Armed Forces Resettlement: Kevin Thorne's story

EMAS Senior Human Resources Advisor and Army Veteran, Kevin Thorne, has shared his story about his civilian resettlement in Civvy Street Magazine.

Kevin's Armed Forces career

Kevin began his career in the Army Catering Corps (ACC) as an Apprentice in 1979. After completing his apprenticeship, he Served as a Chef in the ACC and the Royal Logistics Corps, both at home (UK) and abroad. After progressing to Warrant Officer Class 1, Kevin was selected for commissioning. He Served as a Royal Logistic Corps Officer, Administration Officer, Careers Management Officer and a Quartermaster (Technical) until his retirement as a Major in 2014.

Resettlement journey

Kevin has worked for EMAS since leaving the Military. Now 10 years into his NHS career, Kevin is a Senior Human Resources Advisor and EMAS’s Armed Forces Lead, providing recruitment support to applicants with a Military background. He also leads projects which support EMAS’s reputation as a Forces friendly employer and is Chair of their Armed Forces Network. Kevin works with colleagues across the organisation to ensure that EMAS remains a great place to work for Veterans, Service leavers and Reservists.

“My Military career required a vast amount of personal and professional adjustment – especially when I moved to an administrative role. However, my experience of adapting to each new posting prepared me for the challenges that lay ahead.

When I retired after 35 years’ Service, I was unsure where life as a civilian would take me. However, I had plenty of skills that stood me in good stead for resettlement. I decided to harness my experience of people management, and obtained the qualifications required to continue my career in human resources and organisational development.

My job search was not without disappointment. I experienced a number of setbacks and unsuccessful interviews. But my perseverance paid off when an opportunity arose to join the NHS.

I immediately saw strong parallels between the NHS and the Military. Reservists, Veterans, Service-leavers, and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers all have a huge range of transferable skills that are fundamental to delivering our NHS. Leadership, teamwork, decision-making, compassion, and a willingness to learn are chief among them. That’s why at EMAS we guarantee an interview to Forces leavers who meet the essential criteria in the job specification.

There’s a vast array of career paths open to you at EMAS – from finance, project management, and maintaining our vehicle fleet or estates, to frontline clinical roles. Each path opens up different experiences, but all of them offer a career for life.

My Forces career was hugely rewarding and I would not change it one bit, but I am equally proud to be part of EMAS and the NHS, contributing towards saving lives in my community."

Read Kevin's article in Civvy Street (April 2024; pp. 14-15)​​​​.