Background I Spent 30 Years Working in the Ministry of Defence in the UK

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Carl S Portman MCIPS MILT MinstLM BIO

Background

I spent 30 years working in the Ministry of Defence in the UK and Germany. In that time, I worked in several key roles but relevant to the ECF Development Officer role is Change Management, Audit, Operations Management, Head of Communications, Secretariat (where I occasionally advised and presented at Ministerial and Senior Military levels), and Project Management. I managed a Distribution Outlet for the Military in Germany for several years in a stand-alone position. I have supported logistical back up in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts among others and my many civilian and military courses and workshops have given me the skill set to manage, motivate and deliver and to get results both in the workplace and life.

My membership of the Institute of Leadership and Management has also proved very worthwhile in managing and engaging with people.

I took voluntary early release in 2011 to take up writing, lecturing, travel, chess coaching and management consultancy. I still visit my old Officer’s Mess when I want to get away from it all!

Education

I went to work (on a farm!) only a couple of days after I left secondary school so there was no college or university for me. However, in my adult life I obtained a degree, managed to write three books (including Chess Behind Bars) and engage in many lectures and talks – and I learned most from real people in the University of life. I prefer words to numbers, art to religion and bishops to knights. I can hold my own in a debate and know when to stick to my guns and when to compromise. That’s important in life and negotiations.

Chess

I am very well known on the English Chess circuit. I have over several decades organised high profile events with Daniel King, Nigel Short, John Nunn, John Speelman, Nigel Davies, Lev Polugayevsky, Matthew Sadler, Natasha Regan, Tania Sachdev and more. I am proud to have played the likes of Polugayevsky, Korchnoi, Taimanov and Karpov in simuls.

I have been the Manager of Chess in Prisons for the ECF since March 2014 and people will have read my many reports on the web-site. The work is making a huge difference and recently we engaged in the world’s first online Prison World Chess Championship – which was a first ever for the English prison population. Working

with Chess in Schools and Communities was one example of how collaboration and mutual interest can produce excellent results.

In terms of the game I am a former school, club and county (Shropshire) Champion. I am a reasonable player and have had my moments against strong players but I am graded mid 160’s most of the time. I did almost tip 2000 ELO at one stage. I have been a member of team UK in the NATO Chess Championships in France, Hungary and America, being Captain in the last two. I have also represented the MOD and Civil Service. I write a regular column for Chess Monthly and Inside Time – the newspaper for prisoners in the UK. I am the editor of the UK Armed Forces Chess Association chess magazine OPEN FILE and contribute regularly on social media and other chess magazines. I am a qualified European Chess Union chess in Schools Teacher, and was chess coach for four years at the prestigious Dragon School in Oxford (the travel eventually got to me!). I should also say that I am the author of ‘Chess Behind Bars’ which I am relieved to say was very well received.

In 2015 I received the ECF Presidents award for services to chess – something I am fiercely proud of.

Personal life.

Married to Susan, living in Oxfordshire. I am a devoted Aston Villa supporter (that’s blown it) and I love most sports. We have two dogs and I am an amateur arachnologist having bred the largest species of tarantula on the planet (the Goliath Bird eater).

Of course, my passion for chess remains undiminished after far too many years, and I play in the Oxford and Leamington Leagues for Banbury Chess Club as well as some weekend tournaments and the 4NCL for a new team called War and Piece. I love my chess in prison work and I have seen the difference that our great game makes to people’s lives behind bars. The letters I receive are real testament to this.

I have raised money for charity through chess and hope to do more in the future.

I believe that I have the chess background, the working experience and organisational skill-set to make a difference in the role of ECF Development Officer. I am clear however that no single person can change anything big – it takes the will, support and effort of many people and I hope that we can work together to progress membership and the development of chess in England together.

I want to listen to and work with local chess organisers across the land. It is not my organisation, it is ours. I am not going to complain about the dark, I am going to light a few candles.

Gens una sumus

Carl