Label had the opportunity to talk to David Morgan, a current Loughborough student training with the Officer Training Corps as well as the Territorial Army (TA).
As part of his role as an Officer in the TA, the International Relations student helps with the field exercises and tactical manoeuvres whilst in MOD training areas such as the Stanford Training Area in Norfolk. Talking about his degree, he said: “Having that awareness of current affairs can be very useful as there is military engaged all over the world.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to meet completely different people. It’s great to be able to immediately work in a team, irrespective of different backgrounds or not having previously known them. I’ve learnt so much about my limits. You get to challenge perceptions you have of yourself and improve all the time. When you’ve accomplished a difficult challenge it feels like an amazing achievement.”
Speaking of the challenges he had faced in his role, David explained “It was very daunting at the beginning. When you first join you’re still in the mind-set that there are certain things you have to be given like food or water and you realise that things are completely different. There was a moment during an exercise where I wasn’t sure this was what I wanted to do, but then something just clicks and because you’re part of the organisation it pushes you to do more.”
David Morgan was awarded his Queen’s Commission following an intensive three week assessment at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Following this he also attended a two week training exercise in Germany as part of his infantry unit, 3 Royal Anglian.
Talking about his experiences he said, “When we were in Sennelarger in Germany, we got to use new equipment and bigger training areas. It was easy for us to be able to do and try new things. We also got to have three days of cultural visits and we had the opportunity to see some beautiful German towns. There is this ‘Work hard. Play hard’ attitude to everything.”
Label asked David what advice he would give to anyone interested in joining. “It’s something I would recommend to everyone. You learn so much about yourself and it’s really motivating to train with people who you respect and who in turn respect you back. As a student though, effective time management is really important and having personal discipline.”
The TA has career routes available for engineers, medics, logistics specialists, the infantry and many more. For more information about joining the TA in Loughborough, please call the Armed Forces Careers Office on 0116 254 3232.
