We heard from two Army Reservists, Private O’Mahoney-Magee and Corporal Chambers, mobilised as part of the national response to coronavirus.
Private O’Mahoney-Magee works for Agri Environmental Group Ltd as a Company Director, but he is also a Private at 7 SCOTS, a Reserve Infantry Unit across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. He works in Auchterarder and is based in Perth when working with the Army Reserves. Since being mobilised, he has been deployed all over Scotland training and working on Mobile Testing Units.
He re-joined the Army Reserve in 2017 and subsequently mobilised in support of the national response to COVID-19 in April 2020. This is the first time that he has been mobilised while being an Army Reservist. He is due to remain working until October 2020.
On his Army career, Private O-Mahoney-Magee said: “I initially re-joined the Army Reserve because after becoming self-employed, I felt I could strike the right balance with time commitments. Having served in the Leeds UOTC and the RMR after university until 2012, I missed the military life and wanted the challenges it brought.”
He took the opportunity to mobilise this year to use the skills that he has developed to support the country and the NHS in the fight against COVID-19. He said: “I also felt that this was a good chance to develop skills in leadership outside of a traditional ‘green army’ role. I am looking to commission into 7 SCOTS. As a potential officer, the chance to see and be a part of the Army’s response to this unique challenge was not something I wanted to pass up. In more general terms, life as a Reservist has enabled me to take on lots of challenges from adventure training, working with the regular Army, develop leadership skills and push myself both mentally and physically further than I thought possible.”
Corporal Chris Chambers is also supporting Mobile Testing Units. He works for AVMI as a Lead Commissioning Engineer in Scotland, but he is also a Regimental Signals Detachment Commander at 7 SCOTS. He works in CIS platoon and is based in Perth when working with the Army Reserves. Since mobilising, he has been deployed all over the country training Mobile Testing Units that have since been deployed across Scotland.
On his mobilisation, Corporal Chambers said: “I joined the Army Reserve in 2005 and subsequently mobilised in support of the national response to COVID-19 in April 2020.” This is the second time that he has been mobilised as an Army Reservist. He is due to remain working until July 2020.
On his Army career, he said: “I initially joined the Army Reserve because I had a keen interest in the military and had thought about joining after leaving school. I took the opportunity to mobilise this year to use the skills that I have developed to support the country in the fight against COVID-19 rather than be sat at home watching it unfold on TV.”
To find out more about the Army Reserve, click here.
