“Being part of the RAF Family inspired me to work for the Fund”

To mark Armed Forces Week (23-29 June), we spoke to Fund staff member Liam Horsley (Business Support Executive for Central, North England and Wales) and his dad Neil Horsley about life growing up in the RAF, and their experiences as an RAF family.

Can you tell us about your role in the RAF?

Neil: I served as a RAF Policeman between 1999 and 2021, leaving service at the rank of Sergeant. During my time in service, my role was related to counterintelligence and cyber security roles.

Neil: During my time in service, I undertook tours at RAF Waddington, RAF Aldergrove, RAF Marham, RAF Scampton, RAF Fylingdales and RAF Digby (twice). I also spent time at British overseas bases in Cyprus, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, as well as being deployed to the Middle East at different points in my career.

Liam: We went with dad to his first three postings; RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland, and RAF Marham in Norfolk. Before my sister and I started secondary school, mum and dad purchased a house in Lincolnshire so we were settled near family, which meant that dad, during the remainder of his tour at Marham, would work away in the week and come home at weekends. He would do this when posted to Fylingdales in Yorkshire too. We were lucky that he got a posting at Scampton and two at Digby during this period, meaning he had time to be home regularly.

Do you have any other serving personnel in your family?

Liam: Yes, there is quite an extensive record of service across all three branches of the UK armed forces: my paternal grandfather and grandmother both served in the RAF as a chief technician and switchboard operator respectively; a paternal great-grandfather and great grandmother also served in the RAF, my great-grandfather in signals and great-grandmother working in the Ops room.

One of my maternal great-grandfathers served in the British Army before and during the Second World War, being evacuated from Dunkirk before serving in the North African and Italian campaigns. Additionally, a great-uncle served as a helicopter pilot in the Fleet Air Arm in the Royal Navy.

What were the highlights of life as part of the RAF Family?

Liam: As a younger child, an RAF Station could be a fun place to grow up. It was a closed off community with lots of play parks or recreation fields to use, so I felt quite free to spend a lot of time out playing with other children there. Anyone who knows me also knows that I have a deep interest in military aviation, so I loved being able to have a front row seat watching different aircraft taking off and landing. I could name most NATO military aircraft by the age of five or six years old.

A unique experience I had was whilst living at Aldergrove, in Northern Ireland. President George W. Bush flew in for a visit and my Mum took me to see Air Force One. We were at the front of the railings and as President Bush walked past, he spoke with members who had come out and he interacted with my Mum and I, shaking my hand.

What were some of the challenges you faced?

Liam: It was difficult moving around regularly. Changing your environment every few years for the first eight years of my life was challenging, including adapting to a new house, new school and new friends. It was also difficult when dad got deployed, particularly to the Middle East. Though Mum and Dad tried to protect my sister and I, I was aware to an extent of what was going on in Iraq and Afghanistan and knew that it was dangerous which made me feel anxious at the time.

Neil: For me, the difficulty came with trying to re-integrate into domestic life after working away for a period or after a long deployment. Routines and life had carried on without me and I had to try and fit back in.

It was also difficult spending a lot of time working away or being deployed as it meant I missed a lot of the kids growing up and developing. That’s time that I can’t get back.

What inspired you to work for the Fund?

Liam: Living as part of the RAF Family and being aware of the challenges that brings with it, made working for the Fund extremely desirable. Also, my family’s strong connections with the RAF across generations and being aware of the support the Fund has provided them at different points in their lives means that I understand the value of the Fund to the RAF Family and how it makes a real difference.

What does it mean to you to work for the Fund?

Liam: For me, it’s a privilege to be able to work for the Fund. Being in a position where the work I do contributes to ensuring the RAF Family gets the necessary support is extremely rewarding.

Neil: As a RAF veteran, I am proud to see Liam working for the Fund. It’s a charity that does a lot to support the RAF and I think it’s a worthwhile cause to work for and support.