Every year, Armed Forces Week includes a day dedicated to Reserve Forces and the importance of their work in defence of our country. To mark Reserves Day 2025, three people serving in different Reserve Forces based around our region have taken time from their busy schedule to answer some questions for us. This interview is with Marine Joshua Redford, a Royal Marine Reservist in the Cambridge Detachment.
Tell us about your civilian job
I work for the National Farmers’ Union as a farming adviser, representing farmers and growers with key stakeholders at a local and national level, such as politicians, local government, and the police.
Why did you decide to join the Royal Marine Reserve (RMR)?
I wanted to serve and provide an output to the reserves whilst maintaining a career in agriculture. Balancing both has been a challenge, particularly during the initial 18 months of training.
Since passing out of training, I’ve got greater flexibility with training and exercises, leaning into training harder during the winter months when work is less busy. Having the focus of keeping my fitness high is a great motivator of being in the reserves.
What does completing the Reserve Forces Commando Course (RFCC) and wearing the green beret mean to you?
I’m really proud to wear the green beret and live the values it represents every day. Passing RFCC has opened up some great opportunities to support the activities of the [Royal Marine] Corps and develop my own skills and drills.
Travelling to Cyprus, Norway and across the UK for training has allowed me to travel from a different perspective provided some great experiences along the way.
What support do you get, from an employer for example, to help you balance being a reservist with holding down civilian work?
My employer is supportive in allowing me to take leave as required to complete exercises throughout the year. Although I mostly use holiday allowance for training, which isn’t ideal, they were very supportive and provided cover [while] I completed a six-month mobilisation in 2024.
What skills from the RMR are most useful in your civilian life? And are there any from civvy street that have been useful in uniform?
The values taught during training weave into my work style and my employer appreciates the attitude this has created towards my work. Leadership skills learnt through field exercises are also massively transferable.
Even the basics of maintaining skills in the reserves, such as yearly first aid and fire safety training, have proved their worth and have been put to use in civvy life.
What do you feel is the highlight of your time as a reservist?
Mobilising with 42 Commando as part of a Ship Force Protection Team (SFPT) deployment in the Eastern Mediterranean was an opportunity to put training into practice. Being fully immersed in at a Commando unit was invaluable to improving my skills and drills as a Marine.
Thank you to Mne Redford, on Reserves Day 2025, for representing the Royal Marine Reserve in East Anglia!
