Ex-Armed Forces personnel are now serving the country by helping to build Scotland's high-speed digital network.

The veterans were today given a salute by local MSP and veterans minister Keith Brown, who met engineers delivering part of the £410 million Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband in Dollar's McNabb Street.

They are just some of the 2000 personnel recruited by BT after leaving the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser:

Mr Brown said: “The Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband network has now reached more than half a million Scottish premises and it wouldn’t be happening without the army of engineers, who are delivering this rollout on the ground – and in Scotland, that means some very challenging terrain indeed.

“The ex- Armed Forces engineers I met today – who have served in places from Northern Ireland and the Falklands to Afghanistan and Sierra Leone – are involved in a variety of roles, from helping to plan and build infrastructure to installing connections for people who’ve decided to upgrade to the new, faster speeds.

Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser:

“It can sometimes be difficult for veterans when they adapt to life outside the armed forces to find fulfilling, high-quality careers. BT has successfully recruited more than 100 engineers from this background in Scotland in recent times, and I’m proud that the Scottish Government is able to support this employment through the Digital Scotland rollout.”

He met the engineers to hear about their transition from the services to civilian life and the skills they bring to the job.

One of the was Duncan Ford, 34, from Edinburgh. He spent five years working onboard nuclear submarines for the Royal Navy.

He would spend months at sea all around the world, looking after sonar systems and helping his submarine navigate international waters.

Mr Ford said: “I’m enjoying being out and about around Scotland, meeting colleagues and customers, every day is different. The ability to problem solve quickly in a submarine deep underwater is critical and I’m using some of those skills to help me find solutions to engineering challenges back on dry land.

“More recently, I’ve had a development opportunity working in our control room in Glasgow where I managed the jobs for around 25 engineers in the Manchester area. I’m hoping to put some faces to names one day and meet some of them in person.

“I’d recommend it as a career move; you get to be your own boss most of the time and work flexibly. There’s lots of future career options available and I’m always learning new skills.”