Interview with Recruit 19 - Adam

11 June 2021

Name: Adam

Recruit: 19

Age: 34

Occupation: PMP Recruitment warehouse supervisor / Part time commercial actor/model

From: Cardiff

Background

Despite being a good Catholic boy, Adam began selling drugs at 16.  As he got older, he became a full-time drug dealer.  He enjoyed the lifestyle that came with earning this kind of money and life was good, until at 24 years old, he received a conviction for intent to supply drugs.  He was sentenced to five years in prison, of which he served two and a half.

In the ten years since his conviction, he has lived an honest life and has worked hard in his job as a warehouse supervisor.  He wants to make his daughter proud of him, so she will never judge him for his past.

 

Well done, you made it to the final stage of the course. How did that feel?

It felt amazing knowing that the end was so near and this course would be done soon. I was on my last legs, my whole body was killing and I was bloody staving hungry.

 

Why do you think you made it so far? 

I made it so far from pure determination and stubbornness to not give up!!

 

At any point in the course, did you consider giving up?  What made you continue?

There was one point in the course I thought I was done.  This was in the interrogation, when we were captured and in my second interview, my story just fell apart and I had to tell the truth to authority, which is unnatural to me as in my past life I always just kept my mouth shut. It did my head in and played on my mind as I thought I f#*ked up and felt like a snitch. But in this situation we were told to tell the truth if sh*t hit the fan, to stay alive. So I just had to remember what the DS taught us.

 

The last part of the course was the toughest and not many made it past that stage.  What made you keep going?

I kept on going just thinking about my Mrs and daughter and didn’t want to let them down. I had been away from them for so long and wanted to make sure I did the best I could possibly do in this course. I didn’t want to have any regrets. Pain is temporary.

 

What was the worst part of the course for you? Why?

Being in those stress positions and listening to those horrible sounds in your ears for hours on end when we were captured. I started hallucinating at one point.

 

What was the first thing you did after you left the course?

I ate everything that was put in front of me, had a nice hot shower and shaved my head as I was looking like a monk through the course. As soon as I had my phone back, I face timed my Mrs and daughter!!

 

Summarise your experience on SAS?    

It was the best and worst experience of my life. I was anxious every time we were in the RV’s wondering what the hell they are going to put us through next. There was nowhere to hide, I was sleep deprived, hungry, wet, emotional. But in the same breath, I got to see amazing scenery from top of the hills/mountains we climbed. I got the chance to do things I would never have had the chance to do before. I met people I would never have crossed paths with and I learnt things from them. It was an experience I will cherish forever.

 

Would you do again?                                              

If you would have asked me straight after the course, I would have said “hell no” now I’d say, YES, I would 100% do it again, I’d go back tomorrow.

 

What you think you learnt about yourself?

I’m not 21 anymore!! I’m even more stubborn than I thought - I will keep going no matter what.  I can force myself mentally to do anything. I’m more motivated when working in a team than doing things myself as I didn’t want to let the person/team down.

 

Has being on series changed your life in anyway?                                                      

Most definitely.  My mindset is so much more positive now, in every aspect.  I met a group of people who I probably would have never crossed paths with before and since the course I have put myself out there and have taken on new challenges.  I ran 100 miles in a month to raise money for mental health charities, with some of the recruits to help others. I actually enjoy running now as well and am so much fitter now as a whole. I’m more willing to be comfortable being uncomfortable.