Memories of Teri Crow( nee Evelyn Terry )

Along the road to the present day and after leaving 16 Signal Regiment in 1970 the path went via Maastricht (227 Signal Squadron), Bulford Camp (3 Armed Div HQ & Sig. Regt) which relocated to Soest, Bunde (2 Armed Div HQ & Sig. Regt), and London (39th (City of London) Sig. Regt. (V). Unfortunately this is where Sid and I parted company, I later married Andrew, who has just completed 25 year's as a member of the ACC and latterly the RLC, ending as a Master Chef with the Royal Anglians in Cambridge.

Following my marriage to Andrew in 1985 he was posted to the Falklands, then to BMH Rinteln, Germany. At this point I joined the continental TAVR at the grand old age of 40 (previous service being taken into consideration). I then progressed within 3 year's as a combat Medical Technician (Medic) From Class 3 to Class 1, then from Pte to Sgt. I was continually being asked to consider becoming a nurse however I had no GCSE's and hadn't been to school for 28 years, apart from various Army qualifications and qualifying as a hairdresser in 1979, what could I offer? However a test was available, equivalent to 5 GCSE's so – in for a penny! I took the test and passed.

After being accepted by Chester College of Nursing and 1midwifery, I commenced and completed a 3 year Project 2000 Diploma programme in Adult Nursing – burning the midnight oil and waking at. 5 most mornings to kick this aged brain into action. In February 1996 age 49 years I qualified with the top result in the whole area. This then spurred me on to completing a BSc Hons in professional nursing studies and then was accepted by Oxford University to complete a BA in Mental Health Nursing, which gave me 2 qualifications – Now in the present July 1998. I am the proud possessor of 2 degrees, 2 nursing and endless incidental nursing related qualifications. The bonus to my nursing profession has been the ability to further my TAVR career also. In May 1997 I was commissioned as a Nursing Officer in the rank of lieutenant (TA) and am presently (July 1998) awaiting confirmation of my Call-up in support of 16 Field Ambulance in Bosnia for 6 to 7 months emergency tour This will entail being enlisted in the regular Army for that period. What lies ahead is in the lap of the gods but I can say with gusto is, it is never too late to learn, my TAVR career started at 40 and my nursing career at 45, (with the help of a Ladybird child's book to relearn fractions and decimals)

I now propose to do an Open University degree as well as commence my Masters programme to attain a Masters/Ph.D. in nursing. So along with a tour of Bosnia, cobwebs have no place on this old girl, when the time comes. I will slow down but for the time being – NOT YET!