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Women in the Armed Forces Community: Leading, Innovating, and Making an Impact

Created on 4 Mar 2025

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Updated on 4 Mar 2025

International Women’s Day is about action – about recognising the women who are breaking barriers, leading with impact, and accelerating progress toward gender equality.

For those in the Armed Forces community, resilience isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a way of life. Whether serving, running businesses, or balancing careers with military life, these women are proving that leadership comes in many forms. They’re not just adapting to change – they’re driving it.

At Troopr, we’re all about connecting the Armed Forces community to opportunities – and that means celebrating the incredible women making things happen. This IWD 2025, we’re spotlighting female leaders, entrepreneurs, and trailblazers who are shaping industries, supporting their communities, and accelerating progress for gender equality in military and business life.

Helen Massy: Creating Opportunity for Military Spouses

As a military spouse of over 20 years, Helen Massy has lived through the unpredictability of military life—frequent relocations, international moves, and balancing career ambitions with family responsibilities. When she left her NHS career due to military postings, she quickly realised there was no single place to access career support tailored to military spouses.

So she built one.

Helen founded Career Pursuit CIC, a platform designed to help military spouses, partners, and veterans access career and entrepreneurial support all in one place.

“One of the most empowering options for military spouses is self-employment,” Helen says. “It offers flexibility, independence, and the ability to build something meaningful that moves with you.”

Through Career Pursuit, Helen is proving that military spouses don’t have to choose between their career ambitions and military life – they can have both.

Georgie Symonds: Balancing Business and the Army Reserves

Georgie Symonds knows what it means to juggle multiple roles. As the Director and Founder of Nutwood House Consultancy, she provides HR and management expertise to organisations. But she’s not just a business leader – she’s also a part-time Army Reservist, commanding a port and maritime regiment with over 300 personnel.

Her role in the Army Reserves allows her to deliver training and provide logistical support for Defence operations worldwide. It’s a demanding balance, but Georgie wouldn’t have it any other way.

“As a female leader, it’s fundamental that I uphold exemplary values, look after and listen to my team,” Georgie says. “I try to be a servant leader because people are my key resource.”

Georgie has also seen firsthand the value of having a central platform for the Armed Forces community.

“Troopr is an incredible resource – one place where the Armed Forces community can access support, services, and opportunities,” she says. “If you need advice, why not Troopr it?”

Hatty Jackson: From Military Upbringing to Founder, Creating Solutions for the Forces Community

Growing up in a military family, Hatty Jackson experienced firsthand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with life in the Armed Forces. With a father in the British Army, constant relocations, new schools, and ever-changing environments were simply part of the routine. Adaptability wasn’t just a skill – it was a way of life.

That ability to navigate change shaped her career. After working in the startup world, Hatty noticed a glaring gap: the Armed Forces community had access to countless opportunities—jobs, housing, financial advice, and support – but they were scattered, difficult to find, and often hidden behind complex processes.

So, she built Troopr – a platform designed to bring everything together in one place, making life easier for service personnel, veterans, and their families.

“The opportunities are out there – but too often, they’re buried, scattered, or hard to access. With Troopr, we’re cutting through the noise and making it easy for the Armed Forces community to find the support, services, resources and opportunities they deserve.”

For Hatty, Troopr isn’t just a business – it’s a mission. A commitment to ensuring that no one in the Armed Forces community has to struggle to find the support and opportunities available to them.

Troopr accelerates gender equality by making sure women in the Forces community aren’t left behind when it comes to accessing life-changing opportunities.

Recognising More Trailblazing Women

We’ve recently had the privilege of attending the Scottish Ex-Forces in Business Awards, where we saw incredible women among the finalists and winners in the Armed Forces community. Among them were:

  • Helen Shropshall from Mott MacDonald, winner of the New Service Leaver of the Year award.
  • Stephanie Grieve, Scullion LAW, winner of the Military Values in Business Award.
  • Danielle Wood, Barclays, winner of the Role Model of the Year award.
  • Fiona Forrest-Anderson, Edinburgh Napier University, winner of the Business Leader of the Year award.
  • Officers’ Association Scotland, winner of Advocate of the Year (Organisation), led by CEO Heather McVeigh, who employs a number of other impressive women.

These women, and so many more, are paving the way for future generations, proving that success isn’t limited to any one path.

IWD 2025 Is About Action

This International Women’s Day, we’re not just celebrating women – we’re celebrating momentum. Women in the Armed Forces community aren’t waiting for permission; they’re making things happen.

Whether they’re building businesses, leading teams, or creating opportunities for others, these women prove that success comes in many forms. And when one woman breaks down a barrier, she opens the door for so many more.

#AccelerateAction for gender equality, and for all the women who are leading the charge.