Michael Macdonald Email & Phone Number

Cullompton, Gb

London, England, United Kingdom

Working in the Naval section of the Finance & Military Capability Directorate within the MoD

Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom

Responsible for development of C5ISR capabilities for the Commando Force.

Plymouth, England, United Kingdom

Employed in a role outside the Royal Marines.

Lympstone, England, United Kingdom

Due to the recovery implications of my Wife's illness, as well as being moved early previously to command the Bde Communications Squadron, I returned to my previous role as the Second in Command of the Specialist Wing and the Officer Commanding the Information Warfare Company, delivering specialist Communication, Stores Accounting, Combat Intelligence and Information Manager training.As the Second in Command, I also oversaw the training delivered by the officers commanding the Infantry Support (Platoon/Heavy Weapons) and Mountain Leader companies, as well as the Royal Marines Band Service.In addition to managing all the Wing personnel, discipline and financial issues, I was required to fully understand the Defence Systems Approach to Training (DSAT) and ensure all courses delivered by the Wing were compliant, safe, up to date and ensuring that instructors were qualified and current. Highlights:- Qualified as a Defence Training Supervisor - allowing my to assess instructor performance.- Revised all Specialist Wing Training to conform fully with Drivers' Hours - which then was used as the exemplar for the other CTCRM Training Wings.- Acted as the Investigating Officer for two Service Complaints (both of which were successful). - Led the delivery of a formal Unit Investigation into a sensitive matter with formal attention from the Second Sea Lord and Commandant General of the Royal Marines.- Gained a Level 4 Diploma in the Management of Specialist Communicators.- Managed the transition of Royal Marines Stores Accountant training to a centralised delivery location at the Defence College of Logistics, Personnel and Administration at Worthy Down.

Plymouth, England, United Kingdom

I was selected to command the Communications Squadron for 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines. This was an organisation of 124 people, from the Army, Navy and Marines, covering the Communications, Information Systems, Cryptographic and Telecommunications Technician specialisations, as well as a fleet of CIS vehicles and a significant store of CIS equipment.The Squadron was responsible for the delivery of all specialist tactical and strategic deployed headquarters CIS and infrastructure for the Brigade HQ staff officers and the Commander 3 Cdo Bde. This required continual liaison with Navy Command HQ, Army HQ, PJHQ and MOD, as well as DE&S for user input into future CIS capability Development.During this period my Wife was also diagnosed with a serious illness, which required me to carefully balance my work/life time to support her, while still meeting my responsibilities.Highlights:- Delivering the RM element of the Comms Plan for two major amphibious exercises (COUGAR 14 and LCG 15) for over 1,800 personnel, plus amphibious shipping.- Drove a complete re-structuring of the Squadron to deliver a balanced force generation cycle, enable better internal career and skills progression for junior ranks, and re-apportion the squadron's vehicles and CIS equipment.- Generated the work to inform a future Brigade Command Post development strategy and road-map that was then handed over to my successor.

Lympstone, England, United Kingdom

As well as being the Second in Command of the Specialist Wing, I was also the Officer Commanding the delivery of specialist Communication, Stores Accounting and Information Manager training.As the Second in Command, I also oversaw the training delivered by the officers commanding the Infantry Support (Platoon/Heavy Weapons) and Mountain Leader (Mountain Leaders and Combat Intelligence) companies, as well as the Royal Marines Band Service.In addition to managing all the Wing personnel, discipline and financial issues, I was required to fully understand the Defence Systems Approach to Training (DSAT) and ensure all courses delivered by the Wing were compliant, safe, up to date and ensuring that instructors were qualified and current. I left this job early, as I had been successfully boarded for Sub-Unit Command.Highlights:- Returning to command the Squadron where I had received my initial specialist training in 2000...- Reviewing and realigning all Wing Risks into a new Active Risk Management format.

Shrivenham, England, United Kingdom

I attended Staff College on promotion to substantive Major. Highlights:- Gaining a 'Most Demanding' recommendation for all five future career fields (the highest possible level).- Gaining a CMi Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership.- Achieving a top 15% overall grade from the over 200 students on the course.

Winterbourne Gunner, England, United Kingdom

I was employed as the second in command of a 5-man joint team responsible for the delivery of CBRN trials and external training for Defence. Highlights:- Qualified as a CBRN Formation Level Defence Advisor, CBRN Unit Evaluator and completed CBRN Live Agent Training.- Played a key part in delivering the General Service Respirator into service, including planning and delivering hot/cold environmental trials, producing a re-worked respirator test facility and producing instructor Aide-Memoires and training guides.- Delivered two Short Term Training Team tasks to the Kuwaiti and Bahraini Militaries for which a 2* Team Commendation was awarded from the Air Officer Commanding of 2 Group, RAF.- Acted as the President of the Officers' Mess, which required me to organize four major Mess Events across my tenure.

