Every year, on 8 May Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) is observed in the UK and across member states of the European Union.
VE Day is a pertinent opportunity to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of those who served and a chance to honour the legacy of our veterans, their families, and today’s Armed Forces community.
At GSA, this day also serves as a timely reminder of our continued commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant and our work to support veterans, reservists, and military families.
Our Head of Legal, Natalie, shares her experience of serving in the Royal Navy and how important it is to support our veterans.
“I had just turned 17 when I received my joining instructions from the Royal Navy in the post. It came as an enormous surprise to my parents, who had no idea I had been sneaking off to the local careers office to sit the entrance tests.
A few short weeks later, I headed off by train to Plymouth to join HMS Raleigh for basic training — the beginning of five years serving in the Royal Navy. During that time, I travelled to some incredible places, from seeing penguins in Antarctica to helping with hurricane relief efforts in South America. I also made lifelong friends who became more like an adopted family, many of whom I am still close to today.
I continue to maintain strong links with the Royal Navy as Chair of the HMS Ocean Association, where we hold bi-annual reunions. These events give us the opportunity to come together, share our “dits” (stories, for the uninitiated), reminisce, and continue to feel part of the incredible forces family.
The hardest part about serving in the forces is often when you leave. Although the support and training available to service leavers has improved significantly over the years, there is still a long way to go.
I was only 22 when I left the Navy and found myself unable to apply for jobs in my hometown because I was still living in Plymouth — long before the days of Teams or Zoom. By the time I eventually moved home, I was unemployed and living back with my family. I still remember attending the job centre and being told I wasn’t entitled to benefits because I had made myself “voluntarily unemployed”.
What followed were numerous job interviews. Getting interviews was never the problem; securing a job was a different matter altogether. Employers worried that I would simply re-join the Navy, or that civilian life would be too boring for me, and they were unwilling to take that chance. There was very little external support available to help with the transition, and at times I felt isolated and even considered re-enlisting.
Fast forward to today, and I now have the opportunity here at GSA to support current and future veterans through the Armed Forces Covenant. However, we cannot do it alone. Alongside Mark, our Health & Safety Advisor and former Royal Marine, and with support from our EDI Lead, Marianna, we want to host a series of regional coffee mornings to bring together our veteran colleagues.
The aim of these sessions is to help rebuild the sense of community many of us miss after leaving the forces, support the development of training for line managers working with veterans, and explore how we can continue building support networks across GSA.”