Bulwell man was inspired to become a reservist after Salisbury poisonings

And the 30-year-old, from Bulwell, is now urging others thinking about doing the same as he says taking part in exercises and operations at home and abroad have left him eager for more, while the development opportunities have boosted his confidence and employability.

Pte Bulman, who works for ACAS as a conciliation officer, has been part of C Company, 4 Mercian – which is based out of the Bulwell Army Reserve Centre – since 2019.

He said: “There are a number of reasons why I took the decision to join

“One that got me thinking was the Salisbury poisonings. This made me realise there are countries undertaking hostile operations within this country and they are a threat to us.

“I’ve always had the itch to join the Reserves and finally decided to apply after university, having settled into stable civilian employment.”

Reserve forces play a crucial role in national security, from countering security threats, peacekeeping, and humanitarian efforts abroad to supporting communities at home.

On average, Reservists make an annual commitment of about 27 days or more – worked flexibly – involving regular drill nights at their local centre, training weekends, and an annual camp – all of which Reservists are paid for.

Pte Bulman’s first exercise was in Lithuania for Exercise Iron Wolf, a 15-day multi-national exercise involving more than 3,000 NATO troops which saw soldiers practice various offensive and defence patrols in dense woodland environments, working with armour and infantry fighting vehicles.

And he was recently presented with the Kohima Warrior trophy in recognition for being his company’s outstanding soldier.

He said: “Whether it’s training going on exercise or a deployment, there are plenty of opportunities to do something completely different to your day job – it’s one the beauties of the Reserves.

“One of the impressions I had when joining was you might have to commit for a certain period of time.

"That’s actually not the case, you can pick and choose what you wish to do, which allows you to work flexibly.

“The opportunities presented by the Reserves – including working with NATO troops and interacting with officers and other soldiers – allows you to build confidence.

“And my employer benefits from that, especially as I work in conflict management.

“My ability to work in a team and ability to lead teams in quite unique situations have really benefitted me and my employer quite greatly.

"That is certainly something I have transferred into my civilian role.

Adventure training is high up the list of benefits Pte Bulman has most enjoyed in the Reserves.

He embarked on a trip to Greece to run the Athens Marathon last year, has been coasteering in Wales and will be climbing in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy later this year.

He said: “If you’ve got the itch to join, there’s no harm in applying.

"The worst that can happen is you end up not enjoying it and you can leave it there.

"The chances are though, you will enjoy it and like me you’ll be here several years down the line.”

To find your nearest Reserve Unit, visit eastmidlandsrfca.co.uk