Sergeant Chelsea Palfrey, an Air Defence Operations Sergeant with 16 Regiment Royal Artillery, was born with an upper limb difference called Ectrodactyly — a rare condition affecting the development of her hand that results in fingers being fused or absent and has served in the Army since 2014.
Sergeant Palfrey monitoring the SkyKeeper element of Sky Sabre.
Sergeant Palfrey standing at the front gate of Baker Barracks.
Sergeant Palfrey standing at the front gate of Baker Barracks.
She had always wanted to be a soldier, but it was far from certain that Chelsea’s dream would come true.
Chelsea's family background in military service helped her to stay focused.
“I knew I wanted to be a soldier, I knew from the age of seven and I was determined to make it happen.
“My mum’s cousin is in the military, and my great-grandfathers also served, so their stories gave me that extra push to stay focused and work towards my goal.”
Training and adapting
And that extra push seemed to have done the trick and unexpectedly for Chelsea, her recruitment and training went more smoothly than she expected.
I’ve learned that what truly matters is your determination, resilience, and belief in yourself.
Her medical assessment took a little longer than usual, and she found practical ways to manage physical tasks, but it was not without its challenges.
Chelsea explains:
"For fitness assessments like carrying jerry cans, I quickly figured out how to manage by using certain fingers on my right hand, as I can't grip fully with all of them."
Cold weather requires extra care. Chelsea often wears one glove to protect her hand from low temperatures — a simple, practical solution.
She added:
“I had to go to the armoury to demonstrate that I could handle a weapon properly and be assessed by an officer to ensure I could salute correctly despite my limb difference.”
Why choose the Artillery?
“My original plan was to go to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and be an officer in a bomb disposal role, but life took me in a different direction. I spent some time in Australia and then joined as a soldier at the age of 20. That’s when I found myself drawn to the Royal Artillery and looking at joining an Air Defence Regiment.”
When deployed, Chelsea works in a regimental command post and is key in supporting troops on the ground.
With her team, she tracks the skies for hostile air traffic and sends orders to pre-positioned artillery to defend air space by using short, medium, or long-range air defence.
Prepared for Promotion
Chelsea’s last post took her to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps working with allies from across the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). She aspires to return there in the future, but for now she has her eye on her own progression.
I hope my story shows that having an upper limb difference doesn’t have to hold you back from achieving your dreams.
“I’m working towards a promotion to Staff Sergeant. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to take on more responsibility and continue developing as a leader. I also want to gain more experience in different areas and broaden my skill set and stay ahead in the ever-evolving military environment.
A role model for others with difference
“I hope my story shows that having an upper limb difference doesn’t have to hold you back from achieving your dreams.
“Growing up, I faced challenges and doubts, but I’ve learned that what truly matters is your determination, resilience, and belief in yourself.”
Chelsea's story is a clear signal to anyone with a physical difference who has wondered whether the Army has a place for them. If you meet the standards, you too could join the Army and bring your unique strengths to our team.
