Thank You for Your Service – Celebrating Armed Forces Day at G&H
“Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole.”
Bernard Law Montgomery (1887-1976), one of the greatest military leaders of the United Kingdom
Honing a strong aerospace and defense culture, G&H has prided itself with supplying premium, customer-powered solutions for military organizations for decades. But our close concord with the world of A&D exceeds mere customer-supplier relationships. For us, the armed forces, celebrated on Armed Forces Day in the United Kingdom on June 29th, hits close to home – because those who are part of this elite group are our grandparents, parents, siblings, and friends. At G&H, we can even say they are our colleagues. We sat down to speak with Andrew, Darren and Nick who have served in various divisions of the armed forces and who are now channeling their fighting spirit into making our company a space of excellence in optics and photonics.
To each individual we are honoring on this day, we hope to go beyond thanks for your service!
Andrew Cawood – served in the British Army
Division: Royal Engineers
Last role in the armed forces: Sergeant
Position at G&H: Fiber Optics Projects Director
In what specific division did you serve and for how long?
I was an active part of the British Army, more specifically the Royal Engineers for 8 years. My primary role was that of Combat Engineer. The secondary role I filled was as a Tradesman– Fitter Machinist. I ended my army career as a Sergeant.
What leadership lesson did you learn from your experience in the armed forces?
My learning experience was based on a combination of operational, institutional, and self-development leadership styles. These were then underpinned by qualities such as building trust, leading others, effective communication, extending influence, and leading by example.
One of the biggest lessons in my military career was to “listen”. Listen to others. Much of the work within the services requires teamwork and overcoming problems. Quite often obstacles are solved by ensuring everyone has a say on the matter. When confronted with a challenge, people should get the chance to be creative and share their opinions, ideas and any other point of view that can be helpful to the situation. Sometimes you make your own decision, but at least you know you have given the problem-solving opportunity to others, meaning that the best solution has a chance to rise to the surface.
What is one memory that you cherish to this day from the time you served in the army?
There are multiple memories. But if there is one that stands out is this one: whilst on operational duty in Bosnia in 1995, the first 3 months of a 12-month deployment were spent supporting the local population by removing booby traps from their homes that had been left by the retreating forces. The intensity of undertaking such an activity during a very volatile period, under extreme weather conditions and knowing that children and adults were being injured in other areas of the country, placed a lot of pressure on our shoulders. From all this, the “cherished memory” is the unconditional gratitude and warmth shown to us by the people that we had helped. For people that I had never known before, I have never forgotten their tears, hugs, faces, and smiles when entering their homes which were now safe. We couldn’t have done this without the support of the Marines, Artillery and the Air Force, as whilst we were undertaking our jobs, they made sure we were all safe.
What skills could you translate from your time in the armed forces to your position at G&H?
Honestly, there are numerous skills I can think of. But the big one for me is being and working as part of a team. Special forces operate alone in some instances, but there is a big team in the background supporting each and every tactical step. The points I mentioned in my first answer are all key to doing my job at G&H in terms of translatable skills. But one thing that the services does is bring Drive and Determination out of individuals. I’m very proud of my own D&D, of which both the business and I have benefitted on several instances.
What is one message you'd like to share on Armed Forces Day?
Thank you for your service to everyone in the Team. I am immensely proud to have been part of the armed services. For those who have passed, rest well in peace. For those currently in the Forces, keep making a difference and be safe. And for those now out, never forget what you’ve done, what you’ve achieved.
Nick Goodman – served in the Royal Navy
Division: Royal Navy Gunnery School
Last role in the armed forces: Chief Petty Officer Above Water Weapons Specialist
Position at G&H: Buyer
In what specific division did you serve and for how long?
I joined the Royal Navy on March 11th, 1984, for my initial training at HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, Cornwall, UK. I then started my main training at the Royal Navy Gunnery School HMS Cambridge, just outside of Plymouth, to learn all about the different types of weapons systems and main guns the Royal Navy had at the time. On completion of this experience, I was then assigned to my first ship, HMS Sirius, as a Seaman Missileman. I served on this ship for 2 years, touring North America for a 4-month deployment.
I had served on many ships thereafter over a period of 27 years of service, like HMS Argonaut, HMS Illustrious, HMS Ambuscade, HMS Amazon, HMS Active, and HMS Brazen. My last ship was the HMS Cornwall, of which I served on twice over a period of 5 years, being deployed in the Arabian Gulf in 2007 as part of a naval force protecting the shipping routes that crossed this area. My final establishment was RNAS Yeovilton, where I served as the Chief Instructor of the Military Training School. That is where I taught the Air Crews, including military capture and escaping techniques, plus some survival courses in the Black Mountains of Wales. Speaking of which, on a more sensitive note, I used to also carry out the ceremonial duties of repatriation of the fallen and organize funerals that were mostly laid to rest at the RNAS Yeovilton church. I couldn’t do this alone, as it is one of the largest military air stations in Europe. Luckily, I had a staff of around 8 people to assist me with all the training requirements.
Finally, I left the service at the end of 2010, after 27 years in the Armed Forces and reaching the rank of Chief Petty Officer Above Water Weapons Specialist.
What leadership lesson did you learn from your experience in the armed forces?
