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From ex backhoe, i have learnt that planning and execution on the ground can be a vary due to the terrain situation or other mishaps. This requires us to be adaptable and proficient in all aspects, be it in prodding or clearing of con wire obstacles. And despite it being merely an exercise, the entire exercise is set in a mission context right from the planning till we reach the mission goal. This requires us to constantly be on our toes and abide by the mission requirements, like putting in our 100% focus in everything we do and not be distracted by miscellaneous. This definitely will be applied in exercise crescendo, where the terrain would be much larger and hazardous. I think what went well was that we were extremenly cooperative with the plan, and the instructions given to us by the appointment holders, making everything smoother and more efficient. However, one thing i can improve on is to take everything seriously, even to the menial tasks like prodding. Not focusing could cost us the mission in real time context, and that would be selfish of me.

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1. After experiencing Ex Backhoe, it made me realise the gaps and mistakes that we could have mitigated and how i can improve to clear obstacles more efficiently. Ex Backhoe was an outfield where we made a lot of mistakes collectively, from the force prep to the actual outfield itself, such as forgetting to bring out the wire cutter which was a critical mission essential item. In the future, I would try to help the Ex CPS in checking and ensuring the availability and serviceability of equipment to as some items are bound to be left out due to the hectic schedule they have.
Another mistakes I made is not having efficient command and control when my “pioneers” were clearing the con wires. In future exercises such as EX liger, I will be more situationally aware of my surroundings and ensure that all the TTPs and safety distances are adhered to.

2. One thing I did well in Ex Backhoe is to lift the morale of my section. After clearing the first obstacle, my section were a bit dejected and demoralised due to the many screw-ups we made. However, I told them to move on while we reviewed on our mistakes and how we can improve next time/ in clearing the next obstacles while on the tonner. One thing I could improve on is to be more vocal in leading my men and oversee their actions without assuming that they are aware of the actions to take. I could try improving on the way i delegate certain tasks to each individual such that the clearing of obstacles become smoother and more efficient

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3 lessons
1. Communication is key; communicating across your ideas and messages to other appointment holders and to your pioneers in the most CONCISE & COMPLETE way possible is crucial in ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and smoothly. The point is simply to get across a message, with all the necessary details (how, where, when, who, what) included. With incomplete messages, miscommunications tend to arise and can snowball into huge mess ups.
2. Play your part; not just in being willing to do the work in a team and not slacking off, playing your part also means to truly step into your role during the exercise. If you are a pioneer, execute the tasks proficiently and swiftly, without questioning orders unnecessarily. As a PC, play your role as the director & architect of the operation, keeping your eyes on the bigger picture rather than getting too engrossed in the little things. Keeping a clear work delegation ensures everyone knows what to do and aids the execution of the mission.
3. Adopt the right mindset. In all aspects of the exercise, I must treat it as a real war operation. Mistakes don't just mean a slap on the wrist by instructors, they mean death. Complacency can be fatal. During force prep, diligently checking serviceability pays dividends during actual ops. Ensuring all stores are brought out keeps us adaptable to any situation that may arise. During operations, staying on the ball and aware of surroundings keeps myself & my fellow comrades safe. Staying tactical in movements and execution of tasks is key to ensuring minimum noise signature and maximises our survivability.

Overall, in ex crescendo, I will definitely treat the pre ops force prep phase much more seriously, ensuring all the necessary stores are prepared for the operation. Furthermore, I will remind my section mates to stay sharp and persevere till the end of the mission to achieve mission success.

In ex backhoe, I think I adopted a sense of urgency in all tasks I executed, no matter in clearing the con wire, or in simply moving from place to place (TRA to work site etc.) However, I failed to abide to field discipline, especially in high kneeling when stationary to minimise my body profile, or in staying silent or talking softly to minimise noise signature. It is something I will treat seriously and work on in future exercises, to avoid compromising the security of my platoon.

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this practice give me a better visualization of the practice. it is a form of practice planning and practice. however, in real situations all actions will be according to the plan, do not have to according to the situation. be flexible and adjusting strategies to keep up with the situation. in practice, i still lack understanding and need to learn more.

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EX BACKHOE allowed me to understand the importance of both sticking to the G&T that was discussed and being flexible with it. Sticking to the G&T would allow for smoother workflow, especially if the conditions were as of what was rehearsed, potentially leading to a faster clearing/construction of obstacles. However, since that is rarely the case, being flexible allows concurrent activities to be done if planning for changes needs to be taken place and also allows for effective reallocation of manpower for the task. The exercise also allowed me to understand the importance of preparation, both before and during the mission as without this, processes may be halted, thus slowing down the mission. I feel that one thing good from EX BACKHOE was that the platoon was constantly on the ball, especially towards the end and even though we were tired, we really gave it our all to clear the obstacles. One thing that we can improve on however is being more meticulous in what we do, from the force preparation, to the actual execution of the mission.

