WEBVTT 00:01.984 --> 00:06.151 - So today it's been practicing vertical assault techniques, 00:06.350 --> 00:10.015 techniques that we would employ in a mountainous environment 00:10.015 --> 00:13.574 to overcome any obstacles that was en route to an objective, 00:13.574 --> 00:16.041 be it ascending via rope ladders, 00:16.041 --> 00:18.344 ascending via caving ladders, and also 00:18.344 --> 00:22.177 abseiling or rappelling as it's also known as. 00:23.656 --> 00:26.456 This is a key component of Royal Marine training. 00:26.456 --> 00:28.760 We practice this from ship to shore 00:28.760 --> 00:31.856 so in a cliff assault or a beachhead landing 00:31.856 --> 00:35.236 where we need to gain access over an obstacle. 00:35.236 --> 00:37.699 Equally, as mentioned, if we're operating 00:37.699 --> 00:40.917 in the mountains and there was a particular feature 00:40.917 --> 00:43.375 in the way between us and our objective, 00:43.375 --> 00:45.667 we've got the skillset to enable us to overcome 00:45.667 --> 00:48.350 the obstacle and crack on or carry on 00:48.350 --> 00:51.121 with our mission to achieve the aim, 00:51.121 --> 00:52.831 mission to achieve the task. 00:52.831 --> 00:54.664 It was a good insight. 00:54.787 --> 00:58.736 Clearly the language barriers do pose problems at times, 00:58.736 --> 01:02.821 but, you know, I think everyone has worked really well. 01:02.821 --> 01:05.417 The French use similar techniques and similar methods 01:05.417 --> 01:07.794 that we've employed to date, and 01:07.794 --> 01:11.602 through the inter-operability we've managed to discuss 01:11.602 --> 01:14.132 the pros and cons of how we do things 01:14.132 --> 01:15.737 and how they do things. 01:15.737 --> 01:18.729 Equally I understand that the USMC guys, 01:18.729 --> 01:21.658 they do similar training but they don't cover it 01:21.658 --> 01:24.844 quite as often as what we do so it's a good insight 01:24.844 --> 01:29.011 for them to reassess and reevaluate particular areas 01:29.171 --> 01:31.166 where there might be great skill fade. 01:31.166 --> 01:35.333 I think understanding that they're physically capable 01:35.765 --> 01:39.432 of achieving this, the mental obstacles that 01:40.490 --> 01:44.657 ascending poses and rappelling down a steep cliff-face 01:45.528 --> 01:48.580 does push the comfort zone and comfort boundaries 01:48.580 --> 01:50.807 of a lot of people, but by doing this 01:50.807 --> 01:53.887 hopefully they've understood what they're capable of, 01:53.887 --> 01:56.829 given them greater confidence and, you know, 01:56.829 --> 01:59.079 improved a bit of cohesion. 02:00.289 --> 02:01.827 By helping someone who's struggling, 02:01.827 --> 02:04.110 the guys, they're building closer bonds, 02:04.110 --> 02:05.600 whether it be with another squad 02:05.600 --> 02:07.370 or whether it be with the French, 02:07.370 --> 02:08.431 you know, everyone's working together 02:08.431 --> 02:09.760 to achieve the same aims so I think 02:09.760 --> 02:11.831 it's brought people together. 02:11.831 --> 02:15.759 Obviously there's key political advantages to doing, 02:15.759 --> 02:18.267 you know, working together, you know, sharing assets, 02:18.267 --> 02:20.950 albeit the joint exercise of Bold Alligator 02:20.950 --> 02:24.163 where we conducted joint amphibious operations. 02:24.163 --> 02:26.536 You know, this proves that we could work together 02:26.536 --> 02:30.394 in any mountainous environment, in a littoral environment 02:30.394 --> 02:31.644 or whether it be further inland 02:31.644 --> 02:33.755 in a mountainous environment, the two forces 02:33.755 --> 02:37.922 could come together and work with comfort and ease 02:37.932 --> 02:41.265 in future environments, future theaters. 02:41.411 --> 02:43.967 If we can work together the lowest common denominator 02:43.967 --> 02:46.652 which is boots on the ground, hopefully it builds 02:46.652 --> 02:50.016 good foundations and that then feeds up the chain of command 02:50.016 --> 02:53.009 to our respective, you know, command headquarters, 02:53.009 --> 02:55.462 where everybody at all levels understands 02:55.462 --> 02:58.944 that joint operations and joint training pays off 02:58.944 --> 03:01.637 in the end, has got many good values 03:01.637 --> 03:04.148 and is something that we should promote in the future. 03:04.148 --> 03:06.915 I think the follow-on from this, Green Claymore, 03:06.915 --> 03:10.562 is White Claymore where we will be conducting training 03:10.562 --> 03:14.307 and I myself and some of the guys on Green Claymore 03:14.307 --> 03:17.640 will be in charge of providing training, 03:19.690 --> 03:22.101 the cold weather warfare course in Bardufoss 03:22.101 --> 03:25.156 from mid-January to mid-February in 2018, 03:25.156 --> 03:28.656 so building good rapport now should set us 03:29.170 --> 03:31.503 for success in the new year.