In 2003 I enlisted into the British Army, The Adjutant General Corps to be precise. My core skills were as an interpreter and classified document administrator. My career spanned over 10 years serving in every arm pit at home and overseas finally culminating in a Joint Commanders Commendation for exceptional work during Operation Palentine in Banja Luka, Bosnia whilst working alongside the Joint Commission Observers (22 SAS) who were working under cover.
In 2013, I was to be promoted and posted to Germany. This was the moment I decided to pull canopy and resign my commission. I wanted more from life, more than moving from one location to another every 2 years or so. In August 2013 I became a civilian. SO! what next ...... well I landed a job working for Bain & Co ( an American bank based on the Strand in London). I was to be the new private equity coordinator, my first task, managing the private equity take over of Debenhams the clothing store. I immediately hated the job and being civilian, I had started work with Bain on the Monday and by Wednesday of that week I was boarding a flight to Iraq with Tim Spicer, the Director of Sandline International and Aegis. We were heading to war, as I had done before but never as a civilian, never without the backing of the Battalion and never without a weapon. This was the beginning, a turning point. Below are photographs of my base headquarters, Saddam Hussein's old Palace as well as his portrait of missiles from within one of his dining rooms, the bombed out National Guard HQ and Saddam's throne.
This is where life started to became interesting .......... We were hit by a vehicle borne improvised explosive device(VBIED), I broke almost every bone in my body, lost 23 teeth and had 98 staples to the back of my head..... I returned home to the UK to recover and consider my options. I was broken but alive and was thankful for that.
In December 2005, now fully recovered I joined the Foreign Office (FCO), following 4 years of training I deployed to the Middle East, I won't bore you with the detail but below are some pictures of the highlights of my time there.
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| Welsh Society celebrating St Davids day in the British Embassy Riyadh |
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the FCO, but its a lonely existence for a single woman. After years of being away from home and loved ones I decided to return home to Wales in 2014 and carve a new career, a new path, so here I am........ pastures new.
Wow! Just wow, but also awful. The world is fucked up! (Not you, as you said in class.) I remember a line from episode 1, series 1 of Poldark (Aidan Turner, aka Ross Poldark, omg drool!!!!) Ross was asked, 'How was the war, Sir' to which he replied, 'Like any other war, a waste of good men'. (As Poldark is set in the 18th century, women obviously weren't mentioned in his analogy, but the meaning is the same. Also, people often talk about 'the real world' but the world is a social construction... As Shakespeare noted, 'All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players'. However, I'm sure he meant unwittingly so, due to the socially constructed reality that we live in and the roles we are expected/deemed to play! I'm sorry you had to experience the trauma, but you've certainly experienced much in your life and you have now embarked on a new path with new opportunities to choose from. Respect!
ReplyDeleteTanya, Loved your comment from Poldark, I must be the last remaining female yet to watch this series, rest assured it's on my to do list. War is indeed a waste of good people and changes those who take part forever.
ReplyDeleteUnlike Shakespearean plays, where actors donned their costumes then exited stage left and returned to their normality, soldiers old and young, serving and retired will always be soldiers. There are some things that can never be unseen, and I carry those memories with me on a daily basis. Thankfully there are some amazing charities like "Change Step" where veterans meet, talk and support each other - crucial to be able to validate your emotions or simply to just be able to meet with like minded individuals who simply understand.
I recently visited the poppies at Caernarfon castle. Here you could buy a cross to plant in the garden of remembrance and were encouraged to write the name of a lost loved one on said cross. I watched parents and families scribe names and plant their crosses, I realised then, that I had lost far too many along the way - a cross wouldn't suffice in carrying their names.
I was one of the lucky ones and I am thankful, loving learning all things new - another string to my bow if you like. Onwards and upwards.
What an arresting introduction. Admire your style of writing and style of construction of the blog very much. Never thought I'd say that about a 'Blogger', but there you go. So glad you're in class, showing us by example how to do it. Keep on blogging!
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