Seb Adkin, of Maud in Aberdeenshire, is a 2nd Lieutenant in the Reserves and has been functioning as a platoon commander.
He is only 21 years old, but has been tasked with the responsibility of leading experienced soldiers and will soon commence a year of officer training at Sandhurst.
2nd Lieutenant Adkin, who is studying agriculture at the Scotland’s Rural College in Aberdeen, joined the Officer Training Cadets in 2012 and was commissioned as a reserve officer exactly a month ago.
He said: “I properly enjoy the Reservists. I like being outside and pushing myself. I am quite an active person and it’s good to have the opportunity to do sports and work with these guys, from people with little experience to more experienced soldiers.
“It’s my first time working with real soldiers. It’s my first time coming in and being a commander. It’s that real experience which has been the biggest learning curve for me.
“If someone is interested and wants to join the Reserves, just do it. Go and try it. You can leave the Reserves whenever you want as there is no commitment. People should not be afraid to join and try it.”
2nd Lieutenant Adkin is paid £74 a day and said it helped him pay his bills at university.