Armistice Day is a time when the nation gathers at memorials in villages, towns and cities across the country to show our thanks for the sacrifices made by so many people in the cause of security and prosperity – not only in the two World Wars, but also in the many conflicts, operations and other events since then. Steve Reynolds, Chair of SGN’s Armed Forces network Military@SGN, reflects on why it’s important.
We ask a huge amount of our Armed Forces, not just in times of conflict, but also during peacetime. Our servicemen and women are called upon to deploy in support of maintaining peace, security and stability on operations around the world every day of the year, often being away from their families for months at a time.
We turn to them for support during crises and emergencies at home and abroad such as disaster relief. The impacts of those demands can be profound, whether they be physical or psychological scars. Remembrance Day is not only about remembering the dead of conflicts long past, but of showing our respect and support to those who serve and have served.
For members of our Armed Forces community, it can be an emotional time when they remember friends and colleagues that are no longer with us, but also a time to come together in shared experiences and mutual support. For many veterans it represents an important opportunity to be with people who understand what they’ve been through. The value of the social gatherings around Remembrance events is as important as the acts of Remembrance themselves. “Dits” (stories) are spun and there will be more than a little bit of good-natured banter between different cap-badges, but veterans find huge support in being able to talk about their experiences and memories with people who “get it”. People who may never have met each other before immediately find a sense of belonging and community with each other.
Military@SGN is aiming to create such a supportive community for our veterans, reservists and forces families. We’re holding an online service of Remembrance at 11am on Monday 11 November as an opportunity for people across the company to pause, reflect and show their support for our servicemen and women.
We’ve also signed the Armed Forces Covenant and we’re an Employer Recognition Scheme gold award holder, demonstrating our commitment to supporting members of our Armed Forces – read more about this here.
