IN a previous issue the Times looked at the vital work being carried out by The Army Reserve. This week it meets a Tavistock man who combines his civilian job as a self employed plant operator with that of his military role as a sergeant with the 165 Port and Maritime Regiment.

IF there was one thing that Sergeant James Rosser has learned, and had ingrained into him during his years serving in the military, is that 'nothing is impossible'.

It is an attitude which has held him in good stead both as a plant operator working in all weathers on construction sites in West Devon or as an Army Reservist adapting to the various roles that he is entasked to carry out as a member of the 165 Port and Maritime Regiment.

James, aged 36, who is originally from Liskeard and now lives in Tavistock, has a partner Jane, an equine nurse in Lamerton and they have a three-year-old daughter, Jennifer Lily.

He signed up for the Regular Army at the tender age of 16, enlisting in 1996 into the Royal Engineers based in Chatham, Kent. In his short time as a regular he went through his basic training, learned to drive and qualified as a plant operator mechanic.

But after two years the teenage James decided that the Army was 'not what he thought it would be' and so decided to return to 'civvy street' and use the new skills he had acquired to work as a plant operator for a Cornish company.

However, his experience in the Regular Army had left its mark and although not wishing to sign up again as a full time soldier James heard 'the call of the bugle' once more.

It was 2006 and the United Kingdom Armed Forces had been in Afghanistan, trying to prevent the spreading influence of the Taliban, sweeping the impoverished country. Hostilities between the religious extremists with the Western 'peacekeeping forces' were escalating.

James told the Times: 'I realised that I missed the life and that my time in the Royal Engineers had made an impression on me and that a seed in me as a soldier was not yet fully sown. I missed the camaraderie, the mickey-taking, and the sense of purpose it gave me. So one day I decided to ring 131 Commando Engineers in Millbay Docks, Plymouth and ask if there were any vacancies as a Territorial.'

Once James was accepted it gave him the best of both worlds — as he balanced starting up a business as a self employed plant operator alongside his 'job' in the Army Reserves.

In October 2013, as part of the 27 Theatre Logistic Group, James served in Afghanistan at Camp Bastion in Helmand province. He described the military base, in terms of scale, as 'the size of Reading'.

'I was a section commander and it was my troops' job to secure the distribution of materials coming in by air and land every day to deliver supplies to the whole camp. While we were there we unloaded 12,000 ISO containers (shipping containers), 7,500 flat racks (giant palettes which can be put on to heavy transport holding 10 pallets, along with water, ammo and rations.

'We had a fleet of 75 vehicles including hook loaders, six ton SV support trucks and various size forklifts to do the job. It was a huge task and we were certainly kept busy!'

'You cannot buy that sort of life experience. As a person I have learned to be respectful for those less fortunate, it's something the Army has given me.

'People in this country claim they are poor if they haven't got £20 in their pocket.  The majority of Afghans have absolutely nothing. I've seen people use their broken flip flops to scoop water to drink. We just cannot compare the poverty.

'At Bastion we worked with Afghans who worked with us as contracted labour. They were nice people, with no education but very willing to learn.

'But, having said that, we were constantly aware that the biggest danger to us could come from the threat of insurgents inside the camp, not outside. You had to be on your toes.'

When James was asked why he was there, thousands of miles away from home in a foreign country, risking his life, James  said: 'When you get there you understand the importance of helping the local population just try to live in safety and protect their culture from being destroyed.

'What I learned was that nothing is impossible, that everything can be done, you just have to find a way to do it and concentrate on doing that specific task.'

After his Afghan tour came to an end James returned to Devon in April 2014 and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in December. James is now at 264 Squadron (Derriford, Plymouth), part of the 165 Port and Maritime Regiment, working as a port operator, physical training Instructor (PTI), as well as a recruiting sergeant.

As a PTI he puts new recruits through their physical and basic training, who after that take a 10 day course at an Army Training Unit in Pirbright to increase their fitness, learn basic weapon skills as well as navigation and protection against chemical weapon instruction.

'At the present time more emphasis and resources are being put into the Army Reserves. We are training people to become port operators, marine engineers and mariners.

'There are great opportunities to earn qualifications and licences they can use in civilian life to secure skilled jobs.  At the same time they can also enjoy adventure training and other outdoor activities such as skiing, sailing or diving.

'There are not many jobs where you have the opportunity to travel the world, train for a skill and at the same time do something that makes a real difference.'

l If you would like to join the Army Reserve see the Times Job Section on page 47 for more details.