40 • LOCKEX2018 PREVIEW
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SEVEN THINGS YOU DIDN’ T KNOW ABOUT JASON TYLER
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JASON TYLER, 47, STARTED UP HIS own locksmith business after 25 years in the Army. Now living in Rochdale, with his wife and daughter, he dedicates his spare time to raising awareness for mental health after his own journey to the“ darkest place”. Here he tells The Locksmith Journal how the Army allowed him to travel the world in some of the toughest situations but the return to“ Civvy Street” was his hardest challenge …
1. A JOKE THAT TURNED INTO A JOB
“ I started locksmithing when I was in the military. When I was working at the intelligence centre, we kept locking ourselves out of the Mk 4 Manifoils and I jokingly said‘ one of us should do this course to save money’. I did a couple of courses and found it really cool that we could pick locks, then just became obsessed with it. I then did another course in Birmingham with Jason Hillier- a legend of the trade- and we now are close friends. In total I think I did about 12 weeks-worth of courses, and I’ ve tried to work with individuals who I knew I could learn from one-to-one. After only five years, I’ ve started picking open older safes and looking at going in that direction. I’ ve spent nearly 6 years building up my reputation and business and have met some great guys along the way.”
2. BUILDING RIDES, MENDING LIVES“ I am Ambassador of the Veterans Garage charity in Manchester; born from a young royal engineer called Jayson Redshaw who saw his best friend killed in action and never really got over it. The charity was set up by his dad and brother with the aim to have a one-stop-shop for veterans in a facility that can give advice, counselling, work opportunities, training opportunities, and employment, but most of all, a safe environment to be around like-minded individuals, whether they be former servicemen or civilians. The charity’ s HQ will take the shape of a converted grade-2 listed former terminal building on Barton aerodrome, Eccles. The current premises will be converted into a terminal building where most facilities will be, there will also be a smokehouse and bar to will help fund money back into the project. Last but not least, there will be the garage to restore motorbikes and cars. We have also been donated 30 acres of land to run activities outdoors such as Tough Mudder style events and a respite retreat on the North Wales coast. After a 16-month planning delay we are now back on track. In the meantime, we’ ve completely converted a building situated next door into a business centre for Veterans Garage.”
3. AS SEEN ON TV“ I was working away on a job when an old friend got in touch and said a lady from London was going to call and would I listen to what she had to say. I trusted him and said‘ okay, just for you’. She called, and two weeks later I signing a contract for Channel 4’ s SAS Who Dares Wins. The program takes 25 volunteers and over nine days gives them an experience of what’ s required of the Special Forces selection process. One of the toughest challenges is the resistance to interrogation phase, which is where I came in. I was known to Ant Middleton( the program’ s chief instructor) as I ran the resistance phase of his own selection course. This series was filmed in Morocco and under contract I was not allowed to tell anyone until it aired, so a lot of people were not expecting to see me on TV. It made the school run quite an event! Now, only fans of the show recognise me, and I was known as the nasty man! I now often help out Ollie Ollerton and the gang down at Breakpoint in Sussex; the subjects I instructed on are all classified, but all Human Intelligence areas, mainly around resisting interrogation and surviving captivity.”
4. ARMY DAYS:“ AN AWESOME JOB”“ I joined up at 16, as a junior leader. I had a colourful career, but never attained my long service and good conduct medal, which I qualified for twice. That didn’ t stop me gaining the rank and position as Warrant officer class 1 and Regimental Sergeant Major appointments. For the
last 10 years of my career, I worked in the Human intelligence and Psychological warfare areas and was an instructor and advisor at the highest levels. This in turn led me to work with the Special Forces community. I was in a very small select unit that was used to train people who were deemed prone to capture and exploitation. I served in every theatre of operation that the UK forces went to in my time; from Northern Ireland to Bosnia to the Middle East to the USA. The Army allowed me to basically travel the world doing an awesome job.”
5.“ EVERY DAY’ S A GOOD DAY, NO MATTER HOW BAD I FEEL”
“ When I left the Army in 2013, I was determined to start a new life for my family. My daughter was around 6-yearsold but I’ d only seen her for around two of them in reality. Even the day she was born- Christmas Day- I was back at work the next day. When I left I thought I’ d transitioned well into‘ civvy’ life. In fact, I was suffering massively with mental
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL. CO. UK | MAY / JUN 2018