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IV | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT The Daily Telegraph C ON A MISSION KEEPING BRITAIN’S ARMY READY FOR ACTION REQUIRES A BEHIND-THE-SCENES FORCE OF 29,000 WORKERS, SUPPLYING CRUCIAL SUPPORT, EQUIPMENT — AND MARS BARS — AROUND THE WORLD, SAYS RICHARD MILTON ars Bars, toilet rolls and cruise missiles are just some of the thousands of items that it takes to keep an army, a navy and an air force fighting fit iisticians n the field and on a mission. Because while the men and women of Britain’s Armed Services are ready to go, at a moment’s notice, to trouble spots around the world, their effective deployment ultimately depends on a sophisticated web of planning and logistics. At the very top of the UK logistics pyramid is Defence Equipment and Support (DES). This organisation came into being in April 2007, following a merger between the Ministry of Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation, under the leadership of General Sir Kevin O’Donoghue, Chief of Defence Material. The new organisation, which has the job of equipping and supporting the Armed Forces, has a civilian and military workforce of about 29,000 — one quarter of whom are military personnel. All three branches of the military report to the DES, but have their own logistical operations. For example, the Royal Air Force logistics hub, based at RAF Wittering, in Cambridgeshire, since April 2006, provides expeditionary logistics in support of RAF operations worldwide. Sergeant Kirsty Halfpenny, who joined the Royal Air Force in 1991, is one link in the RAF logistics chain. As a personal administrator based at RAF High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire, she has developed the concept behind the A1 website, designed as a onestop shop for all matters and issues involved with RAF personnel administration. In her previous job, as PA to the station commander at RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, Halfpenny was responsible for organising everything from social events to managing her boss’s day-to-day schedule. “I reported directly to the station commander and dealt with many sensitive issues before they were brought to his attention. In this role, the relationship has to be one of complete trust: it’s one of the major aspects of the job.” At Brize Norton, she had the opportunity to travel on a threeweek major multi-national exercise to Nevada, in the United States, with 400 Armed Forces personnel, where she was in charge of all the project finances. The British Army, meanwhile, has its own Royal Logistic Corps, which has 16,500 regular Army and 7,000 Territorial Army soldiers, who amount to about 16 per cent of total personnel. Logisticians, as they are called, can be found in all ranks between Private and Major General. There are currently 18 trade groups — the key ones including driver, supplier, chef and postal and courier operator. M To keep guns firing, tanks moving and soldiers fighting, the Army sets up its own selfcontained transport networks to deliver whatever it needs, wherever and whenever it’s needed. This takes skilled soldiers and specialised vehicles. Army engineers play a key role in logistics. They are the soldiers who fix equipment — both ‘‘ ‘‘ Complex roles: logisticians such as Sergeant Kirsty Halfpenny run networks mechanical or electronic — repair airfields and harbours, and build bridges, always at speed, and often under fire. The Royal Navy, too, has a well-oiled logistics operation. Lieutenant Mark Toogood, who has been in the Royal Navy since 1991 — joining first as a chef — passed out of Britannia Naval College as a logistics officer in April. He says: “As a logistics officer you will be very busy; be it in an Admiral’s outer office, or working in core logistics to ensure that a ship’s supplies arrive in the right place at the right time anywhere in the world.” Being a Royal Navy logistician is a diverse and rewarding role, says Toogood: “Effective logistics are key to any military campaign’s success.” Computer technology also plays a major role in logistics throughout the Armed Forces. Lieutenant-Commander Helen Ashworth, who has recently returned from serving on HMS Illustrious, the Royal Navy aircraft carrier, is now responsible for running the Royal Navy’s website in London. She says: “Computers are important in a very wide range of roles — from stock-taking, accounting and finance to logistics-tracking, itself. It’s also important that we have a robust system that will link successfully to our entire system — both at sea and on shore.” It used to be said that an army marches on its stomach. Today, provisions are still just as important, but there’s so much more that goes in to enabling our Armed Forces to function around the world. Army engineers play a key role in logistics: they repair airfields and build bridges — often under fire ‘‘ limbing, skiing, canoeing, diving: opt for a career in the military and you’ll get to try your hand at all manner of these daredevil activities. The Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force all offer “Adventurous Training”, which could see you hanging off a cliff face, drifting along coral reefs, or even jumping from an aircraft, all in the line of duty. Although it might sound like one big adrenaline