PRIME TIME: Soldiers discuss MakIng BBc documenTaRy DefenceFocus Royal Navy | Army | Royal Air Force | Ministry of Defence | issue #252 JUNE/11 FIVE yEaRS In HElMand combatbarbie NANAVIGATORVIGATOR stars and stripes: soldier presents Fa CUp - p23 Regulars Lifestyle p5 In memorIam p24 boys’ toys Tributes to the fallen GSM WO1 Bill Mott voices action figure p18 verbatIm p28 health matters MOD spokesman General Lorimer Living with diabetes p14 podIum p31 Grand designs Legacy of bin Laden’s death p22 Win a stay at London’s Grand Hotel Exclusives p8 FIve years In helmand The story of UK operations p12 apaches Apaches remain strong in Helmand p16 war on wIdescreen Combat through a soldier’s eyes p24 p26 changinG places p31 Civilian Jenna Clare’s Afghan deployment JUNE 2011 | ISSUE 252 | 3 EDITOR’SNOTE DefenceFocus DANNY CHAPMAN For everyone in defence Is it me or do things seem a bit quieter We are in fact all the busier tracking Published by the Ministry of Defence than normal? Of course announcements down more everyday, but nonetheless Level 1 Zone C seem to be like buses, no big ones for a important and interesting stories about MOD, Main Building while, then three or four come along at what’s going on. Whitehall London SW1A 2HB once, then it all goes quiet again. These have included online stories General enquiries: 020 721 8 1320 In this week that we are going to about heroic acts on operations being print we’ve announced the Armed Forces recognised, units returning from EDITOR: Danny Chapman Tel: 020 7218 3949 Covenant is to be enshrined in law, the Helmand, ships departing for far off seas email: [email protected] end of operations in Iraq and the approval and the daily actions being taken by the ASSISTANT EDITOR: Ian Carr of the early design phase for a successor RAF and Navy against Gaddafi’s regime in Tel: 020 7218 2825 submarine to Trident. All heady stuff Libya. email: [email protected] which we have covered online. Of course bin Laden’s demise ASSISTANT EDITOR: Leigh Hamilton Apart from these though, recent probably doesn’t make an awful lot of Tel: 020 7218 5988 weeks have seemed quiet in terms of difference as our Podium piece in this email: [email protected] big events. Even William Hague said this issue suggests, and our cover feature ASSISTANT EDITOR: Lorraine McBride week in the Government’s monthly update which reflects on the five years UK forces Tel: 020 721 82341 on Afghanistan that insurgent activity in have been in Helmand summarises what email: [email protected] Helmand is low at the moment. Is it all has been achieved. And of course there is ASSISTANT EDITOR: Tristan Kelly over now bin Laden is gone? still a lot left to do there. Tel: 020 7218 4252 Now just when you start to think we So despite a lull in major email: [email protected] have had our feet up here at the heart of announcements, there is still loads to do ART EDITOR: Mark Eagle the MOD’s communications network, hold and plenty to talk about. Better get my feet Tel: 020 721 8 3658 on to your horses. off the table then. email: [email protected] DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPORT: Shell Daruwala Tel: 020 7218 1320 email: [email protected] Download Defence Focus magazine pdf online MOD does not endorse any product or service advertised in Defence Focus, nor does it verify any preferential www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews treatment offered by any advertiser to MOD employees. Queries on advertisements should be addressed to our advertising agency. Opinions expressed in Defence Focus do not necessarily represent those of the MOD. Articles on all aspects of The Defence News Blog YouTube MOD and Defence will be considered for publication Get a daily update of all the major At Defence Headquarters YouTube the but we reserve the right to edit contributions. MOD defence stories running in the media latest videos from across Defence can staff contributing to Defence Focus should ensure their with the MOD’s official position on the be found, including clips of soldiers on writing is suitable for open publication. key issues, as well as a Defence Diary patrol in Helmand and briefings from Advertising with upcoming events of interest. senior personnel. Advertising sales are handled by Anthon Linton Visit www.blogs.mod.uk and subscribe at Ten Alps Media. Tel: 020 7657 1828 to the daily alerts. [email protected] Afghanistan Blog Updated daily with official news on the Distribution Facebook/Twitter UK mission in Afghanistan as well as The magazine is distributed through major military bases, depots and MOD offices. Join over 200,000 followers at the HM with stories from across the media and Armed Forces Facebook page and personal blogs