Last Entry: 15:30 
The Rule of Six:
Veterans Reflect On The Covid-19 Pandemic
Six veterans reflect on how military life and modern technology helped them during the year-long pandemic.
Life has been difficult for everyone over the past twelve months.
During the pandemic we spoke to six local veterans to ask if their military experience had had an impact on their life during lockdown. How had they adapted to the changes, dealt with the emotional and physical stress? Their responses offer insight into the crossover between their military and civilian lives illustrating how they have coped over the past year. Following Government guidance, this virtual exhibition has been put together using the veterans’ own words.
With thanks to the veterans of the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment, and Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, who agreed to be part of our ‘Rule of Six’ project. Supported by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund.
CLICK ON EACH OF THE PICTURES BELOW TO READ THEIR STORY:
The Rule of Six: RONNIE
Ronnie reflects on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ronnie didn’t leave his house for four months during 2020, meaning that he never ventured out into town, was unable to see the dentist, and the only person he saw during the whole lockdown was his son.
With just his cats to keep him company, Ronnie admits that it got a bit boring at times, but he managed to occupy himself with various jobs around the house, listening to CDs, watching plenty of TV, and using the treadmill to keep fit.
His son and daughter-in-law helped with the shopping and delivered items to his door, but they only conversed from across the garden so it was quite difficult.
Ronnie has been spending much of his time in his garden, especially during the first lockdown as the weather wasn’t so bad. He always found ways to keep himself busy; digging, tending to the fruit trees, cutting the grass, and planting all sorts of vegetables and plenty of flower bulbs ready for next spring. This also meant that Ronny spent a lot of time cooking in the kitchen, using the various fruits and vegetables grown in his garden.
He was very disheartened that he couldn’t go to the Cenotaph in London for the parade on Remembrance Sunday, as this was something that he had planned and was looking forward to with a number of his friends.
Ronnie is used to cooking for himself, just like he would when he served, and even compares some of his gardening jobs to digging trenches.
Since he was trained to learn to survive in the army, Ronnie said it was ingrained into him to take each day as it comes and just keep going.
Making the most of his mobile phone, Ronnie has been calling his veteran friends and has also chatted with them through texts and emails.
Out of the lockdowns, Ronnie has been able to meet a couple of friends in-person a few times, which he found really valuable.
Take each day as it comes.
Stay safe. Be sensible. Think COVID-19!
The Rule of Six: TONY
Tony reflects on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tony admitted that he hadn’t been too fussed about the first lockdown, but with so much ‘doom and gloom’ going around, it was challenging to keep a clear head at times. Taking a step back from watching the news and social media when the pandemic hit helped him to avoid the abundance of negativity.
Fortunately, Tony was able to keep to his usual routine without much change since he was able to continue working, albeit with a skeleton workforce. He spent most of his days off work out in nature; walking his dog, hiking the fells and going on bike rides, and he even got into a bit of wild camping (with a decent sleeping mat!) when he was able to. He found himself admiring the stars for hours under the night sky, and the sheer wilderness helped him to find some inner peace amidst the chaos.
Tony didn’t really struggle when he wasn’t able to see his family during the lockdown as he was already fairly well adapted to having limited contact with people from his time serving in the army.
When on tour, Tony would have to wait for an e-Bluey or until someone had finished on the satellite phone, so he felt that his military experience definitely enabled him to adapt to being away from family for a long period of time.
Getting used to face masks wasn’t so much of a problem either, since it hardly compared to full-face respirators and army gear in hot countries like Afghanistan (try wearing an NBC suit and run five miles in that with all your kit on!)
His family lives just down the road and, while he can’t give them a hug or see his kids during these times, he’s been able to text them or video call on FaceTime or Zoom to stay in touch – which Tony thinks is probably more than he would have had on tour anyway.
The day that the Carlisle Veterans Hub planned for its first meeting ended up being the day that the country went into the first lockdown, which meant that they each had to learn and adapt to meeting virtually instead. Having never heard of Zoom prior to the lockdown, Tony now hosts the weekly Zoom sessions for Carlisle Veterans Hub to keep in touch with other veterans – which seems to help a lot of the lads.
