Reflecting on my first few months in post

As many of you know, I took on the role of Chief of Defence People (CDP) just as the Covid-19 pandemic was beginning to grip the world in February. As you can imagine, this has meant that the first few months in post have brought some interesting and unexpected challenges as we all get used to this new way of life. While some aspects of the ways in which we work have changed drastically in recent months, the crucial role you all play has remained constant. You are more valuable and essential to Defence outputs than ever before in these challenging, uncertain times.

As CDP I am in the privileged position of being able see this first-hand and have the opportunity to make sure that you all feel supported, developed and engaged throughout your careers and beyond. I plan to build on the successes of my predecessor, Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, by continuing to improve the offer and by working with the single Services to increase the recruitment and retention of Service personnel. We can achieve this by developing a workforce that is drawn from the society we represent, that reflects the demands of the modern world we operate in, and maximises the use of talent across the military and civilian cadres.

Over the past few weeks we have read, watched, listened and learned about the ongoing racism and diversity and inclusion issues that are inexcusably