ARRC NEWS
LIVING IN THE UK AND WORKING AT HQ ARRC
Warrant Officer 1 René van Wijk - The Royal Netherlands Army
In October 2019 I applied for the position of OPS Warrant Officer in HQ ARRC G9 branch . After the job interview with ACOS G9 / NLD SNR my motivation to come to HQ ARRC was confirmed . My predecessor , a regimental colleague in The Netherlands for many years , informed me about this job and promoted not only the role , but also stressed that HQ ARRC was a great headquarters to be part of with many nationalities represented . He also boasted that the area of Gloucester and Cheltenham , near the Cotswolds , is a beautiful place to live . After selling our home in The Netherlands my wife and I moved to the UK on the 7th January 2020 to start our endeavor where we enjoy our nice rental home in Cheltenham .
The job in G9 CMI was a complete new challenge for me , since I never worked in the field of Civil Military Interaction before . My background is within the NLD
Signals Regiment where I went through regimental duties almost all of my career . With the support of my CMI and Dutch colleagues , I easily managed to adapt to the challenges of my role within the HQ . Most valuable was to gain experience on exercise Loyal Leda in November 2020 , where I was deployed with the Forward CP in Fairford . This comprehensive exercise helped me significantly to understand the processes and job requirements , where I was able to build experience for my ongoing employment at ARRC .
From my perspective it was amazing that we were able to continue with the exercise , despite all obstacles along the road towards the exercise as a result of the dramatic COVID pandemic . The way we at ARRC carried on with all Covid-19 force protection measures was an experience on its own . Testing every two days , wearing facemasks , socially distanced workspaces , washing our hands constantly and combat rations for many days . Despite all these measures , I believe HQ ARRC managed the situation very well , enabling all of us to have a most valuable exercise experience . For the CMI branch and myself this certainly was the case indeed .
Since we are a relatively small Dutch contingent , six staff members in total , I
On free weekends and bank holidays , my wife and I try to see as much as we can to get the most from living in the UK
also have some NSE ( National Support Element ) responsibilities . Helping newcomers with their housing , bank accounts and VAT returns , to name a few . Particularly during the lockdown circumstances , it is sometimes difficult to get all issues solved . However , thanks to the support from the Policy Cell and all national and international colleagues , we managed to get things done . That is what I really like most about the work in this multinational HQ , everyone is most willing to help and support each other and puts a lot of effort into making all individuals feel ‘ at home ’, despite home being miles away for many of us .
On free weekends and bank holidays , my wife and I try to see as much as we can to get the most from living in the UK . We like to cycle a lot , which sometimes is rather a challenge in the UK compared to the road infrastructure in The Netherlands , famous for its extensive bicycle lane network . Furthermore , we love to hike through the beautiful countryside , and of course at the end of the walk we enjoy the pleasure of visiting local pubs and meeting nice people . Unfortunately not a lot of family and friends have been able to visit us until now due to the travel restrictions . We sincerly hope that this situation will change soon for all of us , enabling us to invite our family and friends to stay . My wife and I would sincerely like to welcome our family and friends to our house in Cheltenham as soon as possible and let them experience how nice it can be to live and work in the UK .
A Year at HQ ARRC – Working from Home
Has the pandemic allowed the military ’ s working practices to step out of the dark ages ?
In recent months , HQ ARRC has enjoyed the implementation of individual issue MOD laptops .
Working from home , by and large , has been a new concept for much of the UK , and not least for the military . Prepandemic , to consider achieving any significant military output from home would have been seen by some including myself , as untenable .
However , allow me to be the first to admit that I was wrong . The pandemic has been an opportunity and the catalyst to demonstrate the Headquarters ’ ability to work from home . As a result of HQ
ARRC ’ s readiness and in testament to our adaptability , we have embraced these new ways of working .
From a personal perspective , I have enjoyed working from home and hope that this becomes a new ‘ normal ’. With two children under three and a husband currently deployed , life is often chaotic . Having access to a MOD laptop enables me to work to full capacity , whilst maintaining my parental commitments . It has done extraordinary things for my work-life balance ; a sentiment echoed by many .
The rollout has seen me sign up for , and attend remotely , personal development courses which compliment my role . It has provided opportunities to increase my capability and competency from home or office , wherever and whenever .
It cannot negate the requirement to use our NATO system , but should be
thought of as a complementary tool . It aids in establishing and maintaining corroborative work streams across the unit and wider MOD .
One of the fundamentals of soldiering is to communicate effectively . In this digital age , having been provided the facility to do so , remote working has Cpl Julie Wilson-Storey increased both my input and output exponentially . Remote working is paving the way toward embracing technological systems available to the military .
the imjin SUMMER 2021
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