7 News Belize

BDF and Brits Shoulder to Shoulder
posted (November 9, 2015)
A week ago, we told you how the BATSUB has returned to Belize both in numbers and for increased training activities. Right now, there are 2 training courses that they are offering to selected BDF Soldiers, those being the Fire Team Commanders and the Skill At Arms regimens.

Those BDF soldiers in training, along with the squad from the British Army in Belize, took on a 9 mile march and shoot competition early SUNDAY morning. It's a very tough test of wills and endurance, and the BDF invited our news team out to observe how the soldiers performed. Daniel Ortiz has that story:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
These BDF soldiers may look right in form as they hoist their rifles and fire round after round at the targets.

If you look more closely, however, you'll start to see signs on fatigue on them, sweat drenched uniforms, and maybe a little quickening in their breathing. After all, they had just run about 9 miles before being expected to perform perfect marksmanship. Just the running itself is taxing, both physically and mentally.

Capt. Mark Bagguley - OC, Short Term Training Team, BATSUB
"It's very difficult. The environment itself and the heat is one of the challenges. They are moving as fast as they can. As I said it will test their mental physical robustness and when they shoot again, it's under the pressure of time. So they don't have the luxury. So they have to make snap judgement on the ground and react accordingly."

Capt. Victor Briceno - OC, Training, BDF
"It's basically running 9 miles with full weights and completing those tasks within every two miles and completing the 9 miles, they will then fire up on the range at certain targets at certain areas and should do that to gain points and see who is the top shooter within all of that. It's a lot of work and leadership and strength. It's a lot of work in everything. As you know the heat and the weather will be kind of tight and they will have to perform above and beyond what they are called for."

Capt. Mark Bagguley
"They are carrying 35 pounds plus their weapons. So it is quite heavy."

Capt. Victor Briceno - OC, Training, BDF
"Even though you might train and that is why you train hard, so that when you take assessment like these, just to show an example, a normal soldier will run a mile with load about 15 minutes. In this case, they have to do that in 10. So if you notice one-third of that time is being cut away and even though you are trained hard, you have to still meet that. It is still challenging, including the environment plus the weather - the climate itself will tax you. So no matter how hard you train - just like any Olympian. He will train for 4 years and when he performs it's just for 10 minutes, but that 10 minutes needs to sum up to the full 4 years of training. So it's basically that. It will be challenging and that is why it is designed that way, so that you could meet and taxed your threshold and pass that."

Earlier in the morning, we found 6 teams near the Hattieville Boom Bridge, readying themselves to take off.

Later, when our camera caught up with them a few miles in, the effort to keep marching appeared to be a constant struggle. Yet, each team dug deep, and took about a little over an hour to arrive at the Hattieville BDF Firing Range.

Since live bullets were being fired, this flag was shown to warn all military personnel to be very careful when approaching.

Once inside the compound, we saw that the firing range had been prepared for all 6 competing squads to show up and start shooting. The British team finished first and lined up and then took off to start firing.

Some time later, the first BDF squad, was next to line up and fire away. Then second BDF Squad to arrive took their spot next, until all slots were full. All of that took place under the watchful observation the high ranking officers, who were there monitoring their progress

After all the shooting was done, each team then checked to see how they did with the marksmanship

And all scores were carefully tabulated to see which squad performed the best. But, apart from the pride of being the toughest and the most battle ready, what are the other benefits of putting these soldiers through this type of punishment?

Capt. Mark Bagguley
"As the construct of the event is shown, it just test the mental and physical robustness of all the soldiers taking part."

Daniel Ortiz
"What have you seen in terms of strengths and weaknesses of all the teams?"

Capt. Mark Bagguley
"Just total strength really. They actual design of the course shows that ultimately at the end of the course with the participants picking up a burden which is simulated ammunition which is just total physical robustness. So eight and half miles after enduring quite an arduous march, they then pick up a burden which is simulated ammunition and water, which is no mean feat really."

Warrant Officer Class 2 Soberanis Smith - Sergeant Major, Training Company
"Some of the things that we would hope them to take away from this is the challenge and even after you are tired, as a junior leader, there are certain components of leadership that still have to be executed and even though you are tired and fatigue, we are looking for that internal aspect of them to still accomplish the mission to still get certain things done. I must say in regards to that, I am real happy to see them have that kind of passion to get more done."

Normally, BDF soldiers are required to run a mile in 15 minutes as the minimum standard. In yesterday's competition, all the soldiers were expected to run that same mile in 10 minutes or less, so as to increase the difficulty.

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