One man’s resettlement – Paul Lewis

When 40-year-old Royal Signals Captain Paul Lewis left the Army last May, he had already made his mark in a number of areas

When 40-year-old Royal Signals Captain Paul Lewis left the Army last May, he had already made his mark in a number of areas. As well as the technical communication skills and all-round performance that had gained him a commission, he had acquired academic qualifications that would grace the CV of any job applicant. And he achieved all this against a background of military operations, exercises and time in barracks that is entirely typical of the career of many members of the Armed Forces. So what makes him different to most of his contemporaries?Starting as an Apprentice in 1982 at the Army Apprentice College at Harrogate, his first posting was to RAF Wildenrath. Swift promotion to Lance Corporal was followed by equally fast advancement to Corporal as a Class 1 Technician at 8th Signal Regiment in Catterick. A tour in the Falkland Islands led to 3rd Armoured Division Headquarters Signal Regiment, his Sergeant’s stripes and deployment on the First Gulf War (Operation Granby).After attending the Foreman of Signals course at Blandford, he worked with the Army Tactical Computer System Support Team. Staff Sergeant Lewis then increased his operational experience in Bosnia (Operations Grapple and Resolute), Rwanda (Operation Gabriel) and Kosovo (Operation Agricola). Not bad for a ‘techie’.

By now a Warrant Officer Class 2, he moved from Rheindahlen to Cyprus, and then, as Warrant Officer 1, to 21st Signal Regiment at Colerne. From there, he took part in the Second Gulf War (Operation Telic), being commissioned and serving his last three years in uniform with 238 (London) Signal Squadron based in Chelsea, part of 10th Signal Regiment, which has a number of squadrons across the UK. ‘My role in the squadron was to work in operations and provide a technical lead. My tour was varied and included helping defend a soldier successfully at a court martial, performing casualty visiting officer twice and managing the 4th Division’s and BATUS’s Defence Information Infrastructure (Current) project.’

His 24 years also included the award of the MBE for creating Systems Control Point Rheindahlen, a communications hub for Germany, and the introduction of Tactical Packet Adapter to the Army, which has been used extensively in the Balkans.

While serving he gained a National Certificate in Communications Engineering, which became a National Diploma and then a Higher National Diploma in the same subject as he developed his knowledge and experience of formal training courses. He believes that, ‘technical training afforded understanding of systems and how they interconnect’, while his ‘Foreman of Signals training taught me communication engineering to first principles. More importantly, it taught me how to absorb, adapt and employ new information quickly to my own environment. PRINCE2 training allowed me to plan and manage projects in structured environments. I do this now as a civilian.’

However, perhaps one of Lewis’s most impressive achievements was to gain his academic awards at the same time as pursuing such a full and varied professional and military career. He describes this as: ‘Hard work. My quest for continuous self-development began while studying two years full-time on the Foreman of Signals course. I realised I simply enjoyed learning. At the time, I believed a first degree, a timeless qualification, would establish my academic credibility. It took five years, studying 8–12 hours a week to complete my Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree with the Open University – a serious commitment. During this time I actively pursued my career by taking on projects and serving on operations to Bosnia, Rwanda and Kosovo. I also had two young children and a wife who deserved my time. I am sure this is an experience I share with many others trying to better themselves. On reflection, typical of the young and ambitious, I often struck the wrong balance, my family losing out to work and study.‘After some years I felt the need to develop further. I wanted a Masters degree that brought balance to my academic profile. Rather than selecting science, I chose management. It occurred to me that the best technical solution to a problem was rarely selected – it was the best business solution that won out. I wanted to understand the business and technical fields.‘I chose the Open University to study for my MBA because it is well respected, being recognised in the UK, Europe and the USA. I took two and a half years to complete the course. I studied all year round for 10–12 hours a week. The course was as fascinating as it was demanding. Not only did I learn about management, strategy, finance and creativity, I now experience, think, act and reflect differently. I was no better than average and deeply impressed by the quality of other students. Balancing my MBA, work and home life was easier than before: I studied at 5 am; I had split up with my wife and our children lived with her; my new partner was a full-time student.’He decided to leave the Army because of a ‘desire to fulfil full potential, combining experience, job training and academic learning, together with a postgraduate business degree. I was unable to realise that desire while on the late-entry roster. For many years I aspired to become a Warrant Officer Class 1 Regimental Foreman of Signals. I was honoured to achieve my goal. As a late-entry officer at 37 years old, I discovered how limited my options were; it was a blow. I decided to leave when I reached 40 and began the mental process of leaving very early. I was particularly fortunate to work with civil servants on IT projects using civilian equipment.’Having joined Harrogate at 16, leaving the Army felt like a betrayal somehow. But that is nonsense. What is important is to give your best, your duty to those around you here and now. What went before and what goes after is not important. Outside, I miss the people first and last.’A Career Transition Workshop made him ‘explicitly’ aware he was leaving the Army, and that there were lots of good people leaving – not just quitters. It also gave him the tools to use to help get a job. ‘I didn’t have to rely on them too much but they gave me the confidence I lacked.’ He also had one day’s consultancy training. ‘It was very good. The speaker was from the company I now work for. He spoke of an old colleague and I was hooked.’Formal resettlement training consisted of four weeks’ training with EBO Activities in Indonesia to become a PADI Divemaster, followed by three weeks in Thailand on a civilian attachment, qualifying as an Open Water Scuba instructor. He describes this as ‘simply stunning’. [Editor’s note: These were not just fun trips abroad at the MoD’s expense: Lewis has a long-term ambition to travel and teach diving abroad once his children are grown up.]

Although the RFEA job-finding service was of no direct benefit, he reports that his ‘CV was passed on a number of times and I was offered a job with Fujitsu as a result’.

Over to Lewis again: ‘When I left the Army, I was lucky enough to be offered a number of jobs. I decided to work for a company called DBI Consulting. I was taken by their open, friendly and frank approach. I made the right move. My client is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I work as a project manager, helping to deliver a new generation of IT infrastructure, operating system and applications in UK and across all 250-plus posts worldwide. It is a huge undertaking, one I am proud to be associated with.‘Every day I learn more about my role, project management and how to work in a civilian environment. The latter is the most taxing. In the short term I want to concentrate on becoming an asset to my company and client. In the future I hope to use my MBA more and focus on business change. Luckily, DBI consulting is willing to help me.’

In another capacity altogether, he has also made some life changes and undertaken some unusual personal development: ‘After teasing someone about the nonsense of reiki and its powers, I changed my mind completely after they performed some on me. It was relaxing, uplifting and beautiful.‘Some time later, mid-project and deep into a financial strategy course, other than my family I felt very disconnected. Everything was serious, logical, tangible and pressured. I wanted to nurture my soul and have some peace. Usually this is my cue to seek God, but this time I wanted it for me – one doesn’t ask God for such selfish things. I also wanted to help others, so I came to reiki. It was a life-changing two-day course. In the cellar of a Convent Garden bookshop with six women, I felt I was being filmed for Candid Camera. It seemed so surreal. I learned that anyone can learn and perform reiki – no special powers are required. During the sessions I gave and received reiki – I loved it.‘Since then, occasionally when I need a boost, or when someone, particularly my son, asks, I perform reiki. I also send it to others. I am just starting and a mere novice. But it works. I enjoy it and it brought the much-needed enrichment I sought.’What Lewis has done with his life, both within the Army and outside it, is of course unique to him. Not everyone will develop his technical skills or his combination of scientific and management expertise. Many people will not want to scuba dive or learn about reiki healing. However, everyone has the ability to decide their own personal development goals and how to achieve them. That is the message that readers should take from Paul Lewis’s story.