Celebrating Reserves Day with Major Phill

Armed Forces Day, on which the wider community is encouraged to show its support for the UK military, took place on Sunday 25th June. Earlier the same week CCL also participated in Reserves Day which specifically celebrates volunteer members of the Reserve Forces, who are encouraged, where permissible, to wear their military uniform to work.

Major Phill Hatton is one of CCL’s Principal Computer Analysts where he supports law enforcement and corporate investigations by performing deep-dive computer examinations. He has been an army reservist since 1984 and has deployed operationally to Afghanistan, Iraq and the former Yugoslavia. Originally a Royal Artillery air defence command and control officer he has served in LIAG, one of Strategic Command’s dedicated cyber units since 2003. In addition to digital forensics he specialises in Cyber Mission Assurance and the planning and assessment of cyber exercises as well as frequently leading Vulnerability Assessment teams.

Over the last twelve months Major Hatton has deployed to the Falklands as a Cyber Mission Assurance specialist and to Estonia where he headed up the assessments cell on the largest military-led cyber security exercise ever held in the west [Youtube link]

Twenty years ago, almost to the day, Major Hatton was in the process of returning from Baghdad where he had deployed as Technical Manager for the coalition digital forensics laboratory during Gulf war Two.  He has also taken part in cyber security/digital forensics tasks in Iraq, Afghanistan, the former Yugoslavia, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Oman, Germany, Ukraine, Ascension Island and the UK.

Major Hatton said: “This may be my last Reserves Day as I am 60 at the end of the year when (in theory at least) I retire from the military. As I reflect on nearly 40 years as a reservist I am convinced that my dual role has been of great benefit both to the military and my various employers as there has been a huge amount of synergy between my “day job” and the reserves when it comes to developing my knowledge, experience and capabilities – particularly in terms of auditing and competency assessments which are now a key part of my role.”

CCL is highly supportive of both military veterans and Reservists and has achieved Silver status under the Armed Forces Covenant.

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