Who we are

NAAFI employees are uniquely structured to support its purpose, with 3 dedicated and professional groups of staff:

148 Squadron, Expeditionary Force Institutes, Royal Logistic Corps, (EFI).

Managed by NAAFI; EFI are unique. Serving in uniform, EFI staff work alongside Forces personnel on deployment, where civilian contractors are not usually authorised to go.

Naval Canteen Services (NCS)

Also managed by NAAFI, NCS is an organisation dedicated to serving side by side with Forces personnel on Royal Navy ships around the world, again where civilian contractors are not usually authorised to go.

NAAFI civilians

The majority of these are dependants of Armed Forces personnel, and support permanent services in areas such as Germany, Northern Ireland and The Falkland Islands, many of whom volunteer for deployment when required.

Click on the People Profiles to learn more.

The MOD does not own NAAFI; NAAFI is a seperate legal and trading entity but it is accepted that, the MOD has the ability to exercise some control over NAAFI through the NAAFI Council.

The NAAFI Council is made up of Senior Officers of the three Armed Forces and the MOD. The NAAFI Board report to the NAAFI Council.

Dougie Pullen

Commanding Officer EFI (retired 2009)

I have had the most varied and interesting career imaginable with NAAFI, to whom I will be eternally grateful.

All in all I have visited 47 countries in the world - and most of them through the duties of my employment. As one of two experienced EFI OC in the business I remember being the first EFI person to arrive in Kuwait in preparation for the 2nd Gulf war. The team that was built around me were absolutely brilliant and incredibly brave, providing our troops with a taste of home in the most hostile of territories.

I have been so fortunate in my working life of 38 years to work with people like this and I owe everything to NAAFI for this fact.

Peter MacFarlane

Country Manager, South Atlantic

I’m humbled by the self sacrifice of my team time and time againrn

In Belize there are approx 120 serving personnel. Being away from home and their loved ones is hard at the best of times but at Christmas this is particularly difficult.

Every year on Christmas day all remaining personnel and their families have a BATSUB Christmas dinner in the NAAFI Club. Our staff begin serving at 12.00 and run through to approx 20.00 putting off time with their own families to ensure the families and personnel on BATSUB have their special day.

Andrew Murray

Operations Manager, Expeditionary Force Institutes

I love working for NAAFI because I can make a real difference to the lives of our troops who continue to bravely represent our country both at home and abroad.

For example we supplied the Padres on operations with ecclesiastical wine for holy communion as well as supplying boots for our soldiers when their issued desert boots fell apart; the MOD now issue the boots we were selling.

Also when our customers had all their personal belongings blown up in an IDF attack in the COB Iraq, we replaced all their toiletries free of charge so they were fresh for battle and didn't give away their position!

Allan Marks

Canteen Manager, HMS Endurance

I particularly enjoy working as part of the ship's company.

I joined NAAFI in 1995 working in a shore side shop at HMS Excellence in Portsmouth, where I was promoted to Canteen Manager in 1998. Since 2002, after serving on a number of ships across the globe, I have been serving on HMS Edurance, the only Royal Navy ship to have the exclusive task of patrolling Antarctica.

Gary Pickett

Country Manager, Brunei

In Brunei I am very fortunate to have a dedicated team who are all held in the highest esteem by all ranks within British Forces Brunei.

The business has grown from strength to strength and is now recognised as one of the best places to eat not just in the camp but in the whole of Seria and Kuala Belait. This has been achieved by continually monitoring and improving the quality of our food and by making sure our customers get the very best service possible.

Major Lynn Cassidy

Commanding Officer, Bulford/Grantham

EFI has been the best experience of my life.

After starting my NAAFI career as a Manager in Celle, I enrolled within EFI in 2000. Since then I have held various positions around the EFI world including Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Bulford.

Before being appointed OC Bulford/Grantham I was Country Manager in Afghanistan having completed ten tours - my last deployment finished in September 2009.

Tim Clark

Multi Site Manager, Germany

I have been with NAAFI 11 years and have worked within VIP, EFI and now as a Multi Site Manager within Gutersloh Garrison, Germany. My father, brother, wife and sister all work for NAAFI as well. I feel there is opportunity within our business for anyone who shows potential.

On one occasion during an EFI Service to 45 Commando Group in Norway, NAAFI (which included my Dad) provided for 600 Royal Marines out of wooden huts and a potato cellar in constant sub-zero temperatures! To survive in these primitive conditions, he had to take part in military activities such as cross-country ski marches and arctic survival training in the field. At NAAFI we serve where others don`t dare go, providing servicemen with everything they need wherever they are in the world.

Emma Flyn

Senior Finance Assistant - Overseas Service Management Accounts

My grandfather used to play in a small band during WW2 and would often be asked by the local NAAFI to entertain the troops stationed on camp. The band loved playing there, especially as during the ration years NAAFI would provide the troops with luxury goods that were not easily accessible. As a non-military, but honourary NAAFI member, my grandfather made sure he had his fill, although playing the drums after this liquid contraband was a little trickier apparently!

I believe now, as much as ever, we play a very important role in troop welfare in theatre and we have a duty to support those that serve us. We owe them too much not to.

Jo Kimberlin

Supervisor, Falklands

NAAFI is unlike any organisation I have ever worked for.

Having started out in Finance at our Central Support Office in Darlington, I recently applied to work as a Supervisor in the Falklands. As well as giving me the chance to see lots of wildlife and visit South America, working in the Falklands also gives me the opportunity to experience all that NAAFI has to offer - the many elements of the business, expand my skill base and make sure that I don't waste any of the opportunities that working for such a unique business provides.

It also gives me the chance to make a real difference to the lives of our troops overseas, ensuring a taste of home is never far away.

Shaun Fazackerley

Business Support Manager, Overseas

Business Support Manager, Overseas

Ian Clark

Head of Business Compliance, Germany

I’ve had many different jobs in many different places and each stage of my career has brought its own highlights and dramatic moments, including sleeping rough in Norway during survival training with the Royal Marines at temperatures below -40°, and in 1980 whilst in Germany running an exercise under canvas for 7,000 troops over a two month period.

For 37 years, NAAFI has provided me with a way of life as well as a means of earning a living. I met my wife and raised my children while serving with NAAFI in various countries. The lives of my family have become intertwined with NAAFI to the extent that my two sons have served with EFI on active service in numerous theatres and are presently working as managers with NAAFI in Germany whilst my daughter has also served in various NAAFI roles at times as well. Over the years only my wife has held out by consistently working elsewhere to keep some variety in the family!

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