Top military logistics brigadier talks transport to apprentices in London

Education credentials in transport – ‘Logistics is a way of thinking.’

LSA were in Carmen Hall - 500 years of transport learning aligned with the modern degree in transport logistics at Univ of West London(UWL) for National Apprenticeship Week.

Exceptional apprenticeship masterclass delivered for Hons degree students in logistics by Brigadier Andy Moffatt former RLC British Forces Post Office boss.

Delivers first keynote for Logistics Hons Degree students hosted at Carmens Hall in the City of London.

Carmen Master Andy Miles tells the LSA, ‘Education is key to our next generation of transport and it’s motivating to see the transport keynotes to the Hons Degree students from University of West London taking place at Carmens Hall.

The LSA were at Carmen Hall transport learning - Logistics is a way of thinking!

The former head of British Forces Post Office was the first keynote speaker of 2026 for the Hons Degree students in Express Logistics Management. The Brigadier delivered a logistics masterclass of excellence with a message: 'Logistics is a way of thinking'.

With a joint cohort of students, the keynote from Brigadier Andy kept the students riveted to their chairs on the topics Strategy planning and Contingency planning in logistics.

Brigadier Andy brought his military experience and wove it into the civilian logistic examples, engaged with the students to recognise when he made a decision it had to be based on perseverance.

‘Perseverance is a cycle...to mitigate risks the evolution of deliver is when, not if...as a leader you own the risk’.

Opening the talk about levels of risk in logistics, operational and tactical factors, comparison between military and civilian, a review of best practice from BFPO to private sector. Importance of LSP brand was clearly shown. Regulation focus, influencing government, making business manageable in day-to-day express logistics depot and hub platform. Whether military or civilian the customer promise and demand have evolved to when not if. A systematic process of understanding risk to take decisions and make competitive decisions.

Explaining the inherent tension within logistics as an ‘enabler and overhead’ for the business

Brigadier Andy provided logical and irrefutable evidence that all customers will see Logistics as an overhead, ‘to achieve excellence is an overhead; if you want clean vehicles; it all comes at a cost -which is expensive’. The enabler of logistics is its support chain, a must and decisions made as to whether it is delivered, front loading supply in times of dynamic unpredictability or long-term stability of supply. These are strategic and contingency planning elements that as leaders you make the choice between.

Reflecting on the history of logistics in the 500-year-old livery hall of the Carmen

Gateway of the Kyber Pass for the Silk Road.

Brigadier Andy drew on UK history, The Great Game, China UK India and Russia, the Silk Road, all filtered through the Kyber Pass, all mercantile goods passed via the Kyber Pass. A strategic nexus, multiple dynamics. The logistics nightmare of land-locked chains, no water access, all bulk by road, access Afghanistan via port at Karachi and by air. The brigadier focused on the challenge on route one on Afghanistan, a singular circular road around the country. Predictability, road conditions planning, dynamic change. Front loading supply chain in unpredictable times to assure delivery could meet demand. This was a strategic and contingency risk that was decided.

Brigadier Andy concluded with ‘Leadership, it’s down to you. As a leader you own the risk.'

Understand and plan. Organise and plan, Organise properly: ensure competence. Then trust and empower. Perseverance it’s a cycle, Logistics is a way of thinking. Analyse and understand your environment. A cycle of recognising change, acting before your competitors’