Langley, 27, born and raised in Hertfordshire, England Langley, 27, born ...

How long have you been in the army?

Five years. I'm an officer in the parachute regiment.

How many jumps?

Seventeen or 18? I think 17. Which is not much in five years. We don't jump much.

Why not?

Purely money. Getting aircraft, all that business.

But aren't you in the parachute regiment? And they don't let you guys jump enough?

Well, it's enough for me.

You don't like jumping?

I don't mind jumping. I don't like landing.

Do you have a girlfriend right now?

Nope, never had a girlfriend.

Are you homosexual?

No.

Why no girlfriend?

When I was younger, I never wanted the commitment. It's harder now because I'm in the army, moving about. But I guess also, now, it's because I've never had one. I quite enjoy my life without one, the freedom, that sort of thing. Whereas before, at the university, I never wanted a girlfriend. Young, having a good time, going out, meeting different girls? Now, sometimes, yeah, it would be nice to have a girlfriend, especially when you're away for a while, you come back. You have the hassle of meeting girls?not a hassle, but you know what I mean.

Any brothers or sisters?

Yes. A brother.

How's he with the ladies?

His reputation is quite good, from what I hear. But he's got a girlfriend right now, so I have to be careful about what I say? He's completely opposite to me? He's the sort of guy who will come out of one relationship, and within six months, he's into another for two years. He's the sort of guy that falls in love pretty easy.

Where did your fear of commitment come from? How are your parents? Stable?

They're not now, no; they're divorced now. But that was actually last November. They only broke up four years ago. The breakup came as a big surprise; it wasn't like, for years, "Oh, they're not happy." Family and friends always said they were the happiest couple around.

How do they get on now?

Oh, they're still friends.

Do women fall for you?

Some do, some don't.

Are you a career man?

I've always said that I'll keep going until I've had enough, whether that's two years or 20 years? I signed on to do at least 16. I don't have to?I can give a year's notice. That's what I can go up to; I can then apply later on?to go further. For the moment, I'm guaranteed up to 16 years.

Do you think your five years in the army?such closeness with other men?has influenced your current outlook on women, in terms of being in a relationship with one?

I went to a single-sex school for most of my life, so maybe that's part of it. And yeah, I guess seeing?in the army we've got high divorce rates because blokes are with girlfriends or with wives, they go away for long periods, the time that the army demands of you?there's a lot of freedom, but a lot of work-intensive time as well?it splits up a lot of relationships and marriages, and I suppose having seen that, subconsciously, it's made me think, "Why bother?"

When you go away, do you find yourself with women?

Not when I'm with the army, because we don't go places where there's that opportunity.

When's the last time you had sex?

Two weeks ago.

Tell me about the first time. How old were you?

Seventeen. Bit of a late start. It was holiday in Spain, a typical sort of "Brits abroad" thing, I'm ashamed to say. There were six or seven of us. We went away to Spain just to get drunk and have a good time? That was one of the aims of the trip: Get rid of the cherry.

How about your friends? Were they virgins?

Some were, I think. About half and half? We went out on the town? The rest of my mates had already met up with a group of girls, about the same, six or seven.

British?

Yeah, all British.

Go to a different country and still find your own.

This was your typical "British abroad" resort, filled with British on holiday. That's how sad we are? There were two sisters, and I got chatting to one of them. We went back to her tent, and it was probably some of the worst sex I've had.

How old was she?

Nineteen, I think.

British?

British.

Drunk?

Drunk. And I think she was a virgin as well.

But you didn't talk about it?

No, we were both pretty drunk at the time. Pissed virgins?we're not going to make a good night of it.

In a tent.

In a tent, in a resort, with a lot of pissed people around. I don't think there was much foreplay, and I don't think it lasted too long.

What happened afterwards? Did you leave her? Did you hang out with her? Did you do it again?

We didn't do it again. I think we hung out.

Did you fool around with her sister?

Oh, yeah. I fooled around with her. But I didn't, uh?

Didn't fuck her?

Right.

Did you get off?

Can't remember. I'm not saying I didn't, but I don't remember, so probably not.