Equally important is creating a sense of community.
The Amey Armed Forces Network plays a vital part in creating a sense of belonging for veterans, reservists, service leavers and military families. Peer support matters. Being able to speak openly with people who understand military life, its pressures and its transitions, can make a significant difference - particularly in those early months after leaving service.
For many colleagues, the network is not just a support mechanism, but a reassurance that their background is understood and valued. It sends a clear message: you do not need to leave part of yourself behind to succeed here.
Our commitments go beyond internal support. Amey is a long-standing signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and holds Gold status under the Employer Recognition Scheme. These are important distinctions, but they are not the end goal. They are markers of accountability - a public commitment to do the right thing, consistently.
For example, practical support for reservists, including paid leave for training and mobilisation, is about far more than policy compliance. It reflects Amey’s Whole Force approach, recognising that defence capability is strengthened when skills move seamlessly between military service and industry. By enabling reservists to continue serving while applying their expertise within our defence equipment and estate programmes, we help build resilience, retain critical capability, embed learning, and ensure vital skills remain available should they ever be called upon.
VE Day also reminds us that service is rarely carried by individuals alone. Families play an enormous role in military life through frequent moves, disrupted careers and long periods of uncertainty. Supporting veterans therefore means supporting the wider Armed Forces community, including spouses and partners. Through initiatives such as our work with e50K, which provides practical support to military families during periods of transition, we recognise the impact that service has beyond the individual and the importance of helping families build stability alongside their loved ones.
For me, ‘service after service’ is not a slogan. It is a way of understanding how contribution evolves over time. VE Day honours those who served in extraordinary circumstances. It also honours what came next - the rebuilding of places, systems and communities that allow life to continue.
Today, many veterans continue that work in quieter ways - maintaining the infrastructure that keeps society functioning, supporting public services, and contributing skills shaped by service into new contexts.
On VE Day, we remember the past. But we should also recognise the ongoing contribution of those who continue to serve - differently, perhaps, but with the same sense of responsibility and purpose. And we should ensure that the environments they transition into truly value what they bring. That is how service carries on.
