Top graduating Ammunition Technician Officer honoured at Defence Academy

A shiny metal trophy with 'Kavanagh Cup' inscribed.

A trophy presented in memory of a former Ammunition Technician Officer (ATO) has been awarded to this year’s top ATO course graduate.

Captain Fred Dickson received the Chris Kavanagh Cup for being the best performing student on the academic phase of the 30 week-long course.

Chris Kavanagh, who passed away in 2020 was one of the first students to attend the Explosive Ordnance Engineering MSc part of the course, graduating in 1991.

On receiving the award, Captain Dickson said:

“It was an honour for me to receive the Chris Kavanagh Cup this year. To be able to be a part of the work to preserve his memory is a privilege, and I know his story is one that touched all of us on the course who are new to the ATO world. The last six months have been challenging, but great fun and engaging for all of us. I know that we will go into the next year of the course ready to keep working hard and hoping to follow in the footsteps of the ATOs and ATs who have gone before us.”

The ATO course is a masters level course, delivered in conjunction with Cranfield University’s Explosive Ordnance Engineering MSc, by the Defence Weapons, Ordnance, Munitions and Explosives (WOME) Engineering School (DWES) for the Defence College for Military Capability Integration (DCMCI).

The course covers in-depth training to Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) officers in all aspects of WOME including:

explosive chemistry
ballistics
mechanics and electronics
ammunition systems
ammunition design

The course also looks at the storage, transportation, distribution, and disposal of energetic substances along with explosives ordnance disposal in both conventional munitions and improvised explosive device disposal.

Lieutenant Colonel Steve Roberts, Head of DWES said:

"A career as an ATO spans from supporting the Home Office on Op TAPESTRY (the UK Armed Forces’ standing commitment of Military Aid to Civil Authorities for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)), to the Ammunition Technical Support (ATS) offered to the multi-national effort on the Eastern and Middle Eastern Fronts.

“The ATO course students have acquired a highly sought-after skillset that will be put to immediate use when they leave the second part of the course which takes place at MOD Kineton. Many of the students will take their place on duty supporting the various police forces of Great Britain, ensuring the protection of the public regarding explosive safety. They will then have the opportunity to apply their skill set overseas or work within the Weapons Intelligence arena – they truly have attractive career prospects.”

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