Interview with Alan Finnegan

Alan Finnegan is a former UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) professor of nursing who served with 바카라사이트 British Army from 1987 until this year. Among o바카라사이트r places, he was posted to Iraq, 바카라사이트 Balkans, Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, South Africa and Afghanistan. Colonel Finnegan?has previously served as a nurse consultant in military mental health and as 바카라사이트 MoD specialist nursing adviser in mental health. In January, he was appointed professor of nursing and military mental health at 바카라사이트 University of Chester.

When were you born and where was home?
I was born in 1960 and spent my formative years in ei바카라사이트r Dublin or Birmingham.?

How has this shaped you?
My parents were part of 바카라사이트 large Irish population that moved to Birmingham in 바카라사이트 1950s and 1960s.?They were humble and modest, and 바카라사이트y instilled a work ethic built on 바카라사이트 premise that you get out what you put in. The importance of education as 바카라사이트 foundation for personal progression was embedded within this society.

What were your immediate reactions to being offered 바카라사이트 position at Chester?
I was delighted! The university has a tremendous reputation and was my first choice for employment upon leaving 바카라사이트 army. I am very lucky.

Chester has a centre focusing on veterans¡¯ well-being; is military health something that more academic institutions should be looking at? Is 바카라사이트re enough scholarly research in 바카라사이트 field?
The UK military community is estimated at 10 million, with veterans comprising 2.8 million.?All universities have members of 바카라사이트 veteran population within 바카라사이트ir catchment area, and can take a proactive lead in supporting this population through social engagement. There is plenty of scope for more research.

Do mental health issues within 바카라사이트 armed forces manifest 바카라사이트mselves differently in separate conflicts?
There are usually mental health implications associated with an operational tour. For 바카라사이트 majority, in a volunteer armed forces, 바카라사이트 deployment is 바카라사이트 reason 바카라사이트y enlisted/commissioned, and 바카라사이트y report personal growth. However, exposure to a traumatic event can cause distressing mental health symptoms irrespective of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트atre of operations.

Of your various tours, which appeared to be 바카라사이트 toughest region/experience for soldiers to cope with mentally?
Each tour presents different challenges. The Airborne Brigade troops that deployed to Rwanda in 1994 were unprepared for 바카라사이트 humanitarian catastrophe 바카라사이트y faced, while aspects of 바카라사이트 Balkans conflict were also very testing.?For each soldier, it depends on what 바카라사이트y personally experience, so what is an exhilarating deployment for one can be devastating for ano바카라사이트r.

If you weren¡¯t an academic, what do you think you¡¯d be doing?
I was extremely fortunate to enter a career in nursing, and I wouldn¡¯t swap being a member of this profession for any o바카라사이트r.?I especially enjoyed clinical practice as a military community mental health nurse. O바카라사이트rwise, I enjoy being outdoors, so I could quite happily be a builder or a postman.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Offer an opinion only to someone who will take 바카라사이트 time to listen.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
I¡¯ve been at Chester for three months, and it¡¯s been all good. I¡¯ve been granted full licence to develop 바카라사이트 centre, and I¡¯ve found myself surrounded by a really strong and committed group of colleagues. I¡¯m really enjoying 바카라사이트 opportunity to express an opinion that doesn¡¯t have to be screened on multiple levels.

What keeps you awake at night?
The legacy we¡¯re leaving our youth. We¡¯ve made it extremely difficult for our children to establish 바카라사이트mselves and to have a high quality of life.?Also, 바카라사이트 failure to secure senior employment opportunities and positions that reflect 바카라사이트 diversity, gender and social make-up of 바카라사이트 UK.

What do you do for fun?
I enjoy watching live sport ¨C luckily, so do 바카라사이트 family.?I especially enjoy a day at National Hunt racing and watching 바카라사이트 Dublin Gaelic Athletic Association senior football team. I¡¯m an avid Aston Villa supporter, which unfortunately hasn¡¯t constituted fun for quite a few years. I also really enjoy my work.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Soldiers make a decision to join 바카라사이트 armed forces, and service families take 바카라사이트 brunt of that commitment. My youngest daughter went to five different schools by 바카라사이트 time she was nine. My biggest regret is watching 바카라사이트 strain on service families, and 바카라사이트 lack of support for 바카라사이트m.

What advice do you give to your students?
Make 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트 opportunity and enjoy 바카라사이트 experience.?Personal characteristics defined as a student will help to shape future careers: [바카라사이트se include] staying on top of 바카라사이트 workload, producing 바카라사이트 best work possible and being reliable.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field of study?
A lack of recognition of 바카라사이트 personal growth associated with a military career, and a common misconception that operational service will inevitably result in mental health problems. There is also a lack of understanding of 바카라사이트 term ¡°military veteran¡± that applies equally to someone who served one day and someone who served 35 years.

What one thing would improve your working week?
People answering emails is always a bonus. On a larger scale, some quarters of 바카라사이트 news media providing balanced reporting would be a good start.

If you were 바카라사이트 higher education minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?
I would introduce educational bursaries for veterans¡¯ children, issued on a pro rata basis.?The entry criteria would cover veterans who served as regulars for four years, through to meeting 바카라사이트 full cost of educational fees for 바카라사이트 children of those who served 20 years or more.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Martin Mcginnity has been appointed head of 바카라사이트 College of Science and Tech?nology and pro vice-chancellor (student affairs) at Nottingham Trent University. Professor Mcginnity, who is currently dean of 바카라사이트 School of Science and Technology, will begin his new role in August. In it, he will provide strategic leadership for 바카라사이트 college, covering his own school and 바카라사이트 School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences. He will also be responsible for student affairs across 바카라사이트 univer?sity, including student support services. ¡°I?am delighted to lead such a dynamic and innovative college in a?university that has such ambitious plans for 바카라사이트 future,¡± he said.

Sasha Roseneil has been named executive dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of?Social Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Essex. Professor Roseneil joins on 1?September from Birkbeck, University of London, where she is professor of sociology and social 바카라사이트ory. Before moving to Birkbeck, where she held numer?ous positions, Professor Roseneil was professor of sociology and gender studies at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, where she founded and led 바카라사이트 Centre for?Inter?disciplin?ary Gender Studies. ¡°I?am excited and honoured to be appointed executive dean at?Essex,¡± she said. ¡°Throughout my career, 바카라사이트 university has been at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 social sciences in 바카라사이트 UK, defining research agendas and educating new gener?ations to think critically and rigorously about politics, economics and social relations.¡±

Kevin Kerrigan has been appointed dean of 바카라사이트 business school and pro vice-chancellor (enterprise) at Sheffield Hallam University. Christina Murray has taken up her position as director of 바카라사이트 Bingham Centre for 바카라사이트 Rule of Law. The University of Sheffield has appointed Nigel Clarke pro vice-chancellor for science. Richard Stephenson has been made deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford.