Bugle Summer 2026 - Flipbook - Page 73
WELFARE
Sniper Platoon Commander, 3 Rifles/Sniper Cadre –
Mark (fourth from left, front row)
Mark with friends –
MND Fundraiser
Sjt Mark Campbell
of that. The Rifles Benevolent Fund has helped
me enormously, and I am incredibly grateful
for the support I have received.
Unfortunately, life has a habit of reminding
us that none of us know what is around the
corner.
While serving, I began experiencing
symptoms that initially appeared insignificant.
Like many soldiers, I put them down to the
physical demands of military life. After a lengthy
period of medical investigations and testing, I
received the diagnosis that would change my
life forever: Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
MND is a cruel and devastating disease.
It gradually attacks the nerves that control
movement, causing muscles to weaken and
waste away. It affects the simplest parts of
daily life first and then begins to take away
more and more independence. Tasks that
most people take for granted can become
exhausting, frustrating or impossible. It is a
horrible disease because it does not just affect
the person diagnosed; it affects every part of
family life, every plan for the future and every
sense of normality.
The diagnosis brought my military career to
an unexpected end and forced me to look at
life from a completely different perspective. It
also brought new challenges that I now face
every day, and those challenges will continue
to grow as the disease progresses. I know that
MND will affect my future in ways I cannot
fully predict, and that uncertainty is one of the
hardest parts to deal with.
One thing that has never changed, however,
is the support of the Rifles family.
Since my diagnosis, The Rifles charities have
provided invaluable assistance at a time when
I needed it most. Their support enabled me to
purchase a specialist bed that accommodates
my needs and allows me to maintain a degree
of independence in my own home. As my
condition has progressed, they have continued
to support me with specialist equipment,
including assistance towards a specialist
shower chair that will help me remain safe and
independent for as long as possible.
Until you find yourself in this position,
it is difficult to appreciate the true cost of
The relative
comfort of a
profiling be
specialist disability equipment. The prices
are astonishing. Equipment that many would
consider essential can cost many thousands of
pounds. Nobody wants to find themselves in a
position where they need to rely on charitable
support, and I am certainly no different. Like
most soldiers, I spent my career helping others
rather than asking for help myself.
However, when circumstances change,
support from military charities becomes vitally
important. The assistance I have received has
genuinely improved my quality of life and has
helped me maintain the independence that
means so much to me.
What has impressed me most is that the
support does not end when you leave the
Army. Long after hanging up the uniform, there
remains a genuine sense that you are still part
of the Rifles family. The continued support,
kindness and willingness to help shown by
The Rifles charities is something for which I
will always be grateful.
Looking back, I remain immensely
proud of my military service. The
Army gave me opportunities that
I could never have imagined.
It allowed me to travel
the world, serve
on operations,
teach
soldiers
from across
the globe and
build friendships
I remain
immensely
proud
of my
military
service
RI-
that will stay with me forever.
Most importantly, it taught me resilience.
My military career has prepared me to face
difficult situations, adapt to change and keep
going when life becomes hard. Those lessons
have been invaluable as I deal with MND and
the many new challenges it has brought into
my life.
If there is one lesson I have taken from both
my military career and my diagnosis, it is that
life can change in an instant. None of us know
what tomorrow will bring. We make plans,
we set goals and we look to the future, but
sometimes events beyond our control take us
in a completely different direction.
That uncertainty is not something to fear.
Instead, it is a reminder to make the most
of every opportunity, appreciate the people
around us and take pride in what we do while
we have the chance.
I consider myself fortunate to have worn
the Rifles green beret, served alongside
remarkable people and finished my
career as a Colour Serjeant. Although
MND changed the direction of
my life, it can never take away
the memories, experiences,
friendships and sense of
belonging that my
Army career gave me.
For that, I will
always be thankful.
Mark Campbell,
20 July 2026
FLES The Bugle 73
