A part time soldier from Liverpool is honouring national Reserves Day by wearing her Army Reserve uniform to her day job – on an oil rig located in the North Sea!
Cfn Mel Stevenson, 30, joined 125 Field Company 101 Battalion REME, based in Allerton Liverpool, last year after a career in the Regular Army. During her day job she works on a North Sea offshore drilling installation.
Reservists give up their spare time to serve in the Reserve Forces, balancing their civilian life with a military career to ensure that should their country require them, they would be ready to serve as part of the military. However, the contribution they make to our Armed Forces often goes unrecognised. Reserves Day was created to highlight and recognise the valuable contribution Reservists make to our Armed Forces. This year, Reserves Day takes place on Wednesday 24 June.
Reservists are everywhere, but you might not know it. So on Reserves Day, our Reservists wear their uniform in their civilian life.
When at home, Mel lives with her partner and two dogs. She said: ‘The Army Reserve has provided me with mechanical engineering training which sets me apart from the other people I work with in my day job. It’s also a way of keeping fit and active on my time off. Being a Reservist is something to be proud of, and you gain life skills and experience.’
125 Field Company 101 Battalion REME are based in Allerton, Liverpool, and are recruiting from across Merseyside. 101 Battalion are the Army’s Mechanical Engineers for the North West of England. As an Army Reserve Battalion, they are there to augment Regular operations. They also provide support to the region’s other Army Reserve units and have a peacetime role providing equipment support and vehicle maintenance.
There is a huge range of roles on offer with 101 Battalion. Recruits get paid to train and have the opportunity to earn an annual tax-free bonus. Army Reservists get the training and skills they need to work alongside their Regular counterparts, skills which they can also use in their day jobs.
101 Battalion also offers Access to Engineering (A2E), a three month full time traineeship. Recruits will complete basic soldier and engineering training, and successful trainees will finish the course as an Army Reservist and REME tradesman. There are additional opportunities to get a basic driving license, take part in sports and adventure and make new friends. The scheme is now being initiated in Merseyside, and will be advertised throughout Job Centre Plus locations.
125 Field Company parade on Wednesday nights at Mather Avenue Army Reserve Centre in Allerton. For more information about the Army Reserve, search Army Jobs online or call 125 Fd Coy on 07468 700197
