Mike takes part in Operation OLYMPICS
Friday, 14 September 2012
Mike Keighley, Henley Business School's Head of Programme Administration
'I have been extremely well supported by Henley Business School and the University's HR department and the Army throughout this whole process'
A member of University staff has been supporting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games from a very different perspective over the past few months.
Mike Keighley, Henley Business School's Head of Programme Administration, is also a Major in the Territorial Army (TA), working in his spare time on the staff of the Army's Aldershot-based regional Brigade headquarters.
Throughout the Olympics and Paralympics this headquarters has been responsible for managing the Army's security operations at the Eton Dorney rowing venue and for helping those other military units deployed in support. Throughout this Mike has been running the Brigade Operations team since early July.
Mike, who has served in the TA and Regular Army for over 23 years, was called out for operational service under the Reserve Forces Act 1996 to work on Operation OLYMPICS.
He trained specifically for this role over the past 18 months and has spent time on exercises working through a variety of Olympics-based scenarios with staff from LOCOG, Thames Valley Police and South Central Ambulance Service as well as the region's Fire Services, local authorities and other military commanders.
During a visit to his headquarters from David Stannard, Henley's Faculty Director of Administration, Mike explained his contribution: "The initial focus of the operation was to track the Olympic Torch Relay, whilst the high profile G4S staffing issues provided an additional, unexpected, challenge at the same time.
"The Army subsequently supported G4S in managing the 24/7 security operation around the 7.9km venue perimeter, handling around 25,000 spectators daily during the Olympic Games and helped to ensure the venue remained safe for competitors and spectators alike.
"This support continued during the transition to the Paralympic Games which required us to plan for taking on an additional task of providing additional resilience to G4S at the Paralympic Rowing Village, Royal Holloway. I will handover my duties to colleagues in late August who will be working hard to ensure the rowing events at the Paralympic Games conclude successfully".
Mike reflected on his 2-month deployment on the operation: "I have been extremely well supported by Henley Business School and the University's HR department and the Army throughout this whole process and have thoroughly enjoyed making an effective contribution to the successful safeguarding of the Games at Eton Dorney".