Marie Claire Joins The British Army For A Day

Marie Claire joined the Army for a day of training to find out what regimental life is really like.

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Here at MC HQ, we made it our mission to uncover what Army life is really like for women. We sent picture editor Sarah Bromley to the barracks in Hampshire...

From co-piloting a Squirrel helicopter to loading ammunition on to an Apache helicopter, Sarah got to experience the rush of adrenaline that pilots must feel on a daily basis in the air.

She also discovered that soldiers soon rack up the air miles not just during helicopter missions but by travelling the world to some unexpected places as part of their Adventurous Training. ‘Everyone I spoke to had worked or trained abroad and not just in places like Afghanistan, but Brazil, Indonesia and even LA,' she says.

What Sarah was most impressed with, though, was an adventure of a different kind. ‘The Army's humanitarian work is incredible,' she says. ‘You can easily forget that soldiers and officers travel around the world helping to transform lives, whether it's providing aid or rebuilding roads after natural disasters to risking their lives in Africa to take part in the ongoing fight against Ebola. It's inspirational and the soldiers I met were amazing.'

Being a hero and travelling aren't the only perks. There's no glass ceiling in the Army – salary is according to rank – and benefits include great maternity packages and accommodation, including family quarters. ‘The Army isn't just a man's world, it's a woman's one, too,' says Sarah. ‘For my helicopter flight, I flew up with a male pilot, but his boss was a woman.'

The Army's Adventurous Training is a massive perk. Designed to foster leadership, teamwork, physical fitness and courage, soldiers get to go to incredible places such as the Dolomites in northern Italy for mountaineering and mountain biking. Or they might get the chance to practise military maneuvers in the jungle in Brunei. It's an exciting way to see the world and develop the skills needed to be a great soldier.

Fancy an adventure? To find out more about life in the Army and careers, or how to become a Reservist search www.marieclaire.co.uk/army

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