges. Our local cell have recently said “one cadet weekend per month” for some areas; and the individual squadrons, wings, ACF, SCC and some CCF all vying for the same limited resources, it can generate a number of problems - not least expectations of use (ACF wanted to play L98 only, whilst we wanted to do L98(am) and L81(pm) - leading to some long winded discussions!). Additionally, we’ve also had people join us from across the Region for L81 sessions due to their Wg “not doing L81”.
Don’t understand the reluctance to get them moved somewhere useful.
To quote a well used phrase…
“You can’t have them - somebody else might need them”
Hardly surprising. HQAC are aware and have done nowt.
Shame really! In all honesty I bet less than 50% of the corps L81s are used regularly!
I’d say possibly less.
luckily we were able to use another Wing’s allocation for Bisley this year.
as they were not entering.
Meant we had to travel a good few miles to get them though.
Shame really! In all honesty I bet less than 50% of the corps L81s are used regularly![/quote]I would concur - and I’d go as far as to say that, if my Wg and two of our neighbouring Wings are anything to go by, of all the cadets in the Corps, I think it’s probably fewer than 5% that would ever get trigger time on it. That’s the real shame.
I bet that figure is even lower in my reigon. I’m one of 4 RCOs (& 2 WIs) Qualified in my wing to run L81 Ranges/Training. Had to visit another SATT a few years ago to get trained (they put the course on specially because we asked) and despite asking the SATT Team fairly regularly for training nothing has been forthcoming, leaving me frustrated to say the least!
What training do you require?
Training on the rifle isn’t required but SATT need to “sign off” the relevant persons in their 7257 as having L81A2 as an authorized WS for WI©s / RCOs
Last i heard is that there were 15 cadets in surrey wing WHT’d on the L81
When the L81A2s were first allocated/issued, it was done so on the proviso that if they did not get put to good use, they would be removed and reallocated to units/wings that were crying out for more of them.
I wonder if that policy still exists and if so, why it isn’t being enforced?
My experience of it is that L81s are re-allocated between Wings and Regions if required. Certainly in the past few years where we as a Wing and Region needed additional rifles, a simple request to SDT and TG5 sorted it out, with armouries well out of our region making rifles available as they were not being utilised.