To mark Armed Forces Day 2026 (27th June) and Reserves Day 2026 (24th June), the team at Amazon in Bolton is celebrating the career journeys of the veterans and reservists who work at the company’s fulfilment centre in the town and across the UK.
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Kayleigh Beckley is a Maintenance Planner at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Bolton, where she has spent the past seven years putting her engineering background to work, while championing the company’s veterans’ community along the way. A former Royal Navy aircraft engineer who served nine years with the Fleet Air Arm, she now sits on the board of Amazon Warriors, the company’s employee-led group for veterans.
Originally from Oldham and now living in Blackburn, Kayleigh joined the Navy at 20 after a couple of years in retail, drawn by the chance to work on helicopters and follow in the footsteps of grandparents and uncles who had served before her.
“I’d previously looked at the RAF, then I ended up joining the Navy. It just seemed like a bit more fun, and it had the helicopter I wanted to work on.”
She joined the Commando Helicopter Force and served three tours in Afghanistan, with Arctic survival training in Norway between deployments. Of her nine years in the Navy, she spent just 10 days at sea, preferring, as she puts it, the sandy and cold places to the wet ones.
A brief move into the motor trade after leaving the forces was short-lived. Within six days of sending off her CV, she had a job at Amazon, back in engineering, and back among her own.
“I’d say probably about 80% of the team was ex-military. It was really nice just to have that camaraderie back again. That banter you get with everyone. It’s like being back in a little family.”
That sense of community has become a defining part of her time at Amazon. Around a year ago she was invited to join the board of Amazon Warriors, where she now helps organise and deliver events across the UK, from charity fundraisers to community days bringing veterans together from sites all over the country.
For Kayleigh, the appeal of life at Amazon is the variation and the autonomy that comes with it.
“I get to innovate quite a lot in my role. I’m not micromanaged. I manage my time myself, and as long as things are all good by the end date, everyone’s happy.”
For anyone weighing up life beyond the forces, her advice is unequivocal.
“Do it. As much as I love the military, it’s nice to go home to your own house every night. You do get paid more, which is always a bonus. And with Amazon, you still get that camaraderie. The people is the thing I probably miss the most about the military and I’ve still got a bit of it here, which is nice.”
She’s also keen to spread the word about the scale of Amazon’s commitment to the veteran community.
“The amount of people who come up to us saying, ‘I didn’t even realise Amazon had any connection with the military.’ And we’re like, ‘By the way, they’re probably the biggest ex-military employer in the UK.’”
As Armed Forces Day approaches, she reflects on what the day means to her.
“Remembrance Day is for people that have passed. Armed Forces Day is just nice to have a day to say, ‘You know what? I recognise you. I recognise what you do, your sacrifices, and your family – what they sacrifice as well.’ That’s really nice.”
In 2011, Amazon launched its Military Programme in the UK, offering veterans the opportunity to pursue exciting post-military careers in operations, engineering, logistics HR, cloud computing and more. Amazon also supports employees who continue to serve with the UK Military as members of the Armed Forces Reserve by ensuring that they will get up to two weeks of paid leave each year to attend training in addition to their annual leave.
Amazon supports the Armed Forces community through a number of other programmes and career development opportunities. These include Amazon’s Military Ambassador Programme, an 18-month self-paced training and onboarding programme which helps new recruits acclimate to Amazon’s culture and processes.
The Amazon Military Mentoring Programme is an initiative that offers peer mentorship with structured matching, screening, and monthly check-ins. As one of the first signees of the Armed Forces Covenant, Amazon is part of a national pledge to ensure that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.
Amazon has 13 employee-led groups, sometimes known as affinity groups. They play an important role in bringing employees together and create a sense of community globally, while encouraging inclusivity and diversity. These groups include Warriors at Amazon, the Black Employee Network (BEN), People with Disabilities and Women at Amazon.
Warriors at Amazon is an employee-led group that connects and empowers Amazon’s military community, with local chapters all over the world.
Annual pay for Amazon Operations roles starts from £29,744 and in some locations, £31,824. Employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection and an employee discount as well as a company pension plan.
Amazon has been named as a ‘Top Employer UK 2026’ by the Top Employer Institute, one of the world’s most prestigious certifications in the field of human resources management. This award recognises Amazon’s commitment to the development and well-being of its employees. In addition to the UK accolade, Amazon has also been certified as one of the Top Employers in Europe for a fourth consecutive year.
To find out more about a career with Amazon, visit Amazon Jobs.
