As an Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award employer, we work closely with our veteran recruits to make sure they are supported throughout the recruitment process and beyond. Here, Paul Doyle tells us about his journey from junior solider to becoming a First Call Operative with us.
My time in the Armed Forces
I decided at a young age I wanted to join the forces and like most people wasn’t sure what branch or trade to apply for. I ended up in my local Regiment, which was the Royal Irish Rangers, so at the tender young age of 16, I headed off to England to become a junior soldier, or boy soldier as it is commonly called at Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion (IJLB), Folkestone.
After completing 12 months of training, I finally received my long-awaited posting order hoping for far flung places like Belize, Canada, Gibraltar or Germany.
Unfortunately, I ended up in Dover.
Army life can be difficult at times, but things normally balance out. In total, I served 25 years in the Army from 1983-2007 and I was deployed to some (if not, most) of the hot spots in the world such as Iraq and Northern Ireland (difficult, of course, when I come from there) to name but a few. I’ve experienced all sorts of jobs from teaching future recruits to trained soldiers on anything from small weapons and tactics to armoured vehicles such as the Warrior.
It can be very daunting leaving the Army and for several years I tried various jobs but never felt totally happy so I never stayed in any one place for too long. I went back to college and retrained as a plumbing and heating engineer and ran my own business for several years.
However, I was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) attributed to my service in the Armed Forces. After going through various forms of treatment and eventually receiving my assistance dog Holly, I decided to get back into work.
Transferring to SGN
From the very first interview to turning up on day one, being at SGN has just felt right: the people, the environment, the systems in place to help vulnerable customers – it all satisfied a missing piece of a jigsaw for me.
Everything I’d learned in the military over 25 years is easily transferable and you’re actively encouraged to explore further aspects of the company from promotion to courses to charity works. The support and backup from not only the company but from other colleagues is not only as good but possibly even better than the military.
Moving forward
For this Armed Forces Day, I will not only be remembering sad times but also the good times and, for the first time in years, I feel a positivity and camaraderie that I have not felt in a long time.
Would I do it all again? Yes – the only caveat being that I believe I would seek out SGN earlier. I would say also if you’re thinking of leaving the Armed Forces then don’t be concerned – SGN is a family similar to the one you are leaving with great prospects for the future.
Faugh-A-Ballagh.