Take a deep breath and recenter yourself. Try and take the calmest approach to any situation and keep a level head.
It’s not good for our mental health to constantly listen to the negativity in the news, so spend some time away from it and realise that some things are simply out of your control but you shouldn’t fret about stuff that you can’t control.
The Rule of Six: PETE
Pete reflects on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Like many others, Pete found it quite difficult in the first lockdown when no one was allowed to visit and see each other in person, but he tries his best to get stuck in to each day and refuses to let the day drag him down.
Having been in hospital when the first lockdown began, Pete was shocked to find that the supermarkets were cleared out when he returned home and he was surprised that people couldn’t get certain things from the shops. Fortunately, his brother and sister helped him out with shopping after he left the hospital, coming round after work to look after him and make sure he was alright.
Pete was really disappointed about not being able to go to Carlisle United Football Club to watch a match and support his local team because of the last-minute change of rules that stopped fans going.
To get out in the open air and take his mind off things, Pete once drove to Silloth on a stormy day to sit on the seafront, hoping to catch sight of the ships thrashing about on the rough seas.
Making the most of his support bubble, Pete meets up in-person every now and again during the week with one of his local friends that he served with in the Regiment. They sit outside, socially distanced, to enjoy a cup of tea and a good chat.
Pete mentioned that discipline had been instilled in him throughout his whole life from his military experience, so he’s learnt to just “get on with it”. He also shares that common sense is vital in the army and believes that it is just as crucial for getting through the pandemic.
Pete really enjoys catching up with friends from the Regiment and finds that it helps to take his mind off things. Although it’s not the same as meeting in-person, time often flies when chatting to some people over FaceTime because they each end up talking for hours!
Pete also has phone calls with other people that he’s served with in his platoon. He shares that although they may have not seen each other for years or they may have been out of the army for a long time, Pete still feels as though they were only serving together yesterday when seeing each other on video.
He loves the fact that he can connect with people on his iPad, but admits that his lack of patience sometimes doesn’t help when using the technology and he equally doesn’t want to spend too much time staring at a screen all day.
Take each day as it comes and do the best you can. It helps to fill your time doing things to occupy yourself.
Nobody knows what’s going to happen each day so you’ve got no choice but to just keep going and get on with it. It may be difficult, but it’s difficult for everybody – everyone is in the same boat as you.
Even though you’re confined to a house, remember that you have a phone or a computer to contact people to be able to get in touch with your friends and family – don’t forget that someone is just a call or message away! Seeing a happy face and talking to people can make the world of difference and definitely helps raise your morale.
Be sensible and have a bit of common sense.
The Rule of Six: RICHARD
Richard reflects on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Conscious of his health, Richard goes on walks as much as he can, using his Fitbit to keep track of exercise and set himself goals to keep fit and healthy. One of his favourite places to go is Talkin Tarn, although it has been difficult to get out and about like normal with so many restrictions in place during the lockdowns.
It can be very easy to get bored when you sit inside 24/7, yet Richard always finds things to do to keep himself occupied, such as odd jobs like painting and decorating around the house to planting and cutting the grass in the garden. He’s also found himself reading more books and watching more TV during the lockdown.
Richard says that there are some days where he doesn’t feel like doing anything, but he forces himself to get up, get dressed and do something as he believes that is the only way to avoid deteriorating.
From his time in the army, Richard has found it quite easy to find and stick to a routine. His military experience taught him self-discipline and his willpower has enabled him to just crack on with the day. Having been brought up to respect everybody, Richard has also been more mindful of others and their health throughout the pandemic.
Richard is thankful that he knows how to use technology, so he hasn’t experienced many issues connecting with friends and family – in fact, he’s actually found himself talking to people more with it!
Even though Richard couldn’t see people face-to-face, he could at least talk to others with FaceTime, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger or phone calls.
Using the iPad to make video calls, Richard has been able to see his family and stay connected, especially with his grandkids. He’s been keeping in touch with friends from the Regiment on Facebook, and enjoyed taking part in the Regimental birthday online.
The iPad also comes in handy to play different games that keeps him entertained and his brain ticking over.
Take every day as it comes. You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, so get on with what you’ve got to do. Keep on top of your jobs, no matter how small, because they all add up!