buzz, the Joint Services Adventurous Training (JSAT) scheme is serious business. It is made up of nine primary activities — each aimed at giving controlled exposure to risk so that trainees get the chance to “develop leadership, physical fitness, moral and physical courage... and skills vital to operational capability”. Last year, 23,000 individuals completed an Adventurous Training course — at varying levels — roughly two-thirds of whom were from the Army. The Royal Navy heads offshore sailing and sub-aqua diving elements, while the RAF focuses on hang-gliding and paragliding. The Army leads the other activities, including canoeing, mountaineering, rockclimbing, caving and ski touring. Colonel Ian Davidson, head of the JSAT for the Army, says that a “fear factor” is critical. “Adventurous Training is about developing the individual. Kayaking, caving, Arctic training – they all offer opportunities for a soldier to build on their life skills. By putting people into challenging situations where they perceive risk, you equip them with more self-confidence, greater physical and mental courage, and endurance skills.” There are four progressive levels of Adventurous Training. All recruits are required to complete levels one and two as part of their initial training, gaining basic proficiency across a range of activities. “Service personnel learn a lot about themselves on AT courses, particularly at the junior level, when soldiers may gain their first experience of leading a group in a challenging environment,” says Lieutenant Colonel Simon Hall, commanding officer of the Joint Services Mountain Training Centre (JSMTC) in North Wales. “Learning to lead people in a difficult environment with the associated challenges of navigating through hostile terrain and adverse weather has direct relevance to military capability.” Levels three and four of AT are voluntary, enabling individuals to specialise and hone their skills in their chosen activity. “Level four focuses on higher-level instructor awards,” says Hall. “At JSMTC we train over 4,000 ranks to this level each year; many then take proficiency and foundation courses on return to their units.” Increasingly, courses are externally accredited so that qualifications migrate across into Civvy Street, too. “In this way, AT courses are not just about improving your career in the military; they are also about personal development and building life skills,” says Hall. Arguably the most exciting level CROWN COPYRIGHT/MOD DAREDEVIL PURSUITS SUCH AS PARACHUTE JUMPING, KAYAKING AND MOUNTAINEERING ARE ALL PART OF THE ARMY’S ADVENTUROUS TRANING SCHEME, DISCOVERS ESME M C AVOY of Adventurous Training is level three — or expedition training — where individuals are given the chance to plan and carry out their own expeditions. Two years ago, Hall started the “Seven Summits Project”, an initiative inspiring teams to reach the summit of the highest mountain in every continent. To date, his team has climbed five of the seven peaks, reaching Mount Everest in May 2007. Prior to their Everest expedition, only 13 members of the military had climbed any of the world’s 14 peaks exceeding 8,000 metres (26,246ft), and just five had reached the summit of Everest. But all of Hall’s team reached the top. “We never envisaged that on May 22, 2007, all eight of the team would stand on the roof of the world. Memories of the view from the summit on a perfect Himalayan morning will remain with me forever,” he says. Few careers can compete with the once-in-a-lifetime adventures on offer in the military. Private Pete Murphy, 24, of the 3rd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment (Staffords), who grew up in Wolverhampton, returned to Gosport from Norway last month after completing more than a month of leadership training on the final leg of a year-long ocean-sailing expedition across the Atlantic. Murphy was one of about 200 young men and women recruited to the Army in the previous 12 months who joined the crew of the 67-foot-long yacht Discoverer, on the various stages of its THE LIMIT ‘‘ This opportunity gave me the chance to learn so much. I experienced and achieved things I didn’t think were possible journey. The trip, taking in the Arctic and Antarctic, then Brazil and Antigua, was part of the Army’s “Leadership Through The Atlantic” challenge, which aims to develop the fledgling leadership potential of young soldiers while on board. The trip had been tough, but had proved to be “an amazing opportunity”, Murphy said. “I’d been sailing very briefly once before on a holiday, but nothing like this,” he says. “But being away from home and creature comforts are the kinds of things that my training prepared me for.” Another participant, Private Leigh Higgins, 18, of the Royal Logistic Corps, who sailed from Boston to Reykjavik, via southern Greenland, where he camped and explored fjords by inflatable THE SKY’S @ boat, said: “Having this opportunity gave me the chance to learn so much — from developing confidence to understanding leadership skills. I experienced and achieved things I didn’t think possible.” Private Michael West, of the Royal Logistic Corps — the youngest soldier to take part in the Atlantic trip — and who marked his 17th birthday mid-way across the Labrador Sea from Newfoundland to Greenland, agrees. He says: “My confidence has grown