Hey, another UK denizen, awesome!
I was never in the army. I get all my info from research. But when I do research, I try to go beyond the informational websites. When I want to know about the people who do a thing, I use the informational sites to learn the basics—the terminology, the technical stuff, and then I look for forums and discussion sites and blogs to read the accounts of the people themselves. Given the nature of the fandom, I’m also usually not the only person to research a thing, so I’ll also ask around to see what sources and information other people have.
Also, If I have the ability, I talk to people personally.
It can be a bit tricky with the military, because asking someone to revisit their memories of military service can be…loaded. So if you talk to somebody who is or has been in service, you want make sure they’re in the mood to talk to begin with, and be careful to balance your desire for information with a respect for their privacy and peace of mind.
And if I glean stories and experiences from first-hand accounts, I don’t lift them whole-hog. Those belong to someone, someone to whom they really happened, and it wouldn’t be respectful to rip off their experiences for the purposes of a story. Instead I may use them as a kernel of inspiration for my own stories and a guide as to the sorts of things that can happen.
Regarding your stories, they look awesome! 😀 Excellent, I’ve been trying to collect some more reading material.