Episode 057

Sgt Ben Gallagher

Ben enlisted in the British Army in 2005, joining the Royal Corps of Signals. During the course of 16 years of service, Ben attained the rank of Sergeant (Sgt).

In this episode, Ben recounts his journey into the British Army, detailing the training phases he underwent before joining his first unit. He deployed to Afghanistan soon after, which marked the beginning of his interest in joining the UK Special Forces and attempting the renowned Selection course. Despite a medical withdrawal on Selection, Ben deployed again to Afghanistan and sought more challenges, which led him to 299 Signal Squadron (Special Communications), where he performed diverse roles and responsibilities globally.

Ben sought to re-attempt UK Special Forces Selection, driven by his aspiration to join the Special Forces as an SF Communicator, supporting the Special Air Service (SAS). He recounts his journey, detailing how he successfully completed the initial phase 1 of Selection (Hills phase) prior to the Communicator phase. Subsequently, he navigated later phases, including the SF Parachute course (which encompasses HALO), ultimately achieving success in the Selection process. Regrettably, Ben’s career was abruptly terminated by an unfortunate incident that resulted in severe blast and fragment injuries to his upper torso and both arms. He shares his recovery journey, encompassing both physical and mental well-being.