An interview with Helen
I was working in Tanzania after finishing Uni and had a light-bulb moment. I decided to join the Army because I knew they were building schools and doing other good stuff working with the UN. The Army delivers community projects in countries all over the world. With my degree in French and German, this appealed to me.
Officer training at Sandhurst was seriously tough. But, after years of doing physical exercise, from serious dancing to cross country running in the Peak District, I found I was probably in better physical shape than most.
I then decided to join the Royal Military Police because of their pragmatic approach and their emphasis on productivity over appearance.
As I had studied languages, I felt I would be of best use abroad. Eventually I ended in up in some volatile regions like Bosnia and Iraq. There I had to face the harsh realities of leadership - doing some proper soldiering often in isolated areas.
Being a young woman in a war zone with different cultures and lots of experienced soldiers around me wasn’t easy. But I just stuck to fulfilling my duties and got on with the job at hand.
My whole purpose was to do some good in the world, but I didn’t think I’d have to do it wearing combat body armour, a rifle and a pistol strapped to my thigh in case someone decided to shoot at me and my soldiers. Yes, we had some heavy-duty stuff directed at us, and at times it was scary, but thankfully we all returned safely.
“I learned a lot from the Army. My service involved various postings, I became a captain, and I got great experience. That experience helped me during my professional career and in work in the community. ”
I left the Army after giving birth to our first child. I didn’t want to leave, but I couldn’t stand the thought of having to leave my son at home as I was sent to Afghanistan. As many mothers know well, juggling a career and children can be tough.