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1. Upon completing ex Backhoe I have learnt many considerations which I have to take into account when planning and executing operation plans, for example when planning the G&T you must be very deliberate with your choices on which pioneer does what and how they do it, the specific roles of your SecComs and PS and sec2 ics and when it comes out during execution it can change drastically in which you need to be very flexible for example troop rest area shouldn’t be out in the open but in your obs blown up it may have been in a completely different place. All of these considerations which the pc has to do whilst controlling the entire operation is very taxing in the mind but while be very useful when operating so as to do well in ops and complete the mission.

2. One thing I did well during ex backhoe was pushing myself to do more rather than just resting in the troop rest area I would go do security and try and keep my hands active as much as I could to help add towards the progress of the mission. One thing I could do better is my communication on site during the operation, as times are stressful and everyone is trying to get things done as fast as possible I should be more deliberate and succinct with my communication so we can complete everything quickly but also so there is no confusion which could slow down the operation.

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I learnt that as a PC, not only is planning the execution important, it is also important to be able to adapt and be flexible on the spot. The ability to change a plan and communicate it to your group and get everyone to see the whole situation on the same picture and level is equally important as well. Moving into crescendo, I would focus on communicating a plan better and advising the future exercise PCs to do this as well. One thing I think I would like to improve on is the pacing of the exertion of the PC. With the fact that I almost collapsed during the exercise, I hope the next PC can pace himself out well and not over exert and make the same mistake I did.
I think one thing I did well during he EX was my ability to get the better hang of it as the mission progressed. I thought that I was able to get a better understanding of my role as I progressed, and was able to secure the job better. I think one thing I need to do better is my communication of my plan to my troopers and commanders and get everyone in sync to execute the task optimally.

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1. Upon listening to the plan that the ex pc has vigorously worked on, i was confident that everything on the ground will work out just as planned. To add assurance to that, we performed rehearsals to ensure that everyone in the section understood the assignment. In the rehearsals, we delegated the tasks to the point where each section mate was assigned to a specific job scope (e.g. being the security at which obstacle, etc.). Just as we thought nothing could go wrong, the moment we reached the first obstacle, everything started to scramble up. I will not elaborate on what went wrong, but here is a summary of the lessons we have learnt from the mistakes a committed.
Firstly, the conduct of force preparation before leaving camp and the platoon convoy to overcome any obstacle is of vital importance in terms of allowing the platoon or section to clear the obstacle quickly.
Secondly, we must always account for uncertainties when planning for missions and incorporate contingency plans to them.
Thirdly, the communication between the appointment holders must be clear and directed at the required audience. This is to ensure that the respective appointment holders has the responsibility to ensure the completion of the tasks.
Lastly, no matter how well the planning or TTX is done, the basic TTPs of every soldier must be present in order to ensure mission success and the survivability of the unit.
As for how i would have done differently would be to improve communication between my adjacent unit. This is to get an accurate understanding of what areas are covered by them so as to better utilise the resources and to improve coordination.
2. One thing that i did well was to take initiative to confirm with the PC about the intention of each task so as to be more mission focused. This allowed for each task to be completed in a shorter span of time. One area for improvement would be to create sub units within my section. This is so as improve the work rest cycle through assigning different sub units to work at different times whist others are resting. This would reduce the chances of repeatedly assigning tasks to the same few people.

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After backhoe, I realise the importance of the sticking to one own  role in the platoon when operating in a mission; if you’re a PC, be a PC, if you’re a man, be a man. Establish boundaries in each role so that there will be no confusion as to who has autonomy in certain aspects. Another important lesson is reacting to the scenarios given on the ground; we have to apply TTP wisely to different situations so as to make the mission smoother. Blindly following TTP may greatly hinder the progress.
Coming crescendo, it will be all the more vital to touch up on TTP and be confident in whatever role we have. Whatever dole dumped onto us, we need to nd communicate our responsibilities and ensure that the operation is done effectively
1 thing I did well is moving quickly from point to point and maintaining a sense of urgency throughout the mission. It’s crucial to be realistic as possible to better prepare ourselves in the event (touch wood) of a real war.
One area of improvement will be the management of one’s own energy level. Planning as PPC drained most of my strength which decreased my focus during the mission itself as a men. I need to better regulate the rigor I exert on my body, especially for Liger where the mission will take longer to complete.