Eight Army Reservists and seven Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) have received a highly distinguished award from the Ministry of Defence in acknowledgement of their outstanding dedication and duty.
The awards presentation, hosted at Edinburgh City Chambers on Thursday 12 March, saw the Reservists and CFAVs receive Certificates of Meritorious Service from the Lord-Lieutenants for the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian for their exceptional service to both their military and civilian communities.
The Right Honourable Lord Provost Councillor Robert Aldridge, Mrs Sarah Barrons and Mr Roderick Urquhart, who act as The King’s personal representatives for the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian respectively, signed and presented each certificate to thank the awardees for their selfless dedication to serving and protecting the Nation, and to supporting and mentoring young people in their local communities.
In an official statement, the Lord Provost paid tribute to the Edinburgh and wider Defence communities, saying:
‘My warmest congratulations to the recipients of the 2025 Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificates of Meritorious Service.
‘Our Reservists and our Cadet Force Adult Volunteers do such an incredible job, both in their communities and across the UK. They consistently go above and beyond in their duties, helping to keep our nation safe and passing on valuable life skills to young people. We really can’t thank them enough.
‘On behalf of the City of Edinburgh, I offer my heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all those recognised for their achievement.’
Mr Roderick Urquhart, Lord-Lieutenant for East Lothian, was keen to praise the awardees of his Lieutenancy as well, saying: ‘I am delighted to offer my congratulations to the East Lothian recipients of the Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificate of Meritorious Service: Squadron Leader Edmans of South East Scotland RAF Air Cadets, Commander Tait of Northern Area Sea Cadets and Chief Petty Officer Milliken of Musselburgh Sea Cadets.
‘Each of these incredible Cadet Force Adult Volunteers has gone above and beyond in their mission to provide an exceptional Cadet experience to the young people in their units, and it is my privilege to present these awards to such worthy recipients.’
Mrs Sarah Barrons, while not in attendance on the night, was pleased to offer a congratulatory statement too, remarking: ‘I am pleased to offer my sincerest congratulations and thanks to Squadron Leader Alastair Ross for his exceptional dedication to the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, and to all Cadet Force Adult Volunteers who freely give their time to supporting and mentoring young people in Midlothian and beyond. Their efforts are nothing short of inspirational, and Squadron Leader Ross is one shining example of many volunteers who are so deserving of this recognition.’
In total, two Reservists from 215 (Scottish) Multirole Medical Regiment (MMR) and six from 154 (Scottish) Regiment Royal Logistic Corps received Certificates of Meritorious Service during the event.
215 MMR’s Major John Chambers said of receiving his award: ‘I am thankful for the recognition and validation this award gives me and feel that this is a high note to mark the end of my military career.
‘Reserve service has opened so many opportunities for me that I wouldn’t have had elsewhere. I have also had the pleasure of working with many remarkable people from varied backgrounds.
‘Since commissioning, I have had the privilege of being Officer Commanding, Edinburgh Detachment 205 Field Hospital, deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, worked with the Kenyan Defence Force presenting a medical planning course and helping to provide direct healthcare to the Kenyan people, gained proficiency in Nordic and Alpine skiing, as well as Canoeing, and played a hand in developing the skills of junior officers and other ranks within 205 Field Hospital and latterly 215 MMR.’
Similarly, fellow award recipient Captain Leslie Meiklejohn of 154 Regiment’s 230 (Edinburgh) Transport Squadron commented: ‘I’m deeply honoured to have been nominated for this award, as much as to have received it.
‘As a Reservist, it means a lot to me to be able to train and support other Reservists who give up their own time, often in their very busy lives, to train and serve with great dedication.’
Awards were also presented to CFAVs from South East Scotland Wing RAF Air Cadets (RAFAC), Edinburgh District and Trinity Sea Cadets, Musselburgh Sea Cadets and Northern Area Sea Cadets.
‘It is an honour to be recognised for the voluntary work that I have done over the years,’ said Chief Petty Officer Martin Galloway, District Onboarding Champion for Northern Area Sea Cadets. ‘I have been a CFAV for 20 years, volunteering at many locations including Dunbar, Ashington, Newcastle East in Byker, Leith and Edinburgh Trinity in Granton.
‘I have helped to train and develop hundreds of Cadets, helping them gain valuable life skills including First Aid & Catering. I have also been lucky enough to meet other CFAVs who all share the same ambition to help young people in their communities.’
‘For me, it is particularly meaningful to see Cadets develop qualities such as discipline, leadership, and self-belief — skills that extend far beyond the uniform and positively shape their education, employment, and future aspirations. Knowing that I have played a small part in helping them realise their potential is both humbling and motivating.’
Squadron Leader Alastair Ross, Deputy Officer Commanding for South East Scotland Wing RAF Air Cadets, was equally delighted at having received an award, commenting: ‘In this, my 50th year of being associated with the RAFAC, it is a really nice recognition of the enjoyment that I had firstly as a Cadet, and then for the effort that I have put into the organisation as a CFAV.
‘While my service now concentrates upon South East Scotland Wing as a whole, I was Officer Commanding of 2463 (Currie & Balerno) Squadron for a number of years, which is all the more special to me as that is where I started out as a Cadet.
‘Particular highlights of my time as a CFAV have included organising a RAFAC presence at the annual Battle of Britain Memorial Services at St Giles’ Cathedral, which continued until the closure of RAF Leuchars, and also leading a Youth Scotland Parade for the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 2016.
‘Not only would I actively encourage anyone to get involved with their local Cadets, I would particularly encourage employers to partner with us. The skills that we provide to the Cadets and that we gain as instructors are totally transferable into the workplace.’
Chief Petty Officer Belle Milliken, who was surprised with a promotion to Warrant Officer alongside receiving her Certificate of Meritorious Service, said of her own experience: ‘For me, the award isn’t just about personal achievement, but about being part of a team and representing Musselburgh Sea Cadets in a positive way. It motivates me to keep working hard, take on more responsibility, and continue setting a good example for the Cadets.
‘I would definitely encourage others to consider joining the Cadet Forces. My experience with Musselburgh Sea Cadets has been extremely positive and has given me so many opportunities to develop important skills such as teamwork, leadership, discipline, and confidence.
‘Being part of the Sea Cadets also allows you to meet new people, take part in unique activities, and challenge yourself in ways you might not normally experience. It has helped me grow as a person and given me experiences that I’m really proud of.’
A special addition to the evening’s proceedings was the presentation of a fourth bar for the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal to Major Tony Igoe, who retired last year after an exceptional forty-four years of Army service.
‘It’s an enormous privilege to receive the fourth bar at an event like this,’ said Tony. ‘I joined up all the way back in 1982, completed tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and trained in various other locations around the world, and now to celebrate those years here is a wonderful high note to end on.
‘Now that I’ve come to the end of my military career, I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and walking my dog Willow, who is absolutely crazy and likes to keep me on my toes!’
Colonel Ted Shields, Chief Executive of Lowland RFCA, said of this year’s winners: ‘I congratulate and thank all our Reservists, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and Civilians whose dedication and service have been officially recognised by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian.
‘It is often said that our Reservists and volunteers are “twice the citizen” – committed to serving our Nation and their communities on top of their everyday jobs and personal lives. It is a tall order, and those who have received Certificates of Meritorious Service have gone above and beyond in this respect. Their respective units and organisations have all benefited from their skills, determination and selflessness. They are a credit to the Defence community and the Nation. Thank you and well done.’
