Luminox: Can you take us back to the beginning—what inspired you to join the SAS?
Duncan: My grandfather was in the British army as a paratrooper and would often recount tales of his service which captivated me as a child and into my teens. I had always wanted to join the army, but after leaving school I got a job at a bank but after about 18 months of doing that I knew that that was not what I was meant to be doing with my life. So, I jumped on a plane from South Africa to England and joined the army as a paratrooper. I lived with my grandparents in England whilst I was training to join the army; my grandfather was an avid reader; particularly military history and he encouraged me to read and educate myself about the history of the British Army. Of course, part of his book collection contained books about the SAS and their exploits in the Second World War and beyond. And that's where my interest in the unit started.
Luminox: What did serving in the SAS teach you about yourself and life?
Duncan: It taught me that with the right mindset and the preparedness to do work hard, there is almost no limit to the things that you can achieve.
Luminox: Are there any defining moments during your time in service that continue to shape your outlook today?
Duncan: There were many defining moments in my career, but I think the lesson that stands out for me the most is not underestimating the importance of having a good team around you. That sounds pretty obvious in a military context but it also crosses over into business and certainly your personal life, so building meaningful friendships and relationships has proved to be vital over the years, and FORCE BLUE is a very good example of the importance of having a good team around you and the things that you can achieve with the right mindset and hard work.
Luminox: How important is specialised equipment and gear during deployments in the SAS?
Duncan: Specialised equipment is important sometimes even critical, but one should never underestimate the importance of having a highly trained individual to operate it. Having specialised equipment is all good and well until it stops working and then it falls to the skill set of the individual behind it to either fix it or find another way to fulfil the task.
Luminox: Many veterans describe the transition back to civilian life as challenging. How was that experience for you?
Duncan: Transitioning out of the military was definitely a challenge coupled with moving from the UK to the USA. My work outside of the military remained defence facing and so remained engaged with a lot of military personnel which helped transition out of the military because it was more of a phased exit than it ending all at once.
Luminox: What tools, people, or practices helped you find a new sense of purpose outside the military?
Duncan: I think most people leaving the military suffer with that feeling of a loss of sense of purpose and can certainly contribute to mental health concerns. I think because I remained defence facing, I felt as though my purpose was to continue to support global defence efforts and in doing so part fulfilled my sense of purpose. More importantly my family has always been my overarching sense of purpose, so my work very much played second fiddle to my family priorities. Trying to start a new career post military and manage a healthy work life balance has been a challenge at times but going back to what I said earlier about having a good team around me, my family has supported me in everything I've done and continue to do so.
Luminox: How did the lessons from the SAS help—or conflict—with adapting to life after service?
Duncan: My time in the SAS helped me to build both mental and physical resilience and I would say that that level of resilience certainly helped with many of the challenges that both my family and I faced upon my leaving the military.
Luminox: How did you first become involved with FORCE BLUE?
Duncan: A good friend of mine, and fellow FORCE BLUE veteran RJ Casey, was the first to tell me about FORCE BLUE and the work that they were doing. I was still living in the UK at the time so wasn't actively able to join and contribute to the FORCE BLUE main effort.
Luminox: What drew you to their mission?
Duncan: I have always had an interest in marine science and conservation but being so busy in the military precluded me from being actively involved, But the more I learned about FORCE BLUE the more I became interested in actively contributing. Living in Florida makes it very easy for me to jump on as many missions as I can and be part of the Publix QRF initiatives.
Luminox: Can you share a moment during your time at FORCE BLUE that reminded you why this work matters?
Duncan: I've been fortunate enough to do a couple of turtle missions, and anyone at FORCE BLUE will tell you I'm a sucker for a turtle. Being able to contribute even in a very small way with collecting information on the various turtle populations in South Florida is hugely meaningful. It also sets a very good example for my children and helps them understand why active involvement in marine research and conservation is so important.
Luminox: We are proud to sponsor your son’s week at FORCE BLUE’s Ocean Conservation School —what does this experience mean to you as a father?
Duncan: In all honesty, it's very difficult for me to put into words how special this OCS will be for me as a father, and as a FORCE BLUE veteran. It's a huge honour to be able to share our knowledge and skills within the underwater world with such a special group of children, and to have my son be part of that journey is more special than I could begin to explain. Elvis wants to become a marine biologist and has been infatuated with the water, particularly the ocean, since he was old enough to get in it. I feel like this opportunity that Luminox has given him will be life changing and will in some meaningful, way shape his life.
Luminox: How do you talk to him about your time in service and your current mission?
Duncan: I don't typically discuss too much of my service with my children unless they specifically ask. I always discuss my FORCE BLUE missions with my children and share pictures and stories with them. My daughter, who is only 8, can't wait for her chance to do OCS and become more involved in the work that FORCE BLUE does.
Luminox: What kind of examples do you hope to set for your son through your work and your journey?
Duncan: There are a lot of things that I hope all my children take away from the work that I do. I would love for them to do something that they love, and if possible, something with meaning. They must understand that to get the things you want out of life, that hard work and dedication is the key. I want them to be courageous in their endeavours and kind to the world around them but fearless in the pursuit of their happiness.
Luminox: When you think about your role at FORCE BLUE today, what drives you?
Duncan: My favourite tagline that FORCE BLUE uses is “Every cause needs a warrior; every warrior needs a cause” because I think that it absolutely encapsulates everything that FORCE BLUE is. FORCE BLUE gives its veterans back a sense of purpose, a sense of meaning and the reason to keep fighting for something you care about. The differences we make to the marine environment and to the lives of the veteran community involved with FORCE BLUE is what drives me.
Luminox: How do you see the work you’re doing now continuing to make an impact—for the planet, for fellow veterans, and for future generations?
Duncan: FORCE BLUE is growing year on year and is becoming increasingly well-known thus highlighting the work we're doing and its importance. There is also so much that I love about the OCS programme but what I love the most is that we are potentially helping to shape the minds and values of the next generation that can continue the work that FORCE BLUE, and our partners are doing. We have a duty of care to our children and to our children's children, to leave them a planet in better shape than when we got it.
Luminox: At Luminox, we live by the mantra every second counts. This is true in any mission, adventure or just generally in life. Do you have ways or practices to make every second count?
Duncan: Doing things in your life that have meaning, and purpose gives a huge sense of value in the use of your time. I try, where I can, to make sure I use my time as fruitfully as I can and try not to waste a single moment.
Luminox: If there’s one message, you’d like people to take away from your story, what would it be?
Duncan: Help the planet. Because it's the only one we will ever have. It doesn't have to be huge conservation initiatives; it can be something as simple as picking up one piece of trash on the beach. If everyone was a little more considerate of our environment, we wouldn't have half of the issues that we do.
Luminox: What are thoughts on the partnership between Luminox and FORCE BLUE?
Duncan: I think it's a brilliant partnership, and the Luminox mantra “every second counts” couldn't be more appropriate for the work that FORCE BLUE does, because the more time we waste the less planet we will have to save so every second does indeed count.
Duncan’s Pick: Pacific Diver Chronograph, 44 mm, Diver Watch - 3144
