After graduating with a degree in Biomedical Sciences from Durham University in 2010, I went straight into my year of Officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In August 2012, 335 days after walking into Old College with my ironing board under my arm, I was spat out of the other end as a Junior Officer in the Corps of Royal Engineers. Although on first impressions the jump from scientist to engineer may seem like a big one, I found that the practical problem solving I learnt at university stood me in an excellent position for life in the Royal Engineers. After engineer officer specific training I took command of an Armoured Close Support Troop of 42 soldiers; our role was to provide mobility and real time life support. As the Troop Commander, I would lead my soldiers around the battlefield, initially conducting a reconnaissance of the proposed task before delivering it. One of the many highlights of troop command had to be a live bridge demolition in Canada. My troop and I turned a timber and steel bridge into matchsticks; this was probably one of the biggest explosions I’ve ever seen and strangely satisfying.
As a Troop Commander, I was responsible for the 42 soldiers under my command. On a day-to-day basis this meant managing their careers, welfare and discipline. As Royal Engineers, we have some of the most skilled and intelligent soldiers in the British Army and as officers we need to ensure they are looked after and are able to focus on doing their job. After 2 years as a Troop Commander, I am about to move to a different role within one of our 14 specialist Regiments. It is likely my next job will be as a Battle Group Engineer in a Regiment providing Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search capabilities. Following this, I hope to enter into the Professional Engineer programme; giving me the qualification to be a Chartered Engineer. I will then have the responsibility of designing bespoke buildings from the ground up.
After commissioning, I received 6 months Royal Engineer specific training. This is designed to prepare you for troop command and teaches you basic skills – for instance, how to assess the strength of bridges and roads (and if required, how to demolish them), as well as how to command soldiers on various tasks, ranging from construction to mine field clearance. As the Royal Engineers supports all aspects of the Army, as well as some parts of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, this ultimately ensures there are plenty of opportunities to complete specialist training such as diving, commando, explosive ordnance disposal and parachute courses, whichever takes your fancy.
Since commissioning, I have travelled extensively, visiting some amazing places such as Gibraltar, Italy, Kenya and Canada. We even managed to do a pretty epic road trip down to Las Vegas in a V8 Dodge Charger, after finishing work in Canada. Needless to say we left 48 hours later as broken men, making the return drive particularly emotional.
The Army has an excellent attitude towards self-development and encourages you to challenge yourself both physically and mentally. The foundations of this are delivered at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where you receive world-class training in command and leadership. This is put into practise daily as you lead your soldiers through a range of different problems and tasks. It can range from bridging a fast-flowing, 15-metre river in Kenya to offering support and mentoring to your troop on a day-to-day basis in camp. No day is the same and you are always kept on your toes.
