Armed Forces Day: Former soldiers talk about swapping life in the army for jobs at Luton Airport

To celebrate Armed Forces Day (June 24), Luton News spoke to two ex-military staff working at London Luton Airport (LLA).

Gary Salvage started his journey with LLA in 1988 as its station commander for the fire and rescue service.

In 1984, he joined the Royal Armoured Corp as a Trooper and then as a RAC Crewman in the Queen’s Own Hussars. All of his family had a history of serving in the armed forces - with his father working in the Royal Marines and his brother in the Navy.

He said: “Having seen the adverts on TV, it looked cool and being a tank commander was as close as I was going to get to being a fighter jet pilot – so I signed up accordingly.”

During his four years, he was stationed in North Yorkshire but had various postings in Germany and Canada. Gary explained: “I was stationed in Berlin at a fascinating time as the Berlin Wall was still erected as the dividing line between the East and the West.” If he had crossed the border into East Berlin without wearing his full dress uniform, he would have been arrested as a spy.

His time in the army prepared him for the stressful situations he faces during his work at the airport. He added: “On leaving the armed forces you return to ‘Civvy Street’ a more grounded individual and I believe employers will see you as honest, trustworthy, resilient and reliable.”

Natasha Cameron-Potter is now a senior health and safety advisor at the airport. Before starting at LLA just under a year ago, she was a Signaller in the Royal Signals between 2003 and 2008. Natasha was in charge of secure communications between the military in Germany. While deployed in Iraq, she helped to train the Iraqi Police force and worked alongside Danish Army, and both the American and British Marines.

After leaving school, Natasha was unsure of what to do so joined the army. She said: “The experience gave me a solid grounding for my future. It helps me to be able to work well under pressure and push myself to my limits.”

She wanted to be closer to family and decided to work at LLA. Natasha explained: “The airport seemed like a great place to work because of the varied, diverse works and the great benefits that LLA provide.”

Working as a senior health and safety advisor is an important role for the airport, which must ensure the safety and security of its customers, something which Natasha enjoys. She added: “I enjoy the interaction with a wide range of individuals. I like that every day is different and enjoy being in a fast-paced environment.”

Nik Jones, HR director for London Luton Airport said: “As well as an incredible team ethic, we find that our employees who come from a military background bring huge value through transferable qualities including adaptability, resilience, logistical and communication skills and, of course, an ability to perform under pressure – all hugely important in the day-to-day airport environment.”