No Shots Fired

Ask anybody, if they saw me in uniform with a rifle they would think that the world had come to an end. Not necessarily because I am a bad shot (I certainly don’t take after my father) but because they know that my role in the British Army has been about storytelling.

It may seem strange to some: think Army, think war. Ultimately they are right but there is so much more that happens before we get to that stage. And even the we do get to the war-fighting bit there are so many other operations taking place at the same time.

The skills needed to be in the British Army are not simply about being able to do the ultimate role that we are all trained to do. It is so much more about being a diplomat, a negotiator, an environmentalist, a humanitarian, a creative and all things in-between.

I, for one, have been a media specialist for over 25 years in the Army. I have done other roles such as (in civvy speak) HR, welfare, training and in command for which I have needed all my soft skills. I learned early on that women can get much further with the ‘disappointed Mum’ approach rather than the swearing & shouting.

I am now the lead for Arts Engagement. It is as if the Army designed the role for me, but they didn’t; it was already in existence we just hadn’t found each other!

Communicating our stories is key to all our work

So it is for many roles in the British Army. The perception is that we are all waiting in the wings to go to war. If we have to, we will. But isn’t it much better to try and stop things before we get to that stage? This is why we have Defence Attaches across the world. What a fabulous job that must be. I keep saying I would love to do it but now see that I can perhaps use the arts to visit more than one - bonus!

I have certainly travelled with my media skills. I have been on exercises in countries where I get to see all the great things that are happening and take the opportunities presented. In recent years I went to Sarajevo to collaborate on disaster relief planning exercises. Over 3 years we covered floods (a bit nugatory as they had done that for real the previous year), earthquake and the final one was an international plane crash in the north.

Going back each year and establishing the relationships, working with some incredible people who were willing to share their vast knowledge made me a better person. I learned so much and many lessons not just on the planning but on the thoughts of young people and the future of their country.

Listening and talking, when needed, are huge skills that we all should have as a priority in the army.

I have been on a couple of tours wearing the United Nations beret. I’ll not deny it has been frustrating but it certainly makes you think. This is when we need all the diverse thinkers and creatives; how can we make a difference within the Rules of Engagement laid down by the UN? There are so many ways, we just have to be open to them.

People make up the Army and we are all different. The skilled leaders are those who can bring those differences together and create a new solution to the challenges we face. Old school stand-offs on the battlefields are not going to happen so what can we do?

Working with Mountain Rescue in Bosnia

We can encourage people to look at the army differently, to see the talents of the people. You may see a soldier but I will see an environmentalist, a musician, an accounting whizz, an electrician, a plumber, a builder - we have them all in the British Army and the biggest joy is that they will train you to do the tasks in the most challenging of environments.

All of these skills make people’s lives better in the places where we are deployed. We may go in with one idea but through talking we collaborate ensuring the best of both worlds.

What is war-fighting today? For me I wake up to daily battles in my role as a soldier, as do others across the world, but they are not war-fighting. They are to do with helping people to understand the modern role of an army, the British Army.

I know that as long as we can bring the smallest of communities together, listen to them and try to understand then we have to be winning…no shots fired.