Today no doubt must be a surprise one for many in the United Kingdom as workers and many UK residents discovered the other selves of their co-workers and neighbours in uniforms .
What a splendid sight as the alter egos of men and women across the country were re
vealed as they donned their Armed Forces uniforms for work to show their pride in being in the Reserve forces.
Aaaaaah! It’s not always you see the military top brass amongst the gunners and tax payers alike, how much more commuting, with some of their Reservists Officers riding Brother Boris Bikes in uniform. But today, the Chiefs of Staff and some of their Officers did all of that as a demonstration of their solid support for the Uniform to Work Day!
What is more, all three joined the Reservists who wore their uniform to work and took public transport to the Ministry of Defence. It was also a wao sight to behold as three London-based Reservists – Able Seaman Richie Wilkinson, Lance Corporal Mark Herbage and Flight Lieutenant James Morris – jumped on Boris Bikes earlier in the week to undertake their daily commute through the city and promote the event.
Vigilance gathered that Uniform to Work Day has been organised as part of the build up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday 25 June, which celebrates all of those who make up the Armed Forces Family. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the role of the Reserves and to show the public the Armed Forces are made up of people from all sections of the community.
Reservists provide valuable support to the Regular Armed Forces and are deployed on operations, including Opertaion Herrick (Afghanistan) and Operation Ellamy (Libya).
To demonstrate their commitment, both the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Peter Wall, and the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, joined Reservists on their way to work. General Wall and Territorial Army (TA) soldiers Lance Corporal (LCpl) Phil Vergottini, Lieutenant (Lt) David McConkey and Ranger (Rgr) Michael Noonan all took the Tube to the Ministry of Defence offices, while Adm Stanhope took a river taxi to work accompanied by Able Seaman Richie Wilkinson from the Royal Naval Reservists and Lieutenant Ollie Clark from the Royal Navy.
LCpl Vergottini is a tube driver with the Northern Line and last year he left civvy street for a six month tour of Afghanistan, where he was part of the Counter-IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Task Force, providing infantry support for the specialist C-IED operators.
LCpl Vergottini enthused: “I’m proud of being part of the TA and all that I’ve achieved there and today is an opportunity for me to show the public that, behind my usual work clothes, I also serve my country. I completed a tour of Afghanistan last year, but most of the time I look like any other civilian. The support we get from the public and our employers on Uniform to Work Day is a huge boost to morale for me and my fellow TA soldiers.”
Meeting them today, a delighted Gen Sir Peter Wall remarked: “I am very pleased to have this opportunity to show my support for our TA soldiers by meeting LCpl Vergottini at his place of work, and enjoy a ride in his driver’s cab. The value and ethos of the Army can only enhance our TA soldiers’ performance in their peacetime roles. I am delighted to witness this first hand.”
Lending credence to this assertion, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope agreed added: “Many of our Reserve Sailors and Royal Marines will, today, wear their uniform to work; either with their civilian employer or as part of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines deployed on operations where they are contributing to regional stability in Afghanistan, conducting counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean, and supporting the UN Arms embargo and No-Fly Zone off Libya. Whether Regular or Reserve, Veteran or Cadet, we remember with huge pride and gratitude their service for their nation.”
Whilst Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton said: “The Royal Air Force, as well as embedded Royal Auxiliary Air Force colleagues and a number of sponsored reserves, is deployed on operations around the world. Together they are delivering critical elements of this country’s operational capability both in the air and on the ground. This integrated “whole force air component concept” allows our people, who are the bedrock of our capability, to work, fight and fly as a seamless air power team. On Uniform to Work day, I join colleagues, friends, families and employers in paying particular tribute to our Reservist personnel for their tremendous commitment and service.”