Colonel

Richard Carvath has a military background – albeit an unconventional one for a British citizen.  In Western countries today, very few people conceive of the soldiering trade as anything other than those armed forces which are established and maintained by the State.  So, here in the UK, we think of His Majesty’s armed forces – the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force.  But around the world there are many more soldiers than those employed by nation-states.  There exists a whole world of militias, private military contractors and companies; this is the context in which Richard has operated.

Whilst Richard never served for Her Majesty, he has done some serving in his time (and, needless to say, never to the detriment of British interests).  Today, in the appropriate company, Richard functions as a supernumerary colonel.  Richard was recruited into the PMC world via an unusual route for a British citizen.  The exact details of the recruitment cannot be disclosed, just as Richard’s operations and assignments will never be publicly disclosed.  What can be revealed here is this: interestingly, prior to entering the PMC world, Richard was approved for entry into all three branches of the UK armed forces, though he never actually proceeded to serve Her Majesty.  Strange but true.  What happened?

In 1994, aged 17, Richard passed the PRC course (for enlistment into the Royal Marines Reserve).  That particular course took place at the Merseyside Detachment.  In 1996, aged 19, Richard completed the POC course at CTCRM Lympstone (for officer entry to the Royal Marines), but he was not selected for progression to Admiralty Interview Board.  In his twenties Richard passed for enlistment (for avionics) in the RAF.  Also in his twenties, Richard was endorsed for the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (via the now defunct Devon and Dorsets regiment) following an interview conducted by Major Colin Pape MBE.  So what happened?  Well, Richard was ‘recruited elsewhere’.  Extraordinary but true.