Reserves Day 2016

To mark Reserves Day on 8 September 2016 we are sharing the stories of some of our FCO colleagues who serve in the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force Reserves.

Major Peter Helme, Royal Engineers
Civil Engineer, FCO Services

I joined the Army Reserves in May 2013 following a career in the Regular Service.

I didn't say anything about being a Reservist in my interview; I thought they might not be open to that. But once I joined I found out the FCO were keen to have Reservists and we are allowed 15 days authorised absences to take part in training which is very generous.

I am part of a national unit based in Nottingham which specialises in the design of infrastructure for Defence. Training weekends involve practicing our military skill. As an ex-Regular a lot of it is second nature but I also get to meet lots of other like minded engineers and do some networking. Each year there is a two week exercise where we design facilities which Defence requires. The work is often overseas so we get to go to places like Cyprus, Gibraltar and Kenya.

In terms of transferable skills both the FCO and MOD have benefited from my service in the Reserves:

As a Reservist I am employed to provide Force Protection Engineering advice to Defence – how to protect people from blast and ballistic threats. I regularly use this knowledge in my day job, to assist with the design of protective measures around the FCO estate to ensure the protection our staff.

In my role in FCO Services, I have learnt about designing buildings to withstand earthquakes; when the Army found out about this skill they deployed me to Nepal. I assisted the Gurkha Welfare Service with the reconstruction of Gurkha Pensioner's houses which had been destroyed in the earthquake. So, because I’m a Reservist, I got to go trekking in the Himalayas for 3 weeks and assist with the reconstruction effort; a truly awesome but humbling experience.

L/Cpl Zoe Ware, Honourable Artillery Company
FCO Head of Africa Strategic Programming

I joined the Officer Training Corps in 2001 and then transferred to the Honourable Artillery Company Band in 2005 when I left University. I play the clarinet and the bass clarinet.

I am extremely lucky that my role as a Reservist allows me to pursue my hobby – playing music. It is completely different to my day job in the FCO, which is often a refreshing change. The Band is full of excellent musicians, many of them professionals. It is a real honour to play alongside them, and to be part of the Honourable Artillery Company which is the oldest regiment in the British Army and steeped in history and tradition.

The Band's role is ceremonial, and we have played at a large number of high profile events in recent years: Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the Lord Mayor's Show, London Pride, the Rugby World Cup, Wimbledon Tennis, and Lord's Cricket. I was also lucky enough to meet the Queen in June when she came to the Honourable Artillery Company to mark her 90th birthday celebrations. I am currently on loan to the FCO from DFID. I spent two-and-a half years in Afghanistan with DFID, but the Reserves were really flexible about accommodating my time away. I also managed to continue playing music in Kabul, and set up a small music group which performed a number of concerts in the Ambassador’s residence.

When I left University and decided that the Regular Army wasn’t for me, I looked for a way of combining two of my hobbies: music and the military. Joining a Reserve Army band was a perfect fit. One of the best things about the band is that I get to meet people from all walks of life who I wouldn’t otherwise have met. The band includes a funeral director, security guard, barrister, tree surgeon, IT technician, policeman, train driver and many teachers and professional musicians. What we all have in common is our love of music!

Acting Pilot Officer Ruairidh South
FCO Economics Intern, Global Economy Team

I joined Oxford University Air Squadron (OUAS) when I started university in 2014, and I am now going into my third and final year on the squadron.

In my two years at OUAS so far, I've spent about 15 weeks doing paid training during university holidays. In that time I’ve experienced living in the field and leading an assault on an enemy position, I’ve rock-climbed in Malta and camped halfway up Ben Nevis, and I’ve even learnt to pilot light aircraft and dangled my feet out of a Chinook helicopter flying over London.

This academic year, I will be part of the squadron’s senior leadership team, so I now need to organise exciting and useful training for the 50 officer cadets on the squadron. To prepare me for this, I recently attended a tough, but extremely valuable leadership course: what I learnt about teamwork, communication and even my own character has already made a difference to my work at the FCO.

As an RAF Reservist, I've had the opportunity to develop skills which most other students rarely experience, and I’m certainly going to continue my involvement after university.

Able Seaman (Logistics) Zoë Townsley, Royal Naval Reserve
FCO Overseas Territories Directorate

I joined the FCO 11 years ago and decided to join the Reserve four years later in 2009. A colleague was already in the Royal Naval Reserve so I went along to find out more and haven't looked back since – it was a brilliant decision for me. I love the Navy ethos, the people are very welcoming and I enjoy going along to drill night once a week. It is an opportunity to do something completely different and meet people I wouldn’t ordinarily have come across. 

My unit is HMS President which is based in London and this gives me the opportunity to get involved in lots of ceremonial events such as Remembrance Sunday events and the Lord Mayor’s Show – both of which I attend annually. I feel very proud to wear my uniform and represent the Service.

Having this link is vital for me because much of my FCO work involves me liaising with the military so I have a much better insight than I did previously. I honestly think I have the best of both worlds – I have a fulfilling career here at the Foreign Office but I can also choose to step into a variety of military exercises that ordinary civilians don’t get a chance to experience. Each year there are two main exercises for Logistics personnel that I could go on: a two-week international exercises in Scotland called Joint Warrior where ships and personnel from across the world meet up in a variety of scenarios off the coast, or supporting a hot weather shooting exercise called Ex Helios in Cyprus. To anyone thinking of joining the Reserves I would say go for it – it really is a fantastic thing to be a part of.

2Lt Jenny Nelson, Intelligence Corps
FCO Crisis Operations Desk Officer

I have been a reservist since university where I was part of Aberdeen University Royal Naval Unit (AURNU). Each URNU has its own P2000 class patrol boat, for training purposes; ours was HMS Archer.

During my time with AURNU the training program lead me around much of Scotland including the Caledonian Canal. However, over the summer deployments I was lucky enough to also go to Europe, and Bruges will always remain a highlight.

In 2013 I joined the Army Reserves as a Signal Operator and spent one month undertaking basic soldier training in Edinburgh with 32 Signal Regt. Due to my previous role in the URNU I was interested in the leadership dimension so decided to commission as an officer.

Last summer I was part of an 8 week intensive commissioning course at Sandhurst. Here I immersed myself in Army life, learning all the basics of military skills and the art of leadership; from weapons handling and drill, to command and tactics. The course is very demanding both physically and mentally. At first I did not understand the rationale behind all the long marches, daily polishing and numerous inspections. But behind these tasks, and at the heart of the course, is trying to make Officer Cadets understand and display the core values of the Army - selfless commitment, respect for others, loyalty, integrity and discipline.

I commissioned into the top third of my intake - an achievement I am really proud of. I've now been an officer for six months in London learning my new trade skills and experiencing life as a junior officer.

For me one of the best things about the Reserves is the adventurous training, there are so many opportunities. The Army Reserves taught me how to ski in Austria for example. From climbing to mountain biking and wind surfing, there are lots of things you can do - it's important to make the most of it.

I have worked in both the private and public sector and I think being in the Reserves equips you with a lot of qualities that are important to employers. I learnt how to manage and lead teams effectively under pressure, vital skills for working in the crisis centre of the FCO. Communication, teamwork, people management and planning are other crucial skills. There are many more important qualities that being in the Reserves can bring to a workplace and we are fortunate the Civil Service is a forward thinking employer.