A WORD FROM...

After leaving school, Felicity CorneliusMercer joined her family business in toy importing, where she learned from every department - starting in stock control in the warehouse, ending as a buyer working in Hong Kong and China. After taking a sabbatical to do some travelling, she switched career paths to airline operation as a crew controller whilst learning to fly rotary.

However, her life changed when she met a certain handsome soldier, the current Minister for Veterans Affairs, Johnny Mercer MP.

"When I met Johnny we moved to Plymouth and had our three daughters. Itook a career break to concentrate on the children and support Johnny through his Afghanistan tours. It wasn't until 2014 when Johnny decided to leave the army and go into politics that we agreed to fight the general election in 2015 together, so I jumped back into work with both feet!"

Whether she's expressing her views on Twitter in her trademark forthright style, supporting her husband Johnny in his quest to improve support for veterans, or campaigning on behalf of military families, nobody can say Felicity Cornelius-Mercer lacks passion...

As the spouse of a high profile veteran and noted champion of veterans' issues, Felicity is clearly very well informed. We asked for her thoughts on the career support available to military spouses during and post service:

"I am a huge fan of all the programs that help military spouses, trying to look after the often overloked contingency of our armed forces. I am encouraged that this group is getting more resources than previously, but like all initiatives set up to help, half the battle is making sure that the end user knows that the help is out there The lifestyle involved in being a military family - uprooting your life every three years or socomes with huge challenges; both emotionally and financially. It doesn’t get any easier; leaving behind friends, relationships, all the things that tie you to a place - your sense of home becomes fluid and that can be really unhealthy - lacking in security and longevity.

'So anything that can ease that burden absolutely must be done to help - ideally through the state but historically more often through charities targeting a need. If these needs are not met or done badly then the knock on effect is on recruitment and retention for the armed forces, familiy breakdowns, welfare issues, and added pressures on local communities."

We often talk about the challenges faced by service personnel making the transition to civilian employment, but it isn't easy for their families either:

"Absolutely not," Felicity agrees. "Military families have had to move houses, jobs, children's schooling, doctors, dentists, vets, groups, clubs etc all through the service years but at least with the financial and community security from the forces job. Transition can be a time where you feel very insecure financially and about the future. Leaving the military is a huge leap into the unknown and I really hope more people and employers realise how terrifying that can be for the whole family."

Both Felicity and her husband have had to manage career transitions and both now work in politics. Does she have any advice she can share with our readers around transition?

"Don't underestimate how marketable and transferable your skills are and how the resilient mindset makes you a great addition to any workplaceyou are a very useful commodity to employers in civilian life but the trick is in being able to sell yourself. So use the help that is available if you need to - for writing a CV and interview techniques.

"A fear that I have picked up on is that some employers might wrongly presume that you are too rigid; too set in your ways, moulded by an institution - even as a family member. So, be at pains to tell them that this couldn't be further from the truth - you have learnt to be flexible, adaptable, thinking on your feet, working with fluid factors and plans daily.

"And keep an open mind - yes civilian life can seem chaotic compared to the structure that your family is used to but you also get to exercise a lot more of your own control - so look for the positives!"

We asked Felicity to tell us a little about her work as Johnny's Private Secretary, and the day-to-day in that challenging role:" based for his days, organising his diaries, appointments, visits, travel etc, and evenings can be social events, speaking events, panel discussions and the like.

Working with one's husband wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea! But I love it - Johnny is my best friend and luckily we work well together and have complimentary styles - he's the cool and calm one; I'm the hot-headed bossy one, but occasionally we switch round if he is getting particularly worked up over something.

"The relationship of husband and wife works well and we have a totally safe place where we can talk out ideas, campaigns, strategies and Johnny always has someone he can talk to."

As a passionate advocate for improved conditions and support for military families, Felicity finds time in her busy schedule to act as an advocate for this cohort:

"A lot of the Christmas holidays (apart from my first ever ski experience aged 42!) I spent trying to help sort out Service Families Accomodation issues with Pinnacle, which I'm pleased to say that I made some progress on using my advocacy website This is the same one I helped to promote the petition to re-instate a dedicated Minister for Veterans Affairs. So I pick up things I am passionate about through that but it is having the free time to do all that I want to."

The Mercers are clearly an excellent team, at home and in politics. We couldn't help but wonder what the future holds for the Mercer family?

"My day to day routine changes depending on whether he is on the front bench. These days, as he is a Minister, I do less following him around as he has officials for that and more liaising with his department. Most of what I do is admin

"Hopefully lots of joy, cake, happy children, good health and wins at work! But more specifically I hope that we can get to the end of this political journey, whenever that may come, with the knowledge that Johnny used his time in office to negotiate a very difficult system doing his absolute best for as many veterans and Plymouth constituents as he could."