He served his country as a flying instructor and says his “prize student” was the future Prince of Wales.
But when Grant Lawrie hung up his uniform after 24 years in the RAF, he struggled with the transition to civilian life.
“I found it very difficult to not be told what to wear, not be told where to be and what to do,” says the former flight sergeant, who took part in the second Gulf War as well as military operations in Afghanistan and Libya.
“It had always been told to me.”
Now, in the run-up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday, Grant is calling on more employers to recruit veterans because they have invaluable transferrable skills.
They bring “many benefits”, he says, including “resilience and a can-do attitude”, as well as teamwork, integrity and a determination to succeed.