This is the veterans department of the armed forces.  DCDS – M met them, deliberately in a relaxed and informal way, to draw on their input and their long institutional memory of how the sector has evolved and how things came to be the way they are.  The aim was understanding of a deeper kind, to grasp the history, the culture, and the unwritten context that shapes every decision in defence.  DCDS – M came to listen and learn, because those who served hold a perspective no briefing can ever supply.  Veterans carry the memory and the values of the forces, and their goodwill and insight ground everything the coalition does in genuine understanding.  This conversation gave DCDS – M a richer, more human grasp of the sector’s history and character, the kind of context that quietly prevents missteps and builds real credibility.  It connected the coalition to the roots of the institution, not just its current office – holders, and that grounding turns out to be quietly invaluable.