Failing at London’s worst school, 17-year-old Tom Robinson gave a friend a lift to an Army careers office.
Explosives and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components being destroyed by members from the Counter IED task force on day two of Operation Tor Shezada. Major Tom Robinson (pictured here as a Sergeant) is on the right.
Major Tom Robinson.
Photo shows from left to right, Sergeant Tom Robinson and Prime Minister David Cameron at the exit of the Cabinet room in the gardens of Number 10 Downing Street.
As it was mid-winter, he waited inside, rather than shiver in his battered old 1976 Mk 2 Ford Escort with its different coloured body panels. It was a decision that would completely transform his life and see him fulfil many dreams.
Today, I hardly recognise the boy I was before I joined the Army. I didn’t have any qualifications or social capital and was generally lacking confidence.
These include performing his passion for photography professionally for the Army on the frontline in the Afghanistan war, for the Prime Minister around the world including the White House Oval Office, and most recently teaching military colleagues in the Army’s Educational and Training Services (ETS) Branch.
Recalling his sliding doors moment, Tom, now a Major with Collective Training Group, said: “It was a fluke. When I was about to leave the careers office, the old Green Jackets Sergeant thrust an appointment card at me and told me I was booked in for a BARB (British Army Recruit Battery) test the following week. In the absence of any other prospects, I thought I’d give it a go.”
Due to severe family problems and poor education, Tom admits to entering the labour market underprepared and emotionally fragile. “It took me some years to develop my sense of self and the Army was instrumental in that,” he said.
“Today, I hardly recognise the boy I was before I joined the Army. I didn’t have any qualifications or social capital and was generally lacking confidence.
It was only when I began to do well in the Army that my self-belief improved. It’s about being the best that you can be.
“The Army has not always been easy, but it has developed me massively over the years. I used my Enhanced Learning Credits to pay for an honours degree when I was Staff Sergeant and I only wish I hadn’t waited that long.
“Since then, I have also completed a master’s degree, which was an unthinkable prospect before I joined the Army. My educational journey has been challenging as my experiences at school led me to believe that I wasn’t able to succeed academically.”
The Army taught Tom, from Warminster, to do his best and keep striving for more despite adversity and whatever the barriers.
“It was only when I began to do well in the Army that my self-belief improved. It’s about being the best that you can be,” he says.
Career highlights for the 46-year-old, originally from Abbey Wood, South London, began with passing out from basic training, becoming “a member of the club”.
This was an enormous privilege as we were embedded with the frontline troops and bore witness to courage and dedication in the face of adversity every day.
Serving in the Combat Camera Team in Afghanistan stands out. “This was an enormous privilege as we were embedded with the frontline troops and bore witness to courage and dedication in the face of adversity every day.”
His trade led him to the heart of Government and photographing world leaders.
Tom explained: “Someone in the Number 10 team realised the MOD had trained professional photographers and asked them to supply one for an experimental secondment programme.
“I was given the opportunity of being the first one and setting up the systems and establishing the role. It was incredibly fast paced, even by operational standards. I would travel the world and document the events the Prime Minister was attending.
“I’ve never been so busy or so exhausted. For example, we travelled to Russia and back in a day to meet with President Putin at his summer residence in Sochi.”
There is always a queue of high-quality soldiers asking to join the ETS, it is a hugely rewarding career choice.
When the Prime Minister had an official visit to the USA, which included a bi-lateral meeting with President Barack Obama, Tom found himself plying his trade in The Oval Office at the White House.
“It was an incredible experience. Army basic training doesn’t prepare you for speaking to the president of the USA, but I believe that the Army had developed me holistically to be able to thrive in a variety of situations and be able to do what is expected; whether it’s Helmand Province or the White House, you have a job to do and you just get on with it.”
“My final career highlight might sound like a cliché but it’s true. The first time I taught soldiers as an ETS Officer was very special. The troops wouldn’t have guessed, but it was a huge moment for me and came at the back of three years part-time study towards my degree and an extremely competitive selection process, all whilst holding down a demanding job and raising a young family, I was so happy to have finally achieved that goal.”
As an ETS Officer, his role includes teaching and training development, beginning after commissioning as a Learning Development Officer (LDO) in an Army Education Centre. The bulk of his time was spent teaching soldiers on their Army Leadership Development Programme courses.
It is now my responsibility to help unlock the potential of the younger generation. I have talked to so many young soldiers who haven’t had the confidence to even think about getting a degree.
Tom said: “There is always a queue of high-quality soldiers asking to join the ETS, it is a hugely rewarding career choice.
“I have been extremely lucky to have had the career I have had. It is now my responsibility to help unlock the potential of the younger generation. I have talked to so many young soldiers who haven’t had the confidence to even think about getting a degree.
“It’s really sad that they feel like this and it’s the job of LDOs to tell them they absolutely have the ability, the Army will support them, and if they have served long enough, will contribute financially and to tell them to just go for it.”
Tom has travelled the world with the Army, deploying on operational tours to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sierra Leone. He was also posted to Germany for a few years and has visited many other places including adventurous training in Austria and Bavaria, exercises in Cyprus and Battlefield studies to Bosnia and Sicily.
He deployed to Ghana in 2014 as part of the UK effort to find kidnapped schoolgirls, and to Sierra Leone that same year in support of the West Africa Ebola epidemic aid effort.
“The thing I take away is the massive disparity in the way people live their lives without the things many of us take for granted, such as shelter and security. I also love the way the Army comes together when working overseas, that sense of togetherness and common purpose when doing something important.
I also love the way the Army comes together when working overseas, that sense of togetherness and common purpose when doing something important.
“I’ve still got a few years left and would like to travel some more. I look forward to gaining more experience in different jobs which will help me to transition into civilian life when the time comes.
Nearly 30 years on from that fateful day at the Army careers office, Tom is eternally grateful he stepped inside.
“I don’t think this is an understatement, I think the Army saved me in many ways,” he said.
“Had I not given a pal a lift that day, I doubt I would have found my own way there as the Army simply wasn’t on my radar. I don’t know what life would have had in store for me instead, but I definitely wouldn’t have had the experiences or gained the qualifications the Army has given me.”
