Page 29 - Cadet Review Spring 2025

transformative, continuing the self-development
mindset that the Junior Leaders Course places
in each of us, with each of us coming back a far
different individual than the one Commandant
RAFAC sent off in Heathrow. A massive highlight
for me was the first full day of the trip. After waffles
and syrup for breakfast, we had the incredible
opportunity to engage with NatWest's senior
leadership team. This included the Chairman of
NatWest - Rick Heythornewaite, CEOs of NatWest’s
Commercial and Institutional, USA and Asia Pacific
branches alongside countless other directors and
subject matter experts in the financial field that
spared their time (and busy schedules) to talk to
us. We delved into important topics like corporate
leadership, psychological safety, authenticity
within management and the complexities of being
heads of such large branches within an even
larger organisation. The discussions were both
insightful and thought-provoking to both sides
of the table, offering a valuable perspective on
how these individuals foster an inclusive culture,
support innovation and navigate challenges in
today’s ever-changing world. Their openness and
expertise gave us a deeper understanding of the very
leadership principles that we have actively studied
and allowed us to comprehend how we can use
those principles outside of a field environment.
Rick Heythornewaite also wrote the Armed
Forces Incentivisation Paper in 2023, he shared
the challenges he faced in implementing the
recommendations he outlined in the proposal,
offering a candid perspective on the complexities
of motivating and retaining talent within the armed
forces and how difficult writing this from an outside
perspective is. This was especially useful to all of us,
as the majority of our group are looking for careers in
defence. His insights, alongside all of his colleagues,
provided eye-opening and highly practical
takeaways for us as we continue our leadership
development, and certainly started the trip off on a
It was a truly
once-in-
a-lifetime
experience
high, setting the tone perfectly for the remaining 9
days.
This trip was the culmination of my cadet career,
and it highlights that the more effort you put into
something (whether that be sports, work, or indeed
cadets) the more you will get out of it. I learnt a lot
in Washington DC, from my role in a group to how
authentic I actually am. Feedback and support was a
massive part of the trip, and I am immensely grateful
for the amount of it I got, as it was, and will continue
to be, so uniquely useful to each of us. Again, a
massive thank you to the JL staff and the JTYAF for
making this possible as it was a truly once-in-a-
lifetime experience enabling the ability to not only
learn about leadership, but immerse ourselves in
American culture and see places and things we never
thought we would have been able to, I truly believe
this trip has been a crucial stepping stone in each of
our lives.
CADET REVIEW SPRING 2025 29