As my career progressed, with several promotions under the belt, I learnt that respect didn't come with the rank. You had to earn the respect of your juniors, something that when your life was on the line you learned very quickly. Everyone knows your rank, there was no need to remind people of it. That came with experience and the roles you were put in. The junior ranks under you always looked at you as a father figure, someone who they could come and talk to no matter how trivial it was. It's hard being away from your family and loved ones at the peak of your youth. So when you’re talking about these youngsters spending longer periods of time away from your loved ones, you then become a family guidance counselor, as well as someone who they can just come and talk to let off steam. Everyone deals with homesickness differently and if anyone had said to me they didn't suffer from it, then they were lying in my eyes. I know that from personal experience because no matter how many times I went away for longer periods, I missed my family and friends terribly.
Something else I’ve learned is the importance of flexibility. You may have a good plan on paper on how you are going to do a task with your team. And then, in reality this never comes about. So, you must always be prepared to change your plan and adapt to your surroundings. Somehow, you must always plan for the unexpected.
Lastly, through such experiences you learn a lot about leadership. A good leader is always listening to others around them and won’t be discarding people’s opinions. You should take each and everyone's advice in to make the plan work for everyone’s betterment.
What is one memory that you cherish to this day from the time you served in the army?
There are several memories that I have taken away from the navy. I have 2 that are completely different from one another, but they really stand out. One regards my first deployment to the United States, touring various town and cities on the eastern coast, passing by New York. I remember visiting the Twin Towers before they were destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attack. Then we went all the way down to the Florida Keys, which was beautiful. As a young 19-year-old at the time I thought this was absolutely fantastic and better than anything I could have wished for, seeing so many new and interesting places. Before returning to the UK, we also visited several islands in the Caribbean.
The second memory that stands out was something that happened at the time of the first Gulf War. We were assigned to an American aircraft carrier to protect her at all costs, so after all the training and drills you have gone through, you are now putting it all to the test. This entire experience was daunting and exciting at the same time. We came out of it unscathed in the end, and that's down to the rigorous training that the military employs, showcasing their strengths in planning and battlefield management.
What skills could you translate from your time in the armed forces to your position at G&H?
Communication is the biggest key to any situation, no matter what position or job you are in. And aside from this, I’ve had the privilege to also pack other skills in my personal portfolio, such as: adaptability in the face of adversity, remaining flexible at all times, problem-solving, improving on plenty of technical skills, developing a strong sense of integrity and teamwork. Lastly, one of the greatest advantages of serving in the Royal Navy was to develop my leadership skills, as well as my understanding of its broader implications.
What is one message you'd like to share on Armed Forces Day?
The purpose of the day is to pay tribute to serving and former armed forces personnel and their families; to showcase their contribution and remember the sacrifices they and their families must make every single day. This should not go unnoticed.
Darren Squires – served in the Royal Air Force
Division: Aircraft Technician
Last role in the armed forces: SAC(T) Airframe Technician
Position at G&H: Warehouse Manager
In what specific division did you serve and for how long?
I have been part of the Royal Air Force from 1999 to 2007. More specifically, I have been a SAC(T) Airframe Technician in the XV(R) Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth. My job included working on Tornado GR4 aircrafts.
What leadership lesson did you learn from your experience in the armed forces?
Within my role in the RAF, we had to be capable of working both on our own and as part of a wider team when needed to achieve the required output. This involved managing my own task load and time, ensuring that I did not hold up any of my colleagues in completing their part of the assignment. Being self-certified to carry out particular duties on the aircraft with no supervision required a special attention to detail, confidence and competence in the given job. At the same time, I learned how to share my newly acquired skillset. Whilst being on the squadron and also while being away on detachment, away from my squadron, required me to be on top of the skills I had acquired and, in some cases, teach others and coach them. Those are important teaching moments that my experience in the Royal Air Force has given me.
What is one memory that you cherish to this day from the time you served in the RAF?
I have many fond memories from my time in the RAF. From a young age, this sense of belonging to this particular group has shaped me into the person I am today. Being able to work on multi-million-pound fast jet aircraft day in, day out as a young adult is something some people only wish for. The comradery we had built throughout all my service years is something that cannot be replicated in all walks of life. I am still very active with the Veterans community as I am the Chairman of the local branch of the Royal British Legion, ensuring that the time served by all our Veterans is recognized and that support is there for them when they need it.
What skills could you translate from your time in the armed forces to your position at G&H?
There are many skills that you learn in the Forces which are transferable to civilian life. From a young age you are encouraged to learn independence with being away from the life you had previous to joining up. Also in most cases, you go away from the area where you grew up, which has a psychological impact. Being able to manage my own time, work under pressure and adapt to challenges that one comes up against seem to be the most common skills which I use here at G&H. Also, looking proactively at your role and the areas around you to make continuous improvements is important not only for yourself but also for your team to grow. It does not matter who you are or which department you work in. Everyone’s input is important to ensure the task is done as successfully as it can be.
What is one message you'd like to share for Armed Forces Day?
Armed Forces Day is here to recognize the work that not only our Armed Forces Personnel do but also the Veterans and the wider Armed Forces Community, which includes families. It is important that we take time to reflect on the work carried out by our Forces all over the world, and support those who have left the Forces to integrate back into “civilian life” without forgetting their service.