Stafford army couple reflect on key worker roles - with video
An army captain and doctor wife have become the faces of a British Army video about tackling coronavirus.
Captain Dominic Noone and Doctor Hannah Noone have been getting used to the new normal that has been thrust on their lives by the coronavirus pandemic.
The couple live at Beacon Barracks in Stafford, where Dominic is the Adjutant for the Stafford-based 16th Signal Regiment.
Both have had to adapt to life around the virus, with 31-year-old Dominic being required to discharge his duties from the comfort of his own home.
Watch the video here:
He has a key role in the regiment which is now stood up as CSF 22, one of the Army’s Coronavirus Support Forces that have been set up as part of the fully co-ordinated response to the virus.
Hannah, 29, has seen her life and career change overnight after being fast-tracked from university to start her medical career early at the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust in Nuneaton, near Coventry.
She has just completed her first shifts at the hospital last week as part of plans to boost doctor numbers during the crisis.
The couple have described how they are adapting to their new lives and ways of working and the impact that it has had on them, both personally and professionally.
Capt Noone said his task has been made much easier with the advent and growth of Defence Connect, the military's online communications service, which he said has been a vital tool during the last few weeks:
He said: "With so many people dispersed at the moment, Defence Connect has been really invaluable.
"It has helped us to communicate the key messages from the commanding officer, regimental second in command (2IC) and regimental sergeant major down to the soldiers.
"We’ve even used a video posted on there for some of our Covid-19 pre-deployment training which has been hugely helpful.
"Defence Connect has really grown massively and has accelerated just at the time when we really need it the most."
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Hannah said she was adapting to her new life at the hospital and embracing the opportunity to kickstart her medical career early
She said: "I’m proud to be useful at a time of national need.
"The situation is fast-changing and forcing us to be flexible and adaptable, and is not something any of us expected to encounter at all, let alone so early into our careers.
"However, I want to rise to the challenge and be part of a new cohort of junior doctors moulded in the face of adversity."
The video interview of Dominic and Hannah can be seen on the Ministry of Defence website at army.mod.uk
