Exercise First Encounter – Learning New Skills

When I joined the British Army, a long‑held personal dream was fulfilled. My forebear was in the army, and from an early age, I have admired the professionalism, discipline, and structured way in which the Army operates. Exercise First Encounter was the next major step in that journey. It involved four days and three nights, designed to test our resilience, teamwork, and soldiering skills.

From the first day, the focus was clear, the Exercise focused on the importance of fieldcraft fundamentals. Under the guidance of our Section Commanders, we learned the duties of a sentry, including the challenging procedures, the importance of vigilance, and how small mistakes in concealment or observation can compromise an entire team. These early lessons demanded discipline, especially during long hours in darkness.

As the exercise progressed, the training intensified. We practised harbour drills, movement techniques, and the correct ways to crawl and cross open ground. Fatigue set in quickly, but the learning became even more engaging. One of the most challenging tasks was stalking – camouflaging ourselves, advancing unseen, and identifying a target without being detected. Many were spotted, but applying the right techniques allowed me to remain concealed and complete the task successfully. We practiced how to react to enemy fire, a drill that reinforced the importance of muscle memory and rapid decision‑making under pressure. It’s a skill I believe will be vital throughout my career. The final two days were the toughest. Training shifted from individual skills to working in pairs, learning fire-and-movement and relying completely on one another for protection. Long, cold nights in the harbour area tested our endurance, but sharing rations and experiences strengthened our morale.

By the end, we were tired, muddy, but proud. We returned to barracks not just as better trainees, but as a more cohesive team of Gurkha soldiers. Exercise First Encounter laid a strong foundation, not only in fieldcraft, but in trust, resilience, and looking after each other when conditions get tough.