Floyd Woodrow - SAS Major, business leader and author

right that's an interest it's a great really great question i think the key thing on this for me is that it's also sometimes it's never a really clear thing for people like i work with lots of people that will say something similar i wasn't really clear but i think we get drawn towards things i think there's something innate connection with going into areas that you're attracted by.

I don't think you ever fall into something.

I think it's a natural draw.

You've just got to put yourself in those positions.

And if I could just go off before I answer that question.

I also think that's why it's great with children that they need adventures and experiences on a vast scale so they really understand what's in the art of the possible.

So for me, my brother was actually in the Marines, my oldest brother, who's 12 years older than I was.

But that wasn't although I can look at it and think, was that a draw? I'm not entirely sure it was, but there was something.

was attractive about this person that went away came back bronzed in really good shape and had lots of adventures there will have been aspects of that but because of our age difference at that at that time i think i probably played a part but for me there was something about um trying to be the best you could be what was it what what could test you to be really physically and mentally what are the tests out there and i then just for some reason the parachute regimen and i I can't put my finger on it, but I could tell you at the age of 11 to 12, there was something that I'd either read or come across that was an idea that I could never shake.

I am going to join the parachute regiment and I am going to join the special air service.

And I can't even begin to tell you how many people just went, that's just not going to happen.

Or what are you talking about? Do you understand what it entails? And of course I was oblivious to it really.

I wasn't in the scouts or the cadets or, or did any of those kind of things.

I just thought, no, that's where I'm going to go.

There's something about, if you can get into those organizations, that's probably a tick in terms of testing yourself.

And I was really clear.

Yeah, it's fascinating to me.

There's just so many comparables.

I talk to people about, I live in the Midlands, so I could have easily joined the Staffordshire Regiment and there's no slant on them at all, but that wasn't appealing enough.

It was for me, it was either the Marines or the Parachute Regiment.

And I don't understand why I chose the Marines.

The only reason that I've got is that there was a TV program on at the time that was following the Marines around and it seemed a laugh and adventure it was exciting there was stories which you know the opportunity to go to university you know of course there's stories and adventure you could have there but nothing by comparison and that was definitely the thing that was drawing me so I find that fascinating and then when you was in the parachute regiment Floyd obviously you

know

you're getting feedback all the time aren't you you're doing quite well clearly as an 18 year old in the parachute regiment You know, and lots of new experiences, fairly steep learning curve, I'm sure, but something still wasn't enough.

And I'd love to try and uncover that because again, I, one of my last jobs in the military was speaking to parachute regiments, speaking to the Marines about the opportunity of maybe stretching themselves and having to go at special forces.