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Photo : LTG WILLIAMS , SGT THOMAS and CWO RICE
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2018 SERGEANT 9
YAHYA AWARD
SGT . JULIAN J . THOMAS
AGE : 43 / YEARS ON DUTY : 21 ( ASSIGNED TO LANDCOM IN SEP2016-SEP2019 )
By SFC Jonathan FERNANDEZ ( ESP ), LANDCOM Public Affairs .
Chanak Kale a What did you feel when you received this award ?
I was shocked by the nomination , let alone to be the receiver of the Sgt . Yahya Award . I was very humbled to be nominated and to be honest , I was only doing my job as an administrator for G3 .
What was the reaction of your friends and family ?
My friends and family were very happy for me , especially my wife , Lynnette , who was over the moon for me . All the extra work had been recognised at the highest level . Of course , people on social media bombarded me with congratulations and well wishes .
Why did you decide to be a Soldier ?
I decided to be a Soldier in the first instance , due to the lack of employment opportunities in and around where I lived ... RhonddaValley , South Wales , United Kingdom . I joined the Royal Regiment of Artillery in January 1997 . I served as a Gunner in 22nd Regt . Royal Army ( RA ) the Welsh Gunners , which was equipped with Short Range Air
Defence RAPIER system . After six years , the Regiment disbanded and I transferred to the 32nd Regiment RA , which was equipped with Unmanned Air Vehicles ( UAVs ). I then transferred to the Adjutant General Corp Staff and Personnel Support \ Branch ( AGC SPS ) in 2009 and have served as an administrator to the present day .
How do you see yourself in the future ?
I will be due to leave the British Army in February 2021 . I will train and gain qualifications to become an IT Technical Support Analyst . During my time in the Army , I have also gained numerous Level 3 and above NVQ qualifications . This will enable me to become a NVQ assessor for the British Armed Forces should the opportunity present itself .
Lemnos
& Standards . is 80 km south-west of Cape Helles
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What is the secret to being a great soldier ?
I do not have any secrets to being a great
soldier . Being a Soldier is not easy . You are asked to do things not asked of other people . You have to be aggressive and strong in battle , yet behave properly and show self-control all the time . To this day I still live by the British Army Corp Values
VALUES
Selfless Commitment Respect for Others Loyalty Integrity Discipline Courage
STANDARDS
Lawful Appropriate Behaviour Total Professionalism
LAND POWER 33