A RESERVIST from Clacton credits the skills he has developed in the Army with helping him progress in his civilian career.

Private Antony ‘Gus’ Gusterson, a driver with 158 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps (158 Regt RLC), recently promoted into a supervisory role in his signals job with Network Rail.

“I know that the confidence, leadership and communication skills I’ve learnt in the Reserves helped me to both get the job and make the step up to managing a team,” the 33-year-old said.

“I’ve also got an HGV licence and an ADR licence to transport dangerous goods from my service.”

Serving with 158 Regt RLC, based at the Army Reserve Centre in Colchester, is Gus’ second stint in the Army.

“I joined up at 16, didn’t enjoy it and left quite quickly,” the father-of-two said.

“I just wasn’t mature enough to handle life in the Army.

“After a few years I had some regrets and thought I’d give it another go in the Reserves to have something a bit different in my life.”

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Private Anthony Gusterson from the 158 Regiment Royal Logitics Corps ties down a fork lift. Image: Cpl Stone/British ArmyPrivate Anthony Gusterson from the 158 Regiment Royal Logitics Corps ties down a fork lift. Image: Cpl Stone/British Army (Image: Cpl Stone/British Army)

Gus has just returned from two weeks on Exercise Iron Titan, which saw him at the wheel of a Man SV truck to drive supplies hundreds of miles across the country to keep the Army’s Apache and Wildcat helicopters flying and in the fight.

“I’ve done a fair few road trips, moving everything from fuel to rations from Wattisham in Suffolk as far as up the country as Arbroath in Scotland,” he said.

“You really get to know the person sharing the cab with you on those long journeys.”

158 Rgt RLC was training in its new role providing logistic support to frontline aviation units, paired with the Regulars of 7 Aviation Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

“To have that clear role and build relations with regular units has been interesting,” Gus said. “We’ve worked together really well - they manage the stores and we transport them, and we need each other to achieve the mission.”

The British Army is recruiting right now to fill 10,000 jobs across the UK with more than 200 roles to choose from, covering everything from frontline combat and cyber security to helicopter pilots, chefs and support roles.

If you’re aged 16 to 50 and if you want to find out more about a career in the Army, go to jobs.army.mod.uk.