More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A former serving member of the RAF has said firms need to be more open to taking on former military personnel.
He says there remains "a stigma" to employing troops - with many believing them to be "broken" after their time in service.
It comes as flags flutter across the county today to mark Armed Forces Day - an annual event designed to support serving and veteran troops.
A number of ceremonies have taken place during the week as flags are raised on buildings and famous landmarks as a sign of respect for those who serve the country. Among them was one in Gravesend.
But Chris Chambers, 35, from Sittingbourne, says he found the transition back to Civvy Street a challenge when he left the RAF - where he served as highly-skilled technician and engineer for nine years - in 2012.
He explains: "I looked around for work but for all the job applications I sent out the only place I could get work was at Asda at Sittingbourne stacking shelves - and that despite all the training and skills I had.
"There's an unfair stigma that a lot of people who leave the forces are broken and a lot of employers - even with the skills they have - don't want to take the risk.
"My advice for companies would be that even people in the military who don't have specialist trades like I do, are a hard worker, everyone has the ability to be easily trained. Regardless of your rank.
"Someone from the military is a bonus to have working for a company and there aren't enough big companies trying hard enough to recruit them."
Since 2018 he has been working at Rochester's BAE Systems. The company, which has some major defence contracts, has proved a good fit.
It makes presentations to those coming out of the forces highlighting how the skills used during their service can be deployed at the firm.
The firm has won several awards for its efforts in actively seeking ex-military personnel to join its ranks.
And Chris Chambers says he has a word of advice for those entering the final months of their time in service.
"You get a few months at the end of your service career where you should be looking for a job," he says, "looking for a place to live, thinking about your future finances and I didn't really pay as much attention as I should have and I came out with no place of my own to live and no job.
"I suffered from quite bad anxiety towards the end of the time in the RAF due to the uncertainty."
Many of the regular events for Armed Forces Day have been scaled back due to the pandemic.
One of the events taking place earlier this week was a raising of flags in Maidstone's Brenchley Park before it was moved to fly over the town hall.
The town's mayor, Cllr Fay Gooch said: "From veterans, reservists, cadets and all Armed Forces personnel either currently serving or retired are a credit to our country.
“Some are busy working around the world to help defend the UK and its interests, promoting peace, delivering aid, tackling drug smugglers, providing security and fighting terrorism, all providing essential services which we can sometimes take for granted. "This special week of celebration is one way we can all give our thanks to them."
To read about the Armed Forces and how they have served Kent and beyond, click here.
