Each year, Valentine’s Day triggers poignant memories for Becky, a former member of HM The Royal Marines Band Service.
Because it was on 14th February that her promising and much-cherished career in the Royal Marines came to an end. She had no idea just how much her life was about to be turned upside down.
As a child, Becky loved playing the piano and she became a talented pianist and flautist. On leaving school, she joined the RM Band and was steadily climbing the ranks. She was picked out for a Junior Command Course and was full of enthusiasm and hope for the future.
All was going to plan – and the physically demanding endurance course was all that stood between her and the next stage of her career progression.
How or what happened on that fateful day has never been fully understood, but half-way through successfully tackling the various obstacles, she started to experience pain in her hip. It gradually became worse but she nevertheless managed to make it back to camp. Over the next few months, in increasing discomfort and personal distress, she underwent lots of treatment and a myriad of tests to try and establish the cause. Unable to sit or stand for long periods of time, it became evident that she would no longer be fit enough to remain a Royal Marine nor to play again professionally.
She was having to face inevitable medical discharge. A successful, colourful and high-profile career as a member of the world-renowned Royal Marines Band, was over.
Not only having to endure ongoing pain, she believed also that she had no marketable skills whatsoever to do anything else. With no idea about what she was going to do with the rest of her life, she was suffering severe physical and mental distress.
Cue RMA – The Royal Marines Charity’s Employment & Education team who specialise in supporting into ‘civvy street’, those whose career in the Corps has been cut short due to injury or sickness.
In just a few one-on-one sessions, they helped her recognise the many skills she unknowingly possessed, helping her adjust her CV to emphasise the advanced database skills and practical event management experience she had gathered over 14 years in the Royal Marines.
This played a vital part in her transition to the commercial world. All her misgivings of being ‘just a musician’ without any useful transferable skills were completely dispelled.
“At the time I was very nervous and apprehensive not only about leaving the military, but also whether I would be able to get a job,” Becky says. “I had been a musician my entire career and suddenly had to look in a different direction for employment. I was totally overwhelmed and in a bad place physically and emotionally.”
RMA – The Royal Marines Charity secured Becky a trial position in the marketing team of a large construction company where she quickly excelled and helped to greatly improve efficiencies.
The good news? She was offered a full-time job and has never looked back. Becky has since continued to move onwards and upwards and is now the Proposal Manager with one of the UK’s leading construction and engineering companies.
She says: “Without the support of the RMA, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I cannot thank them enough for the help they gave me to transition so successfully – and happily – into civilian life.”