Fred Oldenburg joined the Army in 1988 as an adult soldier. After basic training he joined his parent unit, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, where he served 23 years of his 24-year military career. He served on tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, as well as exercises and training in the USA, Canada, Norway, France, Kenya, Brunei, Belize, Bermuda, Jamaica, Poland, Jordan, Cyprus, Germany and the UK. After rising through the ranks to Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) he left the military to become Training Warrant Officer with the Bermuda Regiment. He retired from that regiment in October 2013 and now lives with his wife in Gloucestershire, England.