Highland RFCA and Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce invited local business along to Oliver Barracks in Dundee last night to see Army Reservists in action.
More than 20 guests were welcomed to the barracks by Alison Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of Dundee & Angus Chamber. An address by the Commanding Officer of 7 SCOTS, Lt Col Matt Sheldrick, followed – with the CO talking about the value of Reserve service and the transferable skills Reservists take back to their civilian employers.
Following a curry supper, attendees joined interactive sessions from 105 Royal Artillery, 205 Field Hospital, the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry (SNIY), 32 Signals and 7 SCOTS. Stands included a chance to get hands on with an SNIY Land Rover WMIK, small arms, an Airsoft target range, and a field hospital.
Guests were drawn mainly from the Chamber and Dundee Rotary and included Elma McKay (Save the Children), Peter Menzies (Dundee Gin), Lesley Pert and Claire Balneaves (both Hillcrest Group), Gordon Campbell (Dundee University), Allen Smith (Sutherland Management), and Tom McConnachie (Dundee University, School of Nursing and Health Sciences).
The free event was a great success with participants leaving with a greater awareness and understanding of the Army Reserves.
■ Research by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and endorsed by the Chartered Management Institute, found an employer would have to purchase more than £8000 of commercial civilian training to provide the same amount of development that an average Reservist’s military service provides in a year. This research relates only to the skills that are relevant to the civilian workplace. Experience gained from an average period of mobilisation, including pre-deployment training, is worth around £8300 for a Private, £14,600 for a Sergeant and £18,400 for an Officer.
Click through our images from the event, below.