Once you lose your routine, it’s very easy to lose track of your health, so make sure you discipline and respect yourself to take care of your mental and physical health. Since we all can’t do much exercise as usual during the lockdown, it’s important to do as much as you can to stay fit physically and mentally.
The Rule of Six: MARK
Mark reflects on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mark was fortunate to have a job hauling goods for the food industry, so he never stopped working through the lockdown. Continuing to work 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, life pretty much stayed the same for him, whereas his wife was furloughed and their son was off school so he knows it was a very different experience for them.
Although it hasn’t been easy, Mark thinks that this kind of routine definitely helps to avoid getting stuck in a rut during this pandemic.
Since a lot of his time is spent at work during the week, Mark’s favourite hobby is being with his family and spending time with his wife and son. He’s also realised that he’s quite good with a hammer and a saw, so he’s been putting that to good use to revamp the garden and put the decking up in his spare time.
To try and keep one step ahead, Mark is currently in the process of studying some online courses to grow his skillset and help secure his employment opportunities as he knows that the future is still uncertain.
Like many of us, he’s very much looking forward to a holiday and getting back to normality!
Mark thinks that his experience in the military has been very helpful for coping with the pandemic. He’s been able to adapt to different environments and situations much better, so he feels lucky to not have struggled as much as some other people.
He understands the importance of routine from his time in the army and knows that he’s just got to keep going and get on with it.
Mark finds his new job on the frontline of a COVID testing centre very similar to being back in the army. Working with some other veterans he knows, he explains that the work is very disciplined and regimented and that you’re taught to expect the unexpected – much like the military. Mark also suggests that there’s nothing wrong with a bit of banter, and that a good sense of humour helps to keep each other going, particularly during times like this.
Mark strongly believes that connecting with others is crucial because he understands that some people need contact more than others which makes this lockdown more difficult for them.
Although Mark hasn’t been able to keep in touch with people face-to-face as usual, he has been able to connect with other veterans, primarily through social media on platforms such as Facebook.
He’s also been doing pub quizzes on Zoom with friends and family which is very entertaining, and even playing on the Xbox with his young son (and even learning a few things from him!)
Keep your chin up and find a good routine.
Reach out to friends and family, particularly those who may be struggling during the lockdown because a simple conversation could do them the world of good during a time when we can’t see people in person.
Consider finding new skills and learning new things because there is no harm in expanding your knowledge and skill set in different areas, especially when you never know what’s coming next.
The Rule of Six: DAVID
David reflects on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Living with his wife, David feels lucky to have a garden which offers the opportunity to give them both space away from each other if necessary.
As they isolate themselves in their house, they keep themselves busy during the day with various jobs – spending a lot of their time gardening in their back garden and tending to the village’s garden box for Houghton in Bloom. David has been shopping for himself and his wife, as well as for others, and has also enjoyed time spent walking, reading, watching television and collecting litter around the village.
Sadly, David has only been able to see his son for a total of four hours in 2020 due to the national circumstances, but he understands that he’s doing the right thing by being sensible and believes that sitting at home is “a price worth paying” for the health of others.
With at least three holidays cancelled and two events postponed in 2020 because of the pandemic, David counts himself lucky and remains thankful that he and his wife are alive and well.
David has really missed meeting others connected to the Regiment and reminisces of the past times together, especially since they missed out on their usual Remembrance Day service and parade in 2020.
In his military career, there were vast times of inactivity waiting for something to happen, so David is very much used to sitting around not doing much. This lockdown has been an interesting challenge for him but he’s always found something to do during the lockdown.
David understands the importance of keeping fit and regularly goes on walks around the local area, using his Fitbit to keep track of his exercise.
David has been worrying about how his friends are coping, so he’s been using FaceTime and Zoom to chat with his friends and family, particularly his son – although he admits it’s not the same as meeting in person. Every week, he has also been able to connect with friends that he made in Hong Kong when he was serving there.
While he has been making the most of the iPad to stay in touch with people, David also tries to make time to do other things to keep himself occupied in order to spend less time on technology.
Get a routine and practice self-discipline. Find your inner peace to be able to sit still and wait it out.
