28th June 2025 marks Armed Forces Day, which recognises the men and women making up the Armed Forces community. This includes those currently serving, cadets, veterans, and their families.
The Armed Forces have always been at the heart of Corps Security – and always will be. When Captain Sir Edward Walter founded the Corps of Commissionaires in 1859, his mission was to provide meaningful employment in physical security services to veterans returning from the Crimean War.
Today, almost 11 percent of our workforce is ex-military personnel. We honour our legacy through our commitment to supporting former service members across all levels of our organisation, from frontline security officers to senior management positions, with many colleagues progressing through internal promotion and succession planning.
The Corps Veteran Association
The Corps Veteran Association (CVA) is our group that is open to members who served in the United Kingdom or Commonwealth Armed Forces. Launched in 2022, the group is led by five main principles, which our community upholds every day:
- To foster and support esprit de corps and comradeship for serving and retired members of The Corps of Commissionaires/Corps Security who have served in the UK or Commonwealth armed forces.
- To actively promote and support veterans of UK & Commonwealth armed forces.
- To organise and assist with charitable fundraising for military & civilian charities.
- To support Corps Security in acts of remembrance.
- To support the Corps Security veteran community facing financial or personal hardship.
Scott Hudson, veteran, Treasurer of the CVA, and Commercial Manager at Corps Security, said: “It’s invaluable to work for an organisation with such an affinity to the forces.”
The CVA takes part in fundraisers and memorial events throughout the year. In May, the CVA proudly presented a donation to the Lancashire Army Cadet Force at its Fulwood HQ in Preston, to support the Friends of Lancashire Army Cadet Force charity. The donation will help ensure all cadets, regardless of background, can participate in life-changing activities, including the Annual Camp and national expeditions.
To honour Armed Forces Day itself, a team of colleagues led by Operations Director Ken Fissenden will take part in the 13 Bridges Challenge to raise money for SSAFA (the Soldiers’, Sailors’ & Airmen’s Families Association). The team are still fundraising, and donations can be made here.
Providing opportunities
Ex-military personnel bring exceptional discipline, leadership capabilities, and a proven ability to perform under pressure. The security sector greatly benefits from this strong work ethic and commitment, and whether in a site-based physical security role or management, military personnel’s experiences are invaluable.
As an equal opportunities employer, our roles are open to everyone, and we support veterans through our Reservists Policy, which ensures that those who have served in the armed forces are guaranteed an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the position.
We also collaborate with ex-military recruitment organisations, including First Military Recruitment, Hirecracker, Dynamic Reactions, and Walking with the Wounded. These schemes allow us to connect to a pool of highly skilled individuals.
As a Gold Award holder and member of the Defence Employer Recognition scheme (ERS), we proactively show our commitment to the armed forces community by looking to our suppliers, partners, and customers to demonstrate their support by committing to the ERS.
Supporting the wider community
We are proud to fundraise for multiple military charities, including the Army Benevolent Fund and SSAFA, and our charity partner Combat Stress, the UK’s leading veterans’ mental health charity. Combat Stress helps veterans get their lives back on track after their service, and cope with the severe impact of PTSD.
We have embedded our partnership into our supply chain by inviting customers to allocate 1 percent of revenue from new contracts to Combat Stress, which amounts to more than £30,000 per year. We also fundraise through various initiatives throughout the year, so those who served can receive our full support.
For example, our 2025 March in March challenge had our National Accounts team set off on a 24 mile walk from Henley Bridge, Windsor, raising over £10,000 for Combat Stress. In 2024, our team also partook in a Coast-to-Coast challenge to fundraise for Combat Stress, covering Bowness-on-Solway to Whitley Bay, covering 92.5 miles. That’s roughly the length of Hadrian’s Wall.
Upcoming fundraising events also include our Solutions Director Salman Shamim’s Wing Warrior challenge for Combat Stress, where he will be walking on a Boeing Stearman as it flies over 100mph. If you would like to support him, please consider donating to his fundraiser.
We have a holistic approach towards supporting ex-military personnel because, whether currently serving, on leave, or a veteran, they deserve our support. We thank every armed forces community member who currently serves or has served our country and our local communities throughout the UK.
Find out more about our veteran support on our Corps Veterans Association page and its LinkedIn page.
