Hello Highlanders,
As I write this blog, we are closing out another training year and beginning to look forward to the summer months and the fall training cycle.
This has certainly been a challenging year. The restrictions on training imposed by health protection measures required ongoing adjustments to plans, training, ceremonies and everything that is uniquely 48th. I want to thank all of you for your patience as we navigated through these challenges.
Many of you have already headed out on courses or will do so shortly. I wish you the best of luck on your training. Listen intently to what your instructors are teaching you and learn all you can. Then bring your new skills back to the unit.
We also have a total of 25 Highlanders on their DP1 INF courses which means A Coy will increase in size by 25 more trained Highlanders. This will raise the company’s strength to almost 3 platoons in size. Excellent news!
We will also have more trained Clerks and Pipers/Drummers as we grow those trades as well, this summer.
For those not going on career courses, I encourage you to keep your eyes open for summer training opportunities at the unit, to keep you engaged and in contact.
There may be other opportunities this summer for short courses such as Driver Wheel. If you want to get qualified as a driver, let your chain of command know so Ops is aware of your interest, then complete the online DLN Safe Driver course and forward your certificate to the BOR and Ops for data entry.
There will not be a lot of advance warning for some of these opportunities if they come up, so it is important to let your chain of command know what dates you can attend training with little notice.
Vaccinations are continuing to roll out in Toronto. If you have not booked an appointment to get your shots, do so as soon as you can and inform your CoC. This will be important going forward so higher HQ’s can set up training that we are allowed to conduct.
Note that this coming fall, we are planning some exciting training including working at integrating with 1 RCR as part of our Mission Task.
I also want to encourage all ranks to take the time over the summer to recharge your body batteries and be ready to meet these new challenges head on.
Also, make sure your paperwork is up to date in the BOR – including medical and FORCE requirements, so we can accomplish what we are planning. Take time, as well to make sure your kit is field ready. Clothing stores are open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during the day for exchanges and issuance of kit. Call 416-633-6200 loc 3846 to book an appointment. Check over your boots and if you need to get new ones, get them ordered and delivered during the summer so you are ready for the fall. In addition, if you have not already done so, go on Logistik Unicorp and order your Balmoral, Glengarry, Leather Sporran, Lovat Hose, Brogues and anything else you need for DEUs. It does not matter if you have any of this issued from the Regiment.
Please order the items from Logistik and return the items issued by the Regiment. That will allow us to outfit more new Highlanders until they are able to order their kit from Logistik.
In addition to the training being planned, we will be hosting the RSCC course from November until spring for the MCpls who need this. Please plan on attending this course.
Finally, this coming October is an important time in the life of our Regiment. We will be celebrating our 130th anniversary on October 16th. Due to the ongoing COVID mitigation measures, exact details are not finalised yet as to how we will mark this occasion. Stay tuned for more information as it develops.
We will also have a change of Commanding Officer in October. Again, the exact format of how this will transpire is still being planned. But it will happen and we as a Regiment need to be ready to support whatever format is chosen.
That’s all for now.
Stay Healthy and Safe and we will see you all either during the summer or in September.
9C out.
