Last week, the SERFCA Engagement team had the pleasure of working with both United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and United Kingdom Fusion Energy (UKFE) to complete the signing of their Armed Forces Covenants within the offices of UKAEA located within the Culham Science Centre in Oxfordshire.
UKAEA is the UK’s national fusion energy research organisation and an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The SERFCA Engagement team and the co-signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of Ministry of Defence, Wing Commander Alice Tierney – Station Commander of RAF Benson, were also offered a tour of Culham Campus and viewed the Joint European Torus (JET) tokamak, a type of fusion machine which holds hot plasma using strong magnets, to then harness the heat to produce electricity in a similar way to existing power stations.
Justin Kingsford, Chief Operating Officer at UKAEA said, “We are proud to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, reaffirming our commitment to supporting serving personnel, reservists, veterans, and their families. As a veteran myself, I recognise the strong cultural connection between the Armed Forces and the UK Atomic Energy Authority. Both are mission-driven organisations, united by a commitment to serve something greater than ourselves.
We share values that underpin success in challenging environments: teamwork, innovation, integrity, selfless commitment, and the ability to operate confidently in the face of uncertainty. Whether protecting our nation or advancing the future of sustainable fusion energy, success depends on people working together towards an ambitious and inspiring purpose.
The skills, experience and leadership that members of the Armed Forces community bring are invaluable, and I am proud that UKAEA is formally recognising and strengthening its support for those who serve, have served, and their families.”
Ryan Ramsey, Director of Organisational Performance at UKFE said, “As a former submarine captain I know first-hand how highly trained the UK armed forces are across a variety of disciplines and a wealth of skills and experience, all of which will be important in delivering the STEP Mission and bringing fusion energy to the grid. As we develop STEP Fusion as the country’s prototype fusion powerplant we know that our veterans can make a positive and tangible impact.”
Photo Credit: UKAEA
For further information on the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority follow the link below:
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
The government is committed to supporting the armed forces community by working with a range of partners who have signed the covenant. The covenant is a national responsibility involving government, businesses, local authorities, charities and the public.
For more information, please visit Armed Forces Covenant