Katie Jennings safeguards military forces with unmatched precision

The job of a military dog handler and that of a quality assurance professional may not seem to have much in common. Yet, Katie Jennings believes it was her experience in the army that prepared her for her current role as medical compliance lead for Leidos UK's Logistics and Mission Support Division.

"In arms explosive search, you're trained to scan the area for markers or disturbed ground before you send the dog in, so I'm always searching for anything that looks out of place," she explains. "In my current role, that means checking lots of documents to ensure everything is compliant, and it's this attention to detail that allows me to pick up any issues quickly."

Just as important was the experience of learning to trust the skills and judgement that other team members bring to the table - even when those team members are of the non-human variety.

"The dogs we worked with were amazing," she explains. "They could sense minuscule particles of explosives from hundreds of metres away. At the end of the day, they're looking after you and they could save your life, so the bond you build with them is really important."

Jennings' departure from military service was unplanned - the result of a parachuting injury that led to her medical discharge in 2014. While she found her first civilian job within just a few months, suddenly switching out of "military brain" was a challenge. Fortunately, leaving service did not mean leaving her military family, who are always there to lean on for support and advice.

"Even now, I've got friends from the military all over the UK and if I need anything, they will drop everything and be here in a few hours," Jennings shares.

Of the five civilian employers that Jennings has had since leaving service, she says that Leidos is the first where she's been able to find that same level of community and commitment to helping each other succeed.

"We're a really close team and if anyone has something they need assistance with, we all come together to help them. I don't think I've ever worked anywhere like that other than the army."