May 2021 – It is now 3 months since I left the Army and started my second career and time to pause and reflect. Transitioning out of the military during a global pandemic was not the best of timing but I feel incredibly lucky to have landed in a company that has a familiar feel and culture. Trinity is a company that lives by values that I recognize from my time in the military – Service, Loyalty, Integrity and of course Trust, which is a cornerstone of the company’s ethos.
Trinity is proud to be an Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold award winner and with 70% of its staff being Veterans, serving Reservists or military spouses, there is a deep commitment to, and an instinctive understanding of the needs of, the Armed Forces Community. My 34 years of commissioned service, which includes Reserve service, adds to the wealth of experience here at Trinity and I am really enjoying the opportunity to serve the Armed Forces community by addressing its financial health through a shared commitment to provide the best products and unrivaled service.
An area of reflection is on how I could have better served those that I had the great privilege to lead. As a Commanding Officer, Group Commander and Brigade Commander I trusted the advice of my subordinates, but on reflection, feel that I should have taken a much more personal interest in who was providing insurance services and financial advice to my soldiers. I took a close personal, and formalised, interest in the physical and mental health of my people always but should have extended this to include their financial health. By so doing, I could have ensured that they had the best protection in place throughout their careers as well as prepared themselves and their families for life after the military. I’m turning my learning here into a useful guide for commanders that I hope will help them do a better job than I did and better equip them to support their subordinates’ financial wellbeing.