Omar joined the forces aged 22 in April 2009. He spent time stationed in Germany, Afghanistan, Kenya and Cyprus, before returning to the UK at Castle Donnington.
However, Omar suffers from a rare liver illness and had to under go two separate surgeries, in 2017 and 2018, and was unable to return to operational duties.
He started work at a testing centre in 2020 and said: “I loved my life in the army and when I had to leave due to illness, I felt a real loss of community.
“I saw this job advertised online and applied because I knew it would suit my skill set and it’s another way of protecting people, so I’m proud to be part of it. In a way, it’s given another great sense of community and a real purpose.
“I saw a lot of things and went through many emotions in the army, so I’m certainly not thrown by working at a COVID testing centre but at the same time it’s obviously a new experience for me. One which I’m grateful for and will be taking incredibly seriously.”
