Manchester is to be the centre for the recruitment of a team of army puzzlers.
The battalion, 6 Military Intelligence (6 MI), will be based in Rusholme will be made up almost entirely of Army Reservists. It will will find and analyse data, turn it into useful intelligence and help plan future operations.
Manchester has been chosen as the base for 6 MI because of the area’s academic reputation. Other bases will be at Stourbridge in the West Midlands, Bletchley in Buckinghamshire and Lisburn in Northern Ireland.
The Manchester battalion will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Phaedra McLean, the first female Army Reservist ever to command an Intelligence Corps Reserve Battalion.
Lt Col McLean, said:
“We are responsible for analytical work and the provision of accurate, timely intelligence. We know that the North West can provide the kind of people who can carry out that work; it’s proving this already because we’re 40% staffed with more people in the pipeline. I would encourage anybody who thinks they might be interested in the challenge to get in touch.”
The battalion was set up under the Army 2020 plan, which will ensure Army Reservists play a greater role in defence. The 300-strong battalion will have its headquarters and a Company of around 90 soldiers in Manchester.
Lt Col McLean, originally from Macclesfield, served as a police constable with Cheshire Constabulary for 30 years, only retiring this week to take up her new Army role. She said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my civilian job and have only walked away from it because of this new opportunity. The management, the responsibility and training you receive in the Army are second to none, and over the years I’ve been able to take that into my civilian job as a police constable.”
