Historic creation of new Royal Army Medical Service officially marked at Sandhurst
Three British Army healthcare corps have been officially amalgamated into a new modern organisation called the Royal Army Medical Service.
In October, the King approved the name of the organisation formed by combining the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), the Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC) and Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC).
The historic creation of the new Royal Army Medical Service was marked at Sandhurst with a parade that took place in front of the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker.
They first marched as three separate regiments before reaching the parade square, when they discarded the old regimental headdress and donned a new unifying grey one.
Colonel Graham Johnson, corps colonel of the new Royal Army Medical Service, talked to BFBS Forces News explaining the new cap badge.
"Common to all is a crown of the sovereign, we have a laurel that was common to all cap badges of the forming corps and then where we see things being pulled through is the blade of a sword which came from the RADC.
"The Dannebrog cross came from the QARANC and the serpent, which is the international symbol of medicine, came from the RAMC."
CGS General Sir Roly Walker was the Inspecting Officer and, for those on parade like Lance Corporal Naomi Crimmins, this was a historic moment.
"I think it's definitely got a lot of emotion there. Especially on the parade as we saw the lowering of the flags, that was quite emotional."
LCpl Crimmins added: "The lifting of the new flag was nice. It is nice to have everybody under one umbrella now.
"We all pretty much stand by the same standards and values, I think it will be really good for everybody and the service personnel we take care of.
"It will be really good to bring us all together as a collective."
The underlying ethos of its founding corps will remain and the amalgamation will have no impact on military or civilian workforce numbers.
RAMS will be tasked with delivering modernised, multi-disciplinary healthcare offering opportunities to create a better organisational culture and a unified, inclusive, and representative corps.
Last month the Army said: "We will build on the heritage of the forming corps as we seek to learn from our past. We will continue to deliver high-quality healthcare at home and deployed."
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