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16
Jul 2024
Bear Grylls made honorary colonel at Harrogate army college
Survival expert and TV presenter Bear Grylls has been made an honorary colonel at Harrogate's Army Foundation College.
The British Army said in a statement the ex-special forces officer will serve as a role model to the junior soldiers, who are all under the age of 18.
The college, which is located near Penny Pot Lane, is the only basic junior training site in the British Army.
Colonel Bear, who became one of the youngest people to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest, said he was “so proud” to have been appointed by the King, adding:
The Army Foundation College builds the character, competence, and resilience of young people to help them succeed in life and within the military.
No matter where you come from, if you’re willing to do your best and live by the army’s values and standards then the college offers adventure, challenge, qualifications, friends for life, and confidence that will last a lifetime.
Watch this space for many adventures ahead and respect to all of you.
His first official duty will be as senior inspecting officer at a graduation ceremony in August, which will see some 600 junior squaddies march off the parade square to begin their next phase of training.
Honorary colonels do not require a forces background. The role is to encourage 'esprit de corps' – a mutual feeling of pride and loyalty within a group – among members, as well as to support leadership teams without being involved in the day-to-day running of the unit.
The college’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Butler, said everyone was “thrilled” about the new celebrity appointment. He added:
An inspirational character for junior soldiers, Colonel Bear shares our passion for helping young people grow and develop, especially in confidence and resilience.
His message of ‘courage, kindness, and never give up’ is a perfect match for the British Army values and standards we strive to live by.
We can’t wait to work with Colonel Bear as he shares in the exciting and rewarding journey of the army’s youngest recruits.
Following Bear’s time in the armed forces – during which he suffered a free-falling accident in Africa and broke his back in three places – he has since established an impressive TV career.
According to his website, he has gone on to host more extreme adventure programmes across global networks than any other individual – including six seasons of Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
He also starred in seven seasons of the Emmy-nominated Man vs. Wild series, which reached an estimated 1.2 billion viewers.
In addition, he held the hands of some of the world’s most famous faces when pushing mother nature’s limits. These include former president Barack Obama, Roger Federer, Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet and Channing Tatum.
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