 Name: Darren FooteRank on Exit: Lance Corporal
Years of Service: 15 years
Qualifications Gained: CP Training
Successful self-employment – fuelled by the Forces!
In this feature-length case study, former Lance Corporal Darren Foote, who now runs his own thriving business, recommends making maximum use of your resettlement centre in order to ease the transition from Armed Forces to civilian self-employment
Starting out …
My name is Darren Foote I was born and grew up in the valleys of South Wales; I left school in 1982 with very limited exam results. It was not a good time for the area as industry was taking a big hit with the closing of the coal mines, and reduction in steel manufacturing and manufacturing in general.
I struggled for the next four years, going from job to job trying to find my niche, but it just wasn’t happening for me. I was always very keen on keeping fit and spending a lot of time outdoors, so it was inevitable the Army was calling … and I was listening.
Flourishing in the Forces
I joined the Army in September 1986 and, in June 1987, qualified as a Lance Corporal in the Royal Military Police. Although this was the proudest day of my life it certainly was not the easiest path to have chosen: due to my limited education and the high standards the RMP demand, I knew I had a mountain to climb. The experience was an enlightening one, though, as when I was in school help was limited – and sometimes non-existent – however, the Military Police immediately identified that I had certain educational difficulties, and I was pulled to one side (in a nice way) and taken through areas of the course step by step, which resulted in my confidence growing from strength to strength. It was an uplifting experience in comparison to my school years.
Even though I had succeeded in passing the course, it was in reality just the beginning – a time where I had to watch, listen and learn. I spent the next three years in Northern Ireland, where I learned a lot about myself and others. I learned how to command and command respect; I learned how to achieve and enjoy the feeling of being part of a team; I learned how to be patient and control my emotions in what can only be described as extremely difficult times.
Promoting personal empowerment
Above all, the thing I did learn – and that I still live by – is that when I worked hard not only was I rewarded by the system but I felt empowered within myself, and if I worked hard enough nothing would be impossible.
I qualified as a bodyguard while serving in Northern Ireland, and got to protect some very important high-status individuals, both in the military sector and members of the British government. This was without doubt the making of me. I was now thrust into taking control, commanding situations and ensuring the safety of very important people so that they could get on with their important jobs.
In 1990 my life was about to change again for the better. I was sent to Africa, where I was going to protect the British Ambassador Alan Ramsay and his family. During my seven months with Alan and his family I could see that our lives were poles apart – I was a real rough diamond. I didn’t know etiquette or political correctness. I had never before been to a formal dinner – the closest had been an Indian restaurant in Aldershot – so now I was feeling like a small fish in an enormous ocean. But because I was willing to learn I was given a life lesson in etiquette. Again, if it had not been for the Army this experience could never have been.
My experiences continued throughout my career in the Army with tours of North Africa and the Middle East (Gulf War), and my thirst for knowledge just kept growing all the time, encouraged by the personnel in the units that I worked with. It was 1997 when I decided to leave the Army, not because of any disillusionment – far from it – it was just that I felt I needed to move on and do something different.
Reaping the benefits of resettlement
When I decided to sign off and terminate my service, I had the daunting task of planning what I was going to do next – for the previous 12 years I had been taken care of in every way possible, and now soon it would be only me (scary stuff!).
I had no idea what was in store for me at the resettlement centre and, to be honest, I was quite nervous and wondered if I was doing the right thing by leaving the Forces. However, after my first day taking lectures with other Service personnel and conducting group discussions, I realised that, first, I was not on my own and, yes, this was the right thing to do! I began to stop thinking like a soldier and was now looking forward to my new life as a civilian. What was making this easy for me was the superb instruction from the resettlement staff: all my questions were answered and, even though I asked some questions that were complex, the staff would sit with us and talk us through everything, until we were happy and had a full understanding.
They helped me write my CV in a way that presented a military fighting machine as an asset to any working team, in whatever industry I chose. I found them extremely helpful in preparing me for interviews and aiding me to use key words to help negate any terminology that might have hindered me. One mistake I made, though, was not to get my military qualifications changed over to civilian qualifications, as this will assist in your success in whatever job you have chosen.
Planning for civilian success
After leaving the Army, I gained my Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Wales, and began lecturing at Cardiff College. I qualified as a mountain leader and climbing instructor, and am now planning my kayak instructor’s course. I have never forgotten the skills I learned in the Army, and have certainly put them to effective use as a civilian.
A couple of years ago I decided I was going to turn an idea I had into reality. This was very daunting for me as I have not done any business courses and had no real idea of where to begin. It was at this point that I started to think about the lessons I had learned in the military: command, control and communication. I had to take command of the situation, look at how I was going to do this and start planning. I had to control the situation by ensuring that my planning was realistic and not outside my physical boundaries, and that it remained within those boundaries. And, as when I went to the resettlement centre for help, I went to local government to help me achieve my aims and goals, using communication skills both written and oral.
Going into business …
In May 2009 I launched my own business, Mountain Fuel Ltd (Extreme and Endurance Sports Nutrition) ( www.mountainfuel.co.uk). It has been really hard work, but I found that, by applying the skills I learned in the Forces, I could stay focused and determined to succeed. Since the launch I have landed contracts with Cotswold Outdoor and various specialist extreme sports shops around the UK. Mountain Fuel products are now in Afghanistan, on sale in the NAAFI. I have sponsored the Tri-Service Military climbing team who are attempting to be the first British team in history to climb Makalu via the south-east ridge ( www.makalu2010.com – see ‘Despatches’, page XX). I also sponsor the British number-one 800m runner, Richard Hill.
… and succeeding
I still have my feet firmly on the ground and keep all my aims and goals real, but, as I was taught in the Army, success only comes by with determination, motivation, enthusiasm, drive and good planning.
My final words to anyone reading this article, and still serving in the Forces but considering leaving, is to speak with the resettlement officer and start to plan your future. Remember, the military is a very good part of your life – but, if you plan it right, the best is yet to come.
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