Katie Jennings safeguards military forces with unmatched precision
The job of a military dog handler and that of a quality assurance professional may not seem to have much in common. Yet, Katie Jennings believes it was her experience in the army that prepared her for her current role as medical compliance lead for Leidos UK’s Logistics and Mission Support Division.
“In arms explosive search, you’re trained to scan the area for markers or disturbed ground before you send the dog in, so I’m always searching for anything that looks out of place,” she explains. “In my current role, that means checking lots of documents to ensure everything is compliant, and it’s this attention to detail that allows me to pick up any issues quickly.”
Just as important was the experience of learning to trust the skills and judgement that other team members bring to the table – even when those team members are of the non-human variety.
“The dogs we worked with were amazing,” she explains. "They could sense minuscule particles of explosives from hundreds of metres away. At the end of the day, they’re looking after you and they could save your life, so the bond you build with them is really important.”
Jennings' departure from military service was unplanned – the result of a parachuting injury that led to her medical discharge in 2014. While she found her first civilian job within just a few months, suddenly switching out of “military brain” was a challenge. Fortunately, leaving service did not mean leaving her military family, who are always there to lean on for support and advice.
“Even now, I’ve got friends from the military all over the UK and if I need anything, they will drop everything and be here in a few hours,” Jennings shares.
Of the five civilian employers that Jennings has had since leaving service, she says that Leidos is the first where she’s been able to find that same level of community and commitment to helping each other succeed.
"We’re a really close team and if anyone has something they need assistance with, we all come together to help them. I don’t think I’ve ever worked anywhere like that other than the army."
That culture is partially shaped by the fact so many Leidos employees are veterans themselves. Beyond a commitment to helping each other, this also means there’s a strong understanding of how important their work is to those still serving.
Katie Jennings
Medical Compliance Lead, Logistics and Mission Support, Leidos UK
“I’ve still got friends in the military, and I know that if they need to go to the med centre, we’re going to be supplying any item they might need,” Jennings says. “Quality management might sound a bit boring when you describe your job, but it means being committed to making sure that everything is correct and to the book. If you look at that as ensuring that your friend is going to be looked after properly then you can really feel the impact of your work."
What makes Leidos such a good place for veterans to work, she says, is a sense that the company as a whole shares that mission. This sentiment is reflected in Leidos UK recently being ranked as one of the Great British Employers of Veterans for 2024.
