LCpl Scarrott, Dr Andy Storer, SSgt Wilcock, WO1 (Corps ASM) Bateman and Jill Dwyer, IMechE share their impressions of the day's events, their importance to IMechE and engineering in Germany and future plans for IMeche-related activities in Germany.
Lance Corporal Scarrott EngTech MIMechE
With guests coming to Gutersloh from as far away as Hamburg, Berlin and even Munich the event began on the 15 September with welcome drinks and food. This was followed by a presentation by SSgt Wilcock on the Corps, our ES principles and the typical career path and responsibilities of REME soldiers, aligned along the professional registration route, with a great deal of interest being shown by our civilian guests.
The presentation was followed by a round-robin display of regimental and workshop equipment including the AS90, CRARRV, engineering command, control and repair assets as well as a small arms display. This gave the guests a chance to meet soldiers from the workshop and to understand more about equipment support in the field and how the REME soldier deploys, lives and works.
After the obligatory German coffee and cake break, Dr Andrew Storer FIMechE took the opportunity to speak with the workshop regarding the route to registration, both following the REME framework and the civilian path. An open discussion on the educational requirements for Incorporated and Chartered status followed with military and guests taking a great deal away for consideration.
A final presentation from a member representing the ARTEC company who manufacture the BOXER APC gave us an interesting insight into the development of armoured vehicles.
Dr Andy Storer CEng FIMechE, Germany group chair
With absolutely no military experience between them, the Germany Group visitors soon saw that engineers serving with REME are regularly confronted with a very different set of technical problems to civilian engineers, often involving discomfort and the risk of personal injury. The main message was “soldier first”, which means that in the combat zone REME engineers must not only arrive equipped to sort technical issues, they do so while carrying full military kit including personal weapons.
The visitors were shown the REME equivalent of the RAC van – a CRARRV Armoured Recovery Vehicle which is based on the Challenger Tank and used to recover stranded vehicles. When on a mission, this vehicle serves not only as tow truck and mobile workshop, but is home for the crew of four REME engineers for the entire duration of the mission. Although stripped to the bare minimum when back in base, in the field additional protection is provided by additional explosive armour and a life-saving outer mesh designed to simultaneously catch and defuse incoming rocket-propelled grenades. The mesh works ingeniously by crushing the nose-cone of the grenade, which fortuitously neutralises the fuse arrangement!
The visitors learned that a howitzer is a gun firing a shell which reaches an obscured target via a trajectory rather than along a direct line-of-sight. They were given a close-up demonstration of the firing sequence of the AS90 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer, one of the largest vehicles supported by the Gütersloh-based workshop. A full afternoon of activity included a demonstration of the mobile command centre used for missions and also the maintenance routines for small arms weapons. It was a thoroughly fascinating and highly entertaining visit kindly organised by Germany Group member, Staff Sergeant Graeme Wilcock.
But, in true British army tradition, everything stopped for tea and cakes.
Staff Sergeant Wilcock BEng MIMech, E Artificer Vehicles
This visit was a unique opportunity to showcase our skills as engineers as well as to build a link with our civilian engineering peers, here in Germany, from companies such as Airbus, BP and ARTEC. I thank the REME Charity for their financial support of this event as well as Dr Andy Storer and Mr Paul Berry for their interesting and thought provoking presentations.
Having been a member of the IMechE for some time, and recently taking over as the Rhein-Ruhr group representative, I am passionate about professional registration. Professional registration and group engagement is growing quickly within the workshop. We recently had two of our junior soldiers partaking in a cross border CPD event in with the BENELUX IMechE Group; I fully expect this trend to continue following the groups visit to us.
Moving forward from this visit one of my goals will be to establish a mentoring network of REME and civilian members. The group will help those seeking registration at IEng and CEng to benefit from the wealth of experience and knowledge the diverse group has, noting how important mentoring, interview preparation and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) are to this process.
For those EngTech registrants, I would again emphasise the benefits of the group in helping you develop as an engineer - as well as noting that the Rhein-Ruhr group currently has no young member representative!
Longer term we hope to host the group in Mansergh Barracks for its Annual General Meeting next year, as well as running further technical visits and social events across the Rhein-Ruhr region. In the meantime, I would urge any IMechE members here in BFG to get in touch with either myself or Dr Andy Storer and engage with the group.
I look forward to meeting you in the future.
Warrant Officer1 (Corps ASM) Bateman, IEng MSOE MIRTE CMgr
As a Corps of professional engineers, I believe that it is vitally important that all of our tradesmen should pursue engineering accreditation. There are many benefits to membership. Not only does it demonstrate that you are a professionally qualified engineer who is passionate about a career in engineering, it will also aid you when you come to leave the Army and transition to civilian employment. Holding EngTech/IEng/CEng status strongly indicates credibility in both the military and civilian engineering profession. The majority of soldiers join the REME to learn a trade and gain associated qualifications. I encourage them all to take advantage of the fantastic opportunities available in the Corps of REME and apply for professional engineering accreditation.
Jill Dwyer Armed Forces IMechE Representative
IMechE’s Specially Authorised Process (SAP) for REME candidates allows personnel who meet the career trigger points to apply through a streamlined route to registration. In a change to the SAP, Staff Sergeant Artificers with two years in post can now apply for IEng providing they meet the academic requirements, rather than wait until promotion to WO2. Full details of the REME route to professional registration can be found at www. imeche.org/armedforces. I am always happy to answer questions and provide support, please contact me at dlo@imeche.org.
Background - the Germany Group
The Germany Group of the IMechE was formed in November 2012 and has a total membership of over 700, including affiliate members (approximately 200 members excluding affiliates). It is divided into five regional panels (Northern, Berlin & Eastern, Southern, Rhein-Main-Neckar and Rhein-Ruhr) and members are associated with one of the panels depending on their postcode.
The committee of the Germany Group includes five representatives for each of the panels, a young-member coordinator, a secretary (who is also vice-chair) and a chair - eight volunteers in total. In addition, all of the panels, except Rhein-Ruhr, have a local young-member representative who assists in the organisation of local events. The Germany Group organises professional support including training events, membership workshops and professional review interviews in Germany as well as technical visits and networking events.