Redundancy, The RAF Reserves & Fate

Wearing an RAF uniform is not new to me as an adult volunteer in the Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC). This article is about how the RAF Reserves has truly made a difference to my career.

On returning from a successful delivery at The Royal International Air Tattoo with the RAFAC I found myself facing redundancy from my full-time job. Coincidentally in searching for a new challenge in my spare time, I had applied to join the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a reservist in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF). This application then became my focus in order to get through the rest of the process and attest (the process of swearing allegiance to the monarch and being formally accepted into his service as a member of the armed forces) whilst I had the time. After attesting it was back to figuring out my next career move. However, fate intervened and I was unexpectedly given the opportunity to complete all of my basic training in a back-to-back block. Naturally I could not pass this up as, after all, I had the availability. It was whilst on my part 2 training at RAF Halton that I met my now business partner Tarik Belhaj.

Basic training is an odd experience where teamwork is essential. You are living in 14 person rooms and working with your colleagues: carrying out block jobs and helping each other put into practice the training we were receiving. During this it became apparent that Tarik and I made a good team. When in this environment for 16 days you are forced to get to know the other recruits very well and forge friendships which will no doubt last a lifetime.

Whilst having dinner one night in the mess the conversation with our course mates naturally turned to everyone's day jobs. It was mentioned that Tarik had just started Able IT Solutions Ltd and at the same time he learnt of my recent redundancy he uttered the words "lets talk" - we did and now I have joined him as a business partner.

The RAF reserves is a fantastic organisation which throws like-minded people from all trades, backgrounds and industries together to learn with & from each other. Thus creating a web of networks. In this environment your strengths and weaknesses are exposed - this is a positive as it allows the team to work together by supporting each other to succeed. Clearly Tarik saw something in me and I in him, which has led us to begin working together.

I loved my experience of basic training and truly found belonging. Basic Training culminated in the honour of receiving the LAC Osborne Trophy (named after Leading Aircraftman Albert Matthew Osborne GC) for the top recruit from the reviewing officer Air Commodore Hellard.

I look forward to what the future holds both as the Commercial Director at Able IT Solutions working with Tarik and with my RAF Reserves career with 4624 (County of Oxford) Movements Squadron as I continue with my phase 2 movements training.