Page 34 - Chiron Calling Autumn/Winter 2022

‘A Soldiers Perspective’
by Pte Briony Mae Reynolds
The Royal Military
Academy Sandhurst is
the Headquarters of the Army Medical Services where Pte Briony Mai Reynolds is currently posted as part of the Army Medical Services Engagement Team. This role takes Pte Reynolds around
the UK with Military Working Dog Millie providing demonstrations and the front of recruiting for the next generation of Military Working Dog Handlers, Veterinary Technicians/ Nurses and Veterinary Officers into the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.
This is a posting that is relatively unknown about in the RAVC and we tend to forget exists purely for the fact the soldiers are posted away and works solely on their own as a representative of the RAVC. In the
4 months Pte Reynolds has been posted to AMS CET Pte Reynolds has travelled across the UK and even back to the Defence Animal Training Centre in Melton Mowbray to advertise various roles in the Army. As a member of the engagement team soldiers will take on additional skills and responsibility, leading
key presentations about their
role and the medical services job opportunities to schools, conferences and large-scale events.
Prior to posting to recruitment Pte Reynolds was the Regimental photographer and assisted in the Social Media pages for the RAVC Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Now the Army Medical Services social media pages are run by
Pte Reynolds and LCpl Martin
(QARANC). The importance of social media now in recruitment is vital in engaging with the younger generation of recruits for the future. Since Pte Reynolds has posted to AMS CET Social media pages have risen by 130% with over 100,000 engagements from stories, posts and interactions and introducing reels into the Army Medical services pages.
“I have been quite fortunate to have the opportunity to work in a role that I enjoy and I also have a passion for. For many years I have heard about the recruitment posting but due to the location and being away from Regiment I didn’t know exactly what I would be doing day to day for recruitment. As soon as
I arrived, I wanted to get involved with the social media pages as I
saw an opportunity to enhance the engagement and be able to also assist in the posts and stories with my own ideas and photography. It is very rewarding and having the support from my chain of command and colleagues has boosted my confidence in my work immensely.”
34 Field Hospital saw Pte Reynolds creating a-day-in-the-life of soldiers within the unit, interacting with current Doctors, Medics and Nurses in a live exercise with a real time Q&A. The session had a question sent every 60 seconds over a 7-hour feed. All questions were answered by soldiers on the day and now this is a very popular request for many other Corps to provide.
“In recruitment a lot of the social
media posts are last minute and this was an idea I had in the car journey to the Field Hospital. Being part of the recruitment and engagement team is very fast paced and is about being able to adapt and work under pressure. It is rewarding to speak to various soldiers about social media and being able to make them feel comfortable to speak on a video
or take a photo of them to publish without them feeling it will be posted in a feed negatively. It is a compliment to me when individuals post my photos as their social media pictures or share my posts because they are proud of their job because that is how future soldiers get inspired by seeing their family and friends enjoying their field of work. A photo can speak a thousand words and that can be the kick start to someone’s journey into the British Army”.
“I believe social media is starting to change in terms of being seen a taboo. I know there are mixed review regarding social media and how we present the army online. In order
to engage with a new generation,
we have to change how we display the army and this is one of the key places we are able to interact and positively showcase what we do.”
Currently Pte Reynolds is looking into photography courses and building her portfolio. As Social Media pages are adapting into reels, she is hoping to learn more about Videography and drones and potentially load onto a drone course in the Army to utilise her skills
and provide another asset to the engagement team.
32 / Chiron Calling