Armed Forces Week: RAF Reserves' Peter Wootton on life as a chef and in RAF Wittering's 504 Squadron

Today is 'Reserves Day', part of Armed Forces Week, which celebrates the work of the British military.

For those who aren’t in the forces - but perhaps hanker after some of the excitement and comradeship it brings - becoming a reserve could be just the solution.

At the age of 50, Peter Wootton joined the 1,800-strong RAF reserves and is now part of the 504 Squadron based at RAF Wittering, which specialises in military logistics.

He is a full-time chef in his civilian life - albeit with a military flavour - running the College Hall Officers’ Mess at RAF College Cranwell, where he is in charge of a team of 22 serving breakfasts, lunches and dinners as well as celebratory meals.

During his 33 years of working there he has served everyone from ‘The Red Arrows’ through to The Queen and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla, and princes William and Harry.

Despite the satisfaction his busy job brings, Peter felt he could be doing more.

“I had spent a short while in the RAF,” he said. “I joined up at the beginning of 1987 and went through training at RAF Swinderby before being posted to RAF Cranwell. However, I had only signed up for six years and, when I came out, I joined the Ministry of Defence and have been at RAF Cranwell in a civilian career ever since.

“Then, two years ago, I realised that while I liked supporting the military through my job, I missed the camaraderie of being a part of it.

“I looked at myself and thought, ‘I’m reasonably fit and reckon I have something to offer’. It could have been a mid-life crisis, or even a senior moment, but I decided to give it a go and joined up.”

Peter admits he had ‘a few issues’ meeting some of the medical criteria, but felt the squadron was very supportive and encouraged him to continue until he passed the tests needed. “It turned out I wasn’t the only one!” he said.

He then went through the basic training and even had to take a short course in being a chef - his chosen specialism within 504 Squadron and something he certainly didn’t struggle with.

Peter, who is married with two grown-up step-sons, now spends one weekend a month at RAF Wittering, often arriving on the Friday evening to socialise with other members of the squadron before they get stuck in to two days of training. Reserves are also expected to do two weeks’ annual training, although there is some flexibility depending on people’s civilian-life commitments.

“Being a reserve makes you feel a part of something bigger,” said Peter. “There’s a real sense of team work and of trying to find solutions to challenges together. Everyone is on board.

“You also never stop learning. For me, there’s always something new to cook, and we train using normal facilities and field kitchen equipment, so we are ready to provide support if we were going to war.

“I enjoy pushing myself in terms of my trade knowledge and having self-discipline. The military is constantly evolving and you learn skills that we can all use, particularly if you manage other people in civilian life - skills of being more inclusive and treating everyone fairly.”

Having first joined the RAF as a teenager, Peter says he was wary of how, as a 50-year-old, he might feel about taking orders.

“In 1987 the world was a different place and when I did my basic training back then, it was a little bit ‘shouty’," he said.

"I’m not complaining about it - it was what it was - but, coming back at 50, I steeled myself inside. As you get older you don’t want someone shouting at you.

"But what really surprised me in the basic training was how well it was pitched.

“It was structured and there were rules to follow, but we were treated as people who had experience in life. I was really impressed with that, and the support given by the squadron, because they know you have a job and the commitments that brings.”

For those wanting to travel, there are postings reserves can apply for lasting anywhere from a few days to a couple of months in places such as the Falkland Islands and Cyprus.

RAF Wittering's 504 Squadron helps people train for logistical roles and includes drivers, suppliers and chefs.

"Some younger people use it as a stepping stone to find out what the RAF is like and learn skills before potentially joining full time," said Peter.

To find out more about becoming an RAF Reserve, phone 0345 606 9069 or click here.