and I made some good friends. I enjoyed most of the journey and I have come JOBS ONLINE: jobs.telegraph.co.uk/ careers-insider Clockwise from top: skydiving helps you scale new heights; reach your peak with a summit climb; the thrill of kayaking; snowboarding is sheer fun A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A ROYAL MARINE LANCE CORPORAL CRAIG HUME, 20, joined the Royal Marines in December 2004 and is stationed with the Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines at HM Naval Base Clyde, in Scotland — home to the UK’s Trident-armed nuclear submarines. “We have to be up and ready for 8am for the first detail of the day. This is usually a physical fitness session in the gym. We have to maintain a certain level of fitness as Royal Marines, but many Marines set more challenging personal goals and will be working towards those. I’ll do some circuits, strength training and running for about an hour and then there’s some ‘stand easy’ time for a shower. “Our job as Royal Marines is to protect the UK’s nuclear deterrent and ensure there are no breaches in security at the base. There is at least one Trident-armed submarine on patrol at sea every day of the year. It’s our role to keep the base and nuclear submarines safe from possible threats. “There are around 700 Royal Marines living and working here, as well as hundreds of other military personnel. We work on a rota of ‘five weeks on, five weeks off’ and for those five weeks that we’re working we’re effectively on 24-hour call. “We spend much of our day in lectures during our five weeks on duty. These cover anything from military tactics to general current affairs to ensure that we’re up to speed on political and military issues. There’s also the option to take extra GCSEs, A-levels or even degree courses. “In the afternoons, after lunch, @ JOBS ONLINE: jobs.telegraph.co.uk/ careers-insider there can be a mix of classes and more physical exercise — a lot of us play squash, football or basketball. “Being on call doesn’t mean that we’re just sitting around waiting. Between classes there are timetabled training sessions that cover skills such as close-quarters battle techniques and conducting operations in built-up areas. We learn how to work as a team to clear buildings room by room — an important technique for any Marine at a high-security base. “The five weeks ‘off’ aren’t a holiday, either. There are specific training courses to complete in shooting or adventurous training, for example. Already, I’ve completed jungle training in Belize and this year I went to Nevada to learn cold-weather survival skills. “Two years ago, about 70 of us went to Virginia, in the US, to train alongside the US Marines. It was really interesting to see how their training and ours differs — even the way they carry their weapons and learn their tactics. Some US Marines also came to the UK to complete mountain training and commando skills. Comparing our training regimes, I’d say British Marines were fitter! “Depending on your studies, there’s usually time in the evenings to relax, perhaps going to the cinema or having a drink in the pub.” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH Royal flight CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE SEA KING’S REIGN page 2 World of adventure LEARN HOW TO SKYDIVE, KAYAK AND SKI WHILE ON THE JOB page 4 The night watchers TARGETING THE DARK SIDE WITH BRITAIN’S ARMED FORCES page 7 ROYAL NAVY/CROWN COPYRIGHT Defence CAREERS IN T II | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE FOCUS ALAMY; CROWN COPYRIGHT/MOD The Daily Telegraph A ROYAL light Lieutenant Fiona Bailey’s dream as a child was to fly helicopters for the Royal Air Force. Today, the 31-year-old is doing just that — as a Sea King cap THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 | III The Daily Telegraph QUALIFICATIONS CAREERS IN DEFENCE IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN BRITAIN’S DEFENCE ACADEMY — FOR MILITARY AND CIVILIAN STUDENTS — HAS AN ENVIABLE GLOBAL REPUTATION, WRITES NATASHA MANN are also networking, which can be a majo IV | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT The Daily Telegraph C ON A MISSION KEEPING BRITAIN’S ARMY READY FOR ACTION REQUIRES A BEHIND-THE-SCENES FORCE OF 29,000 WORKERS, SUPPLYING CRUCIAL SUPPORT, EQUIPMENT — AND MARS BARS — AROUND THE THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 | V VI | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE INTERNATIONAL NATO PHOTOS The Daily Telegraph An attack on one Nato member will be regarded as an attack on them all HOW TO BECOME A NATO INTERN THERE’S no substitute for experience, which is why Nato offers a six-month THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 | VII The Daily Telegraph TECHNOLOGY CAREERS IN DEFENCE AS CONFLICT CONTINUES IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, BRITISH FORCES ARE GAINING THE ADVANTAGE IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL STAKES THANKS TO THE LATEST IN NIGHT-VISION INNOVATIONS, REPORTS THEA JOURDAN W Ni VIII | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CAREERS IN DEFENCE TERRITORIAL ARMY ALAMY The Daily Telegraph COLOUR SERGEANT DANIEL RADFORD, 37, PRINCE OF WALES’ ROYAL REGIMENT, LONDON “I joined the Territorial Army for the adventure in 1988, when I was 17. However, it was the cama