With the support of the veterans' system, McConaghy began her recovery journey, recognising how crucial that support network was to her survival. It was only then that I was able to come to terms with the fact that, I’m a veteran and I’m a PTSD survivor. The bad stuff is the same stuff that everyone else goes through, not so much the PTSD and mental health. I had learnt pretty well by now you get far more respect for not trying to highlight yourself as being ‘special’ in any way: as a chick doing such a manly job, and in shouting about it, you single your own self out in a sexist way,” she explained.

Her career saw her amass 2 deployments to Iraq and 10 deployments to Helmand Afghanistan in support of Operation Herrick which gave her an insightful and very personal perspective on war.On one of the days, I went up to Police Barracks for an interview, I pulled my little car into the layby to get past and a Chinook went thudding over the top. With her hands tied together, McConaghy felt it “roll down my chest and all the way to my belly button. Waking in intensive care two days later, McConaghy's feelings had completely shifted; she realised she didn't want to die. Keep your head down, get stuck in the same as the rest and be the best ‘person’ at your job,” she added.

The author's ability to convey the depth of these experiences with sensitivity and authenticity is truly commendable. They’ll stop something else working and they’ll fall out the sky, whereas for us, we’re pretty okay. If your score isn't where you'd like it to be, think about the things you love, the activities that bring you joy, and consciously integrate them into your day. One of the most remarkable aspects of "Chinook Crew 'Chick'" is the author's ability to convey the challenges she faced as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field.In her book, the veteran-turned-author details her struggles with PTSD and her mental health after leaving the RAF. The first time I went, there was an army commander in the theatre, and he made me go and stay in a girl’s tent because you aren’t allowed mixed accommodation, and I was so miserable.