RAF recruitment commander
Born: Kenya, of Indian parents. Moved to the UK when he was three
Rank: squadron leader, based in Chatham
'I’m the area commander for recruitment in London and the south-east. There are so many diverse ethnic groups in the UK and we can’t talk to them all in the same way. But the underlying message is the same: we will treat you fairly. There is no place for harassment or bullying in the armed forces.' Photograph: Kit Oates
Navy electrical engineer
Born: London, parents from the Caribbean
Rank: chief petty officer, based at Portsmouth
'To be honest, being from an ethnic minority hasn’t affected my life in the navy at all. I joined as an electrical mechanic and I am currently responsible for maintaining the power distribution electrical system on Royal Navy ships. I get involved in other countries as well. Shortly after the war in Sierra Leone, I was part of a group that built playgrounds for kids in an orphanage. When we finished, the kids’ faces were a joy to see.'
Photograph: Kit Oates
Army medic
Born: Streatham, south London, to parents of Indian origin
Rank: captain, based St Omer Barracks, Aldershot
'For me, being an ethnic minority in the army has not been an issue. People are more concerned with your ability to do your job, look after your troops and deliver the mission at hand. In this regard, the army is more inclusive than any other working environment I’ve previously experienced.'
Photograph: Kit Oates
RAF recruitment officer
Born: Richmond, London, to a father from Trinidad and Tobago and an English mother
Rank: flight lieutenant, based in Chatham
'It can be hard to recruit people from ethnic minorities. Maybe now the younger generations are looking at what we can offer them, but 10 or 15 years ago it was very unusual to get a guy from an ethnic community joining the air force, apart from people of Afro-Caribbean origin. It’s because of what their parents were telling them and their interpretation of what we do in the military.'
Photograph: Kit Oates
Navy logistics manager
Born: St Vincent, a former British colony in the Caribbean
Rank: leading hand, based at Portsmouth
'Before I joined the navy I was working on a cruise ship as a casino assistant, and before that I was in the British army cadet force. My fiancée in St Vincent decided she was going to sign me up and I thought: what better experience and a way to progress than to join the navy?.'
Photograph: Kit Oates
Army chef
Born: Jamaica, moved to Birmingham aged three
Rank: lance corporal, based at the Royal Artillery barracks at Woolwich, London
'My first tour was to Afghanistan in 2010. I thought I was going to be based at Camp Bastion but I was sent straight out to a forward operating base. I was a bit scared because I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was good to learn how to live on the frontline and I actually enjoyed it. We made sure that the guys got their three meals a day.'
Photograph: Kit Oates
Navy steward
Born: Malaysia to parents of Indian origin, moved to Britain when he was 20
Rank: able seaman AB1, based at Portsmouth
'I applied to join the navy in Malaysia and came to England to do my recruitment tests before joining HMS Raleigh in April 2007. I was always fascinated with ships and always wanted to live at sea. I’m a steward now and look after hospitality, from everyday well-being to silver service when important guests come on board.'
Photograph: Kit Oates
RAF outreach officer
Born: Jamaica
Rank: corporal, based at RAF Northolt
'About 5% of the force at RAF Northolt are ethnic minorities. After nine years in the RAF, I’ve never encountered any abuse. As far I’ve known it’s zero-tolerance. The thing I really enjoy about working in the air force is the flexibility in terms of different job roles. You’re constantly learning new things and gaining new skills.' Photograph: Kit Oates
Navy chef
Born: Kenya and moved to England in 1993
Rank: leading chef, based at Portsmouth
'I joined the navy in 2001. I was doing a dead-end job and didn’t have much chance to progress in life so I decided to sign up to the navy to make a career of it. It’s all about teamwork and meeting different people and going to different places. My first memorable experience was being drafted to Afghanistan. When I got to Kabul there was an explosion – a suicide bomb had gone off just outside. I was a bit scared but I was only there for a week. Then I was sent up to the front line near Uzbekistan for eight months – it was more friendly up there compared to down south.'
Photograph: Kit Oates
Army infantry
Born: East London to an English mother and a father from St Lucia
Rank: private, based at the Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich, south-east London
'Being mixed race and going into the army, racism did cross my mind a little bit. As I’ve always lived in London I’ve never thought about it too much. There’s a lot of diversity in the army, but we all gel quite well.'
Photograph: Kit Oates