Plymouth, England, United Kingdom

In this role I was responsible for the planning, management and delivery of the communications plan for HQ 3 Cdo Bde exercises and operations. Highlights:- Deployment on Operation HERRICK IX as the Task Force Helmand HQ Battle Captain - responsible for monitoring all ongoing operational activity across the Task Force area, co-ordinating all casualty evacuation, managing requests for fire and close air support and all up and down reporting.- Project Management of two consecutive Bowman CIS uplift programmes, as the lead formation across defence, requiring the formation of a specialist team to conduct a full re-wiring of the brigade's fleet of CIS vehicles, co-ordination and enabling of training to all 3,000 brigade personnel and execution of the uplift process while maintaining delivery of all brigade current commitments.

Yeovilton, England, United Kingdom

I was employed as the J6 Communications Officer for the CHF, leading a troop of 30 personnel, plus all the vehicles and specialist CIS equipment to provide communications support to aviation command and control and forward refuelling nodes. I was also employed as an aviation operations watchkeeper during amphibious exercises and deployments. Highlights:- Deploying on Op TELIC 8 and TELIC 9 with the Joint Helicopter Force (Iraq) as the J6 Officer and Adjutant. This required me to manage all the CIS equipment on the force's helicopters during ongoing high-tempo operational activity, as well as leading on the co-ordination of VIP, VVIP and Media visits.

Bovington Camp, England, United Kingdom

The RSO course taught me how to manage and deploy all in service Strategic and Tactical CIS, as well as the basics of RF propagation, conduct of Path Profile Analysis and the management of a signals troop of 30 people. I also completed a Crypto Custodian course, enabling me to manage, account and distribute Cryptographic fills and items at unit level.

Guildford, England, United Kingdom

On completion of my previous troop command, I was moved to work as part of a small team in a careers office, where I was responsible for advising and supporting aspiring officer applicants to the Naval Service. This involved delivering careers briefs at schools, jobs fairs and conventions, and supporting the wider delivery of the Naval Officer selection process.This required me to complete an interesting ACLO course, which focused on developing my listening skills, interview techniques, equal opportunities, multi-cultural awareness and basic psychology.Highlights:- Working with older children and young adults - one of the most rewarding experiences I have had and I took it very seriously - it was not just 'deliver a sales pitch' - each candidate had different needs and aspirations, which required differing management and resulted in a great deal of job satisfaction when done 'right' and with some of the positive feedback I received.- I managed to gain a place in RN flying training for a candidate that had been removed from RAF for a specific (slighty spurious) medical reason. I was able to get him examined by the Central Air and Admiralty Medical Board, who agreed to allow him to re-commence pilot training with the Fleet Air Arm. Again, his reaction when given the news, was a genuinely positive experience.

Bickleigh, England, United Kingdom

Second Troop Command appointment in charge of a 30-strong rifle troop in 42 Commando.Responsible for all aspects of leadership, management and personal development of my troop, both personally and professionally, across a variety of challenging exercises and deployments.Highlights:- All of it! But especially the extra-curricular activities to support my people, particularly their welfare and wellbeing - one of the few areas where, as a Tp Comd, you can make a genuine difference.

Chivenor, England, United Kingdom

Initial Troop Command appointment in charge of the Commando Logistics Regiment's Artillert Support Troop, comprising a troop of 30 RM drivers, and 24 DROPS MMLC vehicles, plus trailers. In this role I learned the basic skills of how to manage and lead my troop, how to maintain vehicle availability, how to plan and conduct troop and company level logistics operations and deliver wider training to my troop and others.Highlights:- Learning how to actually be a Tp Comd, opposed to the 'dry-run' of Young Officer training. Primarily this occurred across the broad range of 'extra-curricular', incidents and crisis that usually presented themselves at the least opportune moment!- Taking charge of the container backload from that years' Winter Deployment in Norway - which required the co-ordinated locating, collecting, movement and drop off of over 100 ISO containers across a two-week period with a team of 8 x vehicles and 12 x drivers in an Arctic environment, all while maintaining compliance and meeting a challenging timeline.

Lympstone, England, United Kingdom

Selected from the ranks, I commissioned as a direct entry RM Officer, learning how to lead and manage a rifle troop of 30 marines on operations and in camp in austere, challenging environments and situations.(I also found the time to get married during one of my leave periods)

Plymouth, England, United Kingdom

Responsible for the management of a RM signals detachment of three men, two vehicles and CIS equipment to provide command and control support to the HQ of 3 Cdo Bde on operations.Highlights Include:- Deployment to Kosovo on Op AGRICOLA IV, in charge of a detachment supporting a Czech Reconnaissance Company in a Peacekeeping Role.- Deployment to Afghanistan on Op JACANA in the initial operation vs the Taliban as a signals detachment commander.

Lympstone, England, United Kingdom

Selected to Directly Specialise as a RM Signaller, I completed a comprehensive course on RF propagation and theory, as well as how to operate, manage and fault-find all in-service CIS equipment in an austere tactical environment, both on foot and vehicle-borne.This was recognised with the award of a NVQ2 in 'Providing a Telecommunications Service' and formed the foundation layer to the entirety of my subsequent career.

Lympstone, England, United Kingdom

Initial Training as a Royal Marines Commando to realise an ambition that had been years in the formulation and gain my Green Beret. I learned how to work as a team member, overcome adversity and challenge what I had previously thought was physically and mentally possible. I was also able to make notes for the future on what good and bad leadership looked like from the receiving end, and met my future Wife (not as a result of one of the examples of bad leadership...).