Veteran Brits find a home away from home in UAE

For many former soldiers, exchanging the regimented, disciplined lifestyle of the army for life in the civilian world can present a daunting adjustment and culture shock. But former members of the British Army's famed Corps of Royal Engineers living in the UAE can still find the same camaraderie and spirit of service through the local branch of the Royal Engineers Association (REA).
The REA was formed in 1968 with the aim of fostering a sense of comradeship among former members of the Corps, as well as of maintaining an awareness of the military traditions of the Corps.
Additionally, the REA provides financial assistance to current or former members of the Corps or their spouses, widows or dependents in need.
The REA - Middle East is one of over a hundred branches of the REA in the world, bringing together over 150 members of the Corps from across the UAE and the region, with some members coming from as far afield as Thailand or the Seychelles.
The local chapter is currently headed by mortgage consultant Ken Saxon, whose 24-year career in the army included stints in the Falklands, Bosnia, and both Gulf Wars.
In an interview with the Khaleej Times, Saxon spoke of the difficulties many former soldiers face when leaving the military.
"Once you're in that brotherhood, it's there forever," he said.
"When you first leave and go to 'civvy street', it's a struggle. I personally struggled. I'm still struggling now sometimes. A lot of the guys like to be regimented. That discipline is within you once you've gone through it as a soldier."
"I struggled to find what I was going to hang my hat on after 24 years of blowing up bridges and that sort of thing," he added.
"A lot of guys do struggle to find what their next career might be, and this sort of association brings them all together. It's a great networking tool."
Members of the local REA branch work in a diverse range of industries including the oil and gas sector, construction, civil engineering and humanitarian de-mining and explosive ordnance disposal.
"We have guys out in Somalia and places like that," he noted.
"There are guys that go to Vietnam and Laos for de-mining work. There's even a member who does work in Angola."
In addition to four branch meetings and a number of social events that take place every year, the REA also participates in a Remembrance Day parade with British diplomatic staff in the UAE to commemorate those who have lost their lives in armed conflicts.
"It's absolutely important for us to have that here," he said.
"All throughout our careers we've lost comrades in different conflicts."
Recently, Saxon and several other REA members attended events to pay respects to the UAE servicemen killed in Yemen earlier this month, which he says demonstrated a shared bond between soldiers of different nationalities.
"When we went to pay our condolences, the family was so appreciative that three ex-British soldiers turned up," he said. "We even noticed UAE army engineers there. You always hit it off with other former soldiers."
Among the REA's local members is Dubai resident Shaun Clark, who left the Army in 1997 after an 11-year career.
'It sounds like a cliché, but the bond you get from the Army is almost automatic and unwritten. You miss that. You leave (the Army) and you're on your own and everyone has different standards," he said.
"You really miss the camaraderie."
Clark noted that former members of the Royal Engineers, and the British Army in general, are well-represented among the population of British expats in the UAE.
"The army builds wanderlust, and leaves you with the mindset to be an expat," he said.
"You know what to do when you have a new start, with new cultures and new languages. You've already done that all before."
Clark said the REA has given him an opportunity to spend time with people who have shared his experiences of military life.
"Another cliché about the Army is that it doesn't matter how long it takes for you to catch up with people, but it always seems like yesterday. You don't feel the need to validate your relationships," he said.
"You know where you stand. You can look back on a lot of memories."
"At the end of the day as an expat, I think what you always want is some sort of community, some link, because that's what you miss from your normal life back home," he said.
"For us it's our time in the army."
bernd@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
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