A VETERAN’S STORY TONY CARVES OUT A NEW CAREER AFTER HIS MILITARY SERVICE
The best thing I have ever done was to contact RBLI. They really have saved my life. Those are the words of veteran Tony, who struggled with PTSD, after carrying out a peace-keeping mission in Kosovo in 2000. Tony was deployed to the capital city of Pristina, where he helped to evacuate people to safety from towns surrounding the city. He also worked with the Royal Marines to carry out a weapons raid on a large block of flats, where to their surprise they found men who had kidnapped women and forced them to into prostitution and drugs. Shortly after Tony left the Army. "It was a real shock to have to leave the Army. In my life, I had only ever wanted to be a soldier – but that wasn't soldiering, that was something else," said Tony. "You never forget what you see, and what you leave behind. No amount of training prepares you for that. I could not deal with it."
On leaving the Army, Tony did not have anything in place to help him start a new life. He first came to RBLI in 2019 to stay in temporary accommodation in the veterans' village. His fine woodwork and carpentry skills were soon realised, and he was offered employment at Britain's Bravest Manufacturing Company – our social enterprise which provides jobs for Armed Forces veterans, so they can regain independence after leaving service.
Kate Bull, Managing Director of BBMC said, “Tony’s positivity and resilience make him a real asset to our team.” Since joining the factory Tony has taken on a new project at the social enterprise helping to develop products for his fellow veterans to manufacture. His most recent project involved the development of new wooden products for the RBLI Shop, including a bird box, hedgehog house, planters and a garden bench.
It’s amazing being able to be a part of the charity. It’s given me a real drive to succeed again, and in return bring in money for the charity. Tony Mountain – Veteran
Tony’s work is now on sale via the RBLI Shop rbli.shop
TOMMY CLU B N EWS I SPR I N G 202 1
5
