Christian Benson
Name: Christian Benson
Date of birth: 22 August 1978
Job title: RAF catering officer
Location: RAF Boulmer, Northumberland
First job in hospitality? After leaving Salford University in 1998 with an HND in hotel and catering management, I took the natural route and began working in the hotel trade. I enjoyed the experience but decided I wanted a job that didn't revolve around shifts.
How did you get from there to your current job? With some of my family already in the services, I decided to visit my local RAF recruitment office. In November 1999 I signed up for officer training, which I completed at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, and after two quick promotions I am now the station's catering officer at RAF Boulmer.
What are your main responsibilities? I'm in sole charge of a 77-strong team catering for up to 200 personnel of all ranks, every day. The job involves man-managing my team but also ensuring food quality, maintaining health & safety standards and managing the catering accounts on the base.
What do you most enjoy about your job? The responsibility, the variety, the pay, and working more sociable hours than if I had continued in the hotel trade.
What do you dislike about it? Man management in any job can sometimes be stressful but really there is not much to moan about.
What attributes do you need to do your job? As a catering officer, I need to make difficult decisions when the need arises and be willing to take complete responsibility for all catering flight matters. I need to be approachable yet firm, understanding of peoples' needs, as well as being a good motivator. Foresight and managerial competence are essential. As a commissioned officer in the RAF, I must demonstrate integrity, fairness and leadership.
What would be your next move? To extend my terms of service by 10 years to complete a 16-year contract. In the short term, after this current posting I look forward to a stint overseas, possibly in the Falklands or the Gulf.
What's your ultimate goal? To continue to be as enthusiastic about the job as I am now, to serve overseas as often as possible, and if I am lucky enough to be promoted along the way, that's an added bonus.
