Warrant Officer Class 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) Michael Parry, Regimental Sergeant Major 1st Battalion Welsh Guards has been rewarded for outstanding work in Army Recruitment in Wales when he was a Warrant Officer Class 2 and the Regiments Recruiting Warrant Officer.
Army Recruitment may have hit the headlines as beset with difficulties in a strong labour market but Michael Parry is a man who likes a challenge. In January 2018 he took up the post of Recruiting Warrant Officer for the Welsh Guards, tasked to recruit soldiers into the Household Division from Wales and the border counties.
He quickly identified that Welsh Guards recruiting required a significant re-structure, and that by guaranteeing a steady inflow of new guardsmen his mission would have a direct impact on the future of the Welsh Guards. He initiated new ways of nurturing candidates from point of application to completion of training, which have gone on to become best practice within the Division and the Infantry. He personally oversees the nurture of every candidate within Wales and this dedication has resulted in a far higher percentage of candidates successfully passing out of training. This has often meant that he ends up working long and unsociable hours to ensure that he is always available to engage with candidates and he has worked tirelessly and with great maturity, resilience and used significant skills in developing team cohesion and planning.
His new strategy had an immediate impact and has increased the effectiveness of recruiting teams in North and South Wales with a noticeable increase in recruits for the Welsh Guards - the best for three years.
His work ethic, vision and dedication is exemplary, and for this he has been awarded a General Officer Commanding (GOC) commendation.