A RAF Reservist at RAF St Mawgan is proving that you don’t need to wear a uniform full‑time to make a big impact in the Royal Air Force.

AS2 Driver Duke, who serves with 505 Squadron, is showing how reservists can seize opportunities and achieve extraordinary things, all while balancing busy family life and a demanding civilian career.

Living in Devon and commuting to Bristol for her role in HMRC’s tax specialist programme, AS2 Duke’s life is already full. Yet she still finds the time and energy to serve her country, train hard and represent the RAF at the highest levels of equestrian sport.

Her journey hasn’t been straightforward. A year‑long injury delayed her training, but AS2 Duke refused to let it derail her ambitions. Now on the final stretch to achieving AS1, she’s become a quiet example of the resilience and determination that define today’s RAF Reserves.

A highly skilled rider, she has spent the last three years competing on the RAF’s Senior squads in dressage, show jumping and eventing. Her expertise is so respected that senior officers regularly seek her advice on riding technique.

AS2 Duke said: “Sport is brilliant because I ride on a team where a Wing Commander might ask me the best way to ride a course. They genuinely value and respect my insight.”

Her equestrian achievements are impressive by any standard. She recently earned Sporting Colours for 2023 and 2024, and at the RAF Championships 2025 she and her horse, King’s Silver, won the medium dressage class after a last‑minute change of plan. Another highlight was riding in the Royal Windsor Horse Show Forces Jumping 2023, parading in full No.1 dress uniform and taking the Royal Salute from the Duke of Edinburgh, a moment she describes as unforgettable.

AS2 Duke’s passion for the RAF Reserve goes far beyond sport. She’s a familiar face on recruitment stands, enthusiastically sharing her story with anyone curious about service. “I love talking about the opportunities as a reservist, the friends you make and the places you get to visit”, she says.

For her, the reserves offer something precious, a complete change of pace. “My civilian job is intense and very desk based. I really enjoy driving, so I treat the reserves as downtime for my brain. The prospect of taking a week off work to just go driving is a welcome break.”

Her personal achievements are just as inspiring. After having her second son, she returned to education and earned a BA in Law (2:1) as a mature student. Last year she bought her first home and now beams with pride as her eldest son begins his own RAF journey through the cadets.

Service has shaped her confidence too. “I’ve learnt to stand my ground and my confidence in my own abilities has certainly improved”, she says. Known for her quick wit and legal knowledge, she jokes that anyone picking an argument with her should expect a “sturdy response, usually backed up by case law.”

Now qualified with both truck and coach licences, she’s often found in the horse box park helping others manoeuvre their vehicles, usually with a grin and a comment that “you could get a bus through there!”

AS2 Duke’s story is a reminder that reservists come from every walk of life and that the RAF Reserve offers far more than military training. It brings community, adventure, new skills and the chance to discover strengths you didn’t know you had.

A RAF St Mawgan spokesperson said: “If you’re ready to challenge yourself, meet amazing people, and see what you’re truly capable of, the RAF Reserves at RAF St Mawgan are waiting for you.

“Like Rowan, you might discover a whole new world. Find ‘505 Squadron’ on Facebook to find out what they’re up to and to keep an eye on when their next Open Day is. What are you waiting for?”