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what do you do in your spare time?(and get paid for doing it...)How about:• Learning a new skill?• Navigating and driving a military vehicle crosscountry?• Playing a sport or challenging yourself in anadventurous pursuit?• Raising money for charity?• Socialising with your mates? Or maybe even,• Deploying on operations to take your placealongside the Regular Army?That’s what we do. We are 5members of 280 MovementControl Squadron RLC (V), yourlocal TA unit based in Swindon. Yet, wealso work for the Defence Academy insome way. Here’s our story.Major Fiona Gordon is a SO1Doctrine Editor at DCDC andresponsible for overseeing themanagement and production ofall their publications. She is alsothe Officer Commanding of 280Movement Control Squadron RLC(V). Fiona left the Regular Army in2006, although she has never beentoo far away from service life. Fionasays, “DCDC is a great place to work.Having settled down in the area,last year I decided to join the TA toput something back into the local community. I have been with theSquadron since April and just love it!”From L-R: WO2 Jaz Hood, SergeantJill Morris (back), LCpl Lyn Henderson(front) and Major Fiona Gordon“The highlight for me so far was taking part in the Cheltenham Racefor Life. Along with Warrant Officer Jaz Hood and Lance Corporal LynHenderson, we set ourselves the target of raising £500 for CancerResearch UK. To our absolute delight, we raised over £800 for thecharity. It was a very personal race for us. One of soldiers, Sergeant JillMorris, is currently fighting breast cancer and was at the race to cheerus on. She is an absolute inspiration - despite her battle, Jill still turnsup every training night. The TA is full of such extraordinary people andthat’s one of its strengths.”Warrant Officer Class 2 Mark Johnstone works in the LogisticServices Department of the Defence Academy as a Senior StoresSupervisor. He is also the Squadron Sergeant Major and has been withthe us since its inception in 2009. Mark is currently deployed as theRegimental Quartermaster Sergeant/Squadron Sergeant Major onOperation TOSCA with 29 Regiment RLC, a Regular unit. OperationTOSCA is the name given to the British contribution to the UnitedNations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. Mark says, “Having done 22years in the Regulars, I still felt I had more to offer. So, having settledin the area, joining the local TA unit seemed the right thing to do.”Talking about his UN tour, Mark added, “I have really enjoyed theopportunity to serve on a UN Tour. Our role out here is very different.We are responsible for patrolling Sector 2 of the Green Line in Nicosia.It is true soldiering and we need to be professional in every way. Youget a real sense of doing something for good. The TA gives us suchopportunities.” Mark has recently been selected for promotion and willassume a WO1 appointment on his return in October.Also deployed on Op TOSCA is Lance Corporal Toni Andrews. Toniworks for SERCO as lead service desk analyst at JSCSC and joined theLCpl Toni Andrews (centre) and WO2 Mark Johnstone (far right)TA in 2009. She is a trained movement controller and has taken partin various exercises across the world. She is a key member of the unit’sMilitary Skills Team which requires a good level of personal fitness.Toni says, “It was only when I joined that I had the incentive andchance to concentrate on my fitness. I really enjoy sport now and theTA has given me the amazing opportunities to try different sports andadventurous pursuits that I simply would not have done in civilian life.Private DebbieParmenter is the leadfront desk administratorat the front desk of theJSCSC. She is also a trainedmovement controller andis our Chemical Biological,Radiological and Nuclearinstructor, having cometop of her course. Debbiejoined us in 2010, havingbeen a cadet instructorfor 3 years in Swindon. “Ilike the challenge the TAoffers and it is somethingdifferent to do in myspare time. I also reallyenjoy its social aspect.”Private LukeJohnstone works in theLibrary at JSCSC. He isone of latest recruitsPrivate Debbie Parmenter6