Heroes doing it for a hobby

Next time you notice that one of your colleagues hasn’t been seen for a while, hold off on calling out the search party – they could be off fighting a war.

For men like Paul Brown, a forklift driver and manual handling instructor at Carlsberg’s distribution centre in Northampton, England, extended time away from the office comes complete with grenades, conflict and carnage.

Brown spoke to db as part of a drive by SaBRE (Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers), a Ministry of Defence campaign which aims to build support for members of the Volunteer Reserve Force from their employers.

Brown is a member of the VRF and has balanced his time at the depot with fighting wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia over the past 10 years.

The VRF consists of the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve, Territorial Army and Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Members train for their military role in the evenings, at weekends, and for a two-week continuous period each year.

In times of need, the government can mobilise them for full-time military service alongside the regular troops.

There are over 34,000 members of the VRF, of which 80%, Brown included, are in the TA.

It’s not a light commitment and carries significant risk both for the individual and their employers.

“Your heart has to be set on it,” Brown told the drinks business. “You have to be strong-minded, need to be disciplined and ready to put in the hours at the weekend and in the evenings.”

Brown is a Lance Corporal in the TA with 104 Force Support Battalion REME. At 43 years of age, he is no longer a front-line soldier, but was nevertheless mobilised to Afghanistan late last year to run the stores and drive the forklift trucks at Camp Bastion, right at the heart of the war against the Taliban.

“I was out there for six-and-a-half months in total, and returned to the UK on 22 March this year,” he said.

“I was looking after the day-to-day running of the stores, ensuring the guys all had the right equipment.”

It made a change from his previous experiences with the VRF. “I was in the infantry in Bosnia in 2001 and 2003, as well as in Iraq in 2005. I’ve only been doing the forklift work for the last three years.

“Somebody has to do it and if it takes a volunteer then so be it.”

But what would drive a man with a seemingly peaceful, stable job to seek out military service in far-flung conflicts?

“I am a very active and restless person,” said Brown. “I have always needed something else to do other than my job, particularly at the weekends and evenings.

“I have run six London Marathons and seven Great North Runs. I need to be active.

“At one of my previous jobs there was not much overtime available and I wanted something to keep me busy at the weekend. I went along to a TA session and enjoyed it. 20 years later I’m still there.

“I’ve been to 26 different countries because of it. There is a lot of scope to do new courses and I would recommend it to people who want a break from the norm and want to do something with their life.

“We have people from all walks of life, such as barristers, electricians, who all want to do something else other than their day-to-day job.”

His employers at the depot have known the situation from the day they employed him and show great support, according to Brown.

“Because of the current situation in the world, employers go along with it. They knew when I started and asked if I thought I would be called up. I said I had no way of ever knowing and they understood and said it was fine.”

But how have his military experiences influenced him in his day job? “I am very well disciplined,” he said. “I am well-mannered, polite, I always turn out in polished boots and with creases in my cap.

“I am always on time, never miss a day’s work and can battle through any situation.”

The SaBRE campaign has been designed to explain to employers the benefits, rights and obligations associated with employing a member of the VRF.

For further information visit www.sabre.mod.uk

Alan Lodge, 13.10.2010