Tom knew from a young age that he wanted to join the armed forces when he reached 16. He told us, “I spent time in the cadets as a teenager which gave me an insight into military life and I had family who were serving full time. In my final year at high school, I had a decision to make – go to college and university or join up, see the world, gain valuable life skills and achieve things that I potentially wouldn’t have the opportunity to do as a civilian. I chose the army.” 

He joined the Army Air Corps (AAC) in 2007 and during his 12-year service, Tom dabbled in a few different roles. He said, “I started as ground crew where I was responsible for refuelling helicopters before shifting my career from the ground to air. I then spent the next nine years as aircrew where I specialised in the helicopter medical evacuation role, similar to that of a UK air ambulance but with winch capability to extract casualties in the more difficult terrains around the world. My twelfth and final year was spent on exchange to the RAF Chinook Force, working on multi-role helicopters used to transport troops and supplies.” 

Because of his role, Tom got to travel more than most and visited so many countries that he went through two passports within four years! He explained, “I was fortunate enough to be based in some very unique places. I spent two years in Kenya where I travelled to a few neighbouring African countries and I spent close to four years in the jungles of South East Asia where if I wasn’t working at the weekend, I could jump on a flight to anywhere in South East Asia within two hours. I also worked in Germany, Norway, America, Canada, Australia and Cyprus along with active war zones at the time.” 

It’s safe to say, he loved his time in the army, despite the bad days, so the pressure was on NWAS to ensure Tom loved his new career as much as he did his old one. He told us, “In one way, there are many similarities between NWAS and the army. There is a rank structure of sorts although calling my bosses ‘sir’, ‘ma’am’ and saluting are a thing of the past. The training I received was brilliant and prepared me for getting out on shift. Everyone has been really welcoming from day one and when your colleagues can see you want to learn and want to broaden your knowledge, they will help you in any way they can. I am considering joining the reserves in the future and think it’s great how understanding NWAS is when it comes to reservists – they give them extra days off each year to attend to their military responsibilities.” 

Tom is also a recent new member of our Armed Forces Network and can already see the progress it is making within the trust. He said, “A recent conference I attended with the network looked at not only how we can improve staff welfare but more importantly, what we can do to support patients we come into contact with who are themselves veterans and who have ended up on the streets or are diagnosed with PTSD from their experiences in the military. Events like these are important as it helps us reflect on our own support structures and look at the ways in which we can improve.” 

Tom believes that Armed Forces Week is another event that is important to celebrate. He told us, “We all recognise Remembrance Sunday in November where we look back at conflicts of the past and give thanks to those who fought and ultimately lost their lives. For me, Armed Forces Week is about the soldiers, sailors and air force personnel of today. It’s learning about the military along with giving thanks for what it is they do both at home and abroad for us now.”