from Armed Forces Printed by Corporate receive Defence HQ tweets @DefenceHQ personnel currently deployed. Document Services Ltd on 100 per cent on Twitter. www.blogs.mod.uk/afghanistan recycled paper 4 | WWW.MOD.Uk/DEFENCEINTERNET/DEFENCENEWS | JUNE 2011 inmEmoriam Deaths on Operations – 15 April 2011 to 19 MAy 2011 Captain Lisa Head to the UK where she 321 EOD Squadron and succumbed to her injuries. after completing the High- Captain Lisa Head, from Captain Head, aged 29, was Threat Course as an IEDD 321 Explosive Ordnance from Huddersfield. She was (Neutralise) Operator she Disposal Squadron, 11 commissioned into the Royal joined the C-IED Task Force EOD Regiment RLC, died Logistic Corps and initially for Op HERRICK 14. Captain on 19 April 2011 in the trained as an Air Transport Head was an exemplary Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Liaison Officer, deploying to member of the Joint Force Birmingham, of wounds Iraq in 2006 and Afghanistan EOD Group within the received in Afghanistan. in 2007. She was selected C-IED Task Force. She was Captain Head was severely to attend the Ammunition a popular and respected injured while dealing with Technical Officer’s course, member of her parent an IED and was taken to the and was posted to 11 regiment and squadron. A military hospital in Camp Explosive Ordnance Disposal gifted troop commander, she Bastion. There, surgeons Regiment RLC. She served had earned the respect of all stabilised her sufficiently to with distinction as an ATO ranks and had a bright future allow her medical evacuation in Northern Ireland with ahead of her. Warrant Officer Class 2 Employed in the high profile rank. He served on operations Graham Bean post of VIP visit coordinator, in Bosnia and Iraq prior WO2 Bean was known to deploying to Cyprus on Warrant Officer Class by many and his sudden Operation TOSCA. A highly 2 Graham Bean, from passing has been deeply professional and able soldier, 73 Engineer Regiment felt across the UNFICYP. it was WO2 Bean’s personal (Volunteers), attached to WO2 Bean, aged 54 from qualities that really set him the 3 Royal Anglian Group, West Yorkshire, joined the apart; loyal, diligent and with died while serving in Cyprus Territorial Army in May 1975 a real zest for life, he provided on Operation TOSCA on as a Sapper in 75 Engineer an outstanding example of Tuesday 3 May 2011. WO2 Regiment and transferred everything a soldier should Bean died after taking part to 73 Engineer Regiment be. He leaves behind his three in a mountain biking activity based in Nottingham. His children David, 28, Hazel, 26, during which he was taken ill, natural style and flair led and Nicola, 17, with David while serving with the United to swift promotion to Lance currently preparing to deploy Nations Peacekeeping Force Corporal and by 1996 he had with the British Army to (UNFICYP) based in Nicosia. achieved Warrant Officer Afghanistan. Marine Nigel Dean of being associated with youngest marine to pass out Mead improvised explosive device from his troop. On completion facilitation in the Loy Mandeh of training he joined 8 Marine Nigel Dean Mead, wadi in the Nad ‘Ali district Troop, Lima Company, from Lima Company, 42 of Helmand province. Once 42 Commando, based in Commando Royal Marines, in the compounds of interest, Plymouth. He was involved Combined Force Nad Marine Mead was fatally in a number of high tempo ‘Ali (North), was killed in injured in an IED blast. and demanding tactical Afghanistan on Sunday 15 Marine Mead, aged 19, lived training exercises, including May 2011 as a result of with his mother, Amanda, a two-month amphibious wounds received during an and sister in Carmarthen. He deployment to the United IED blast. Lima Company joined the Royal Marines on States. He also enjoyed wider was conducting a cordon 27 October 2008, aged 17 and training activities such as and search operation, passed fit for duty as a Royal mountain training. Marine partnered with the Afghan Marines Commando on 3 July Mead loved his friends and National Security Forces, 2009, as an original member family and thoroughly enjoyed of compounds suspected of 977 Troop. He was the his time in the Royal Marines. JUNE 2011 | ISSUE 252 | 5 BIGPICTURE Tea Break During a five-day patrol in the Loy Check area of Helmand,where insurgents have been moving freely, soldiers from 4 SCOTS and the afghan National Police hold a shura with local people to discuss the issues Picture: PO(Phot) Burke Picture: 6 | www.mod.uk/defenceInternet/defencenews | JUNE 2011 FEATUREINTERVIEW JUNE 2011 | Issue 252 | 7 afghanistanREpoRt Helmand Five years on half-a-decade in helmand. how we got here his yEar marks the fifth anniversary of in areas where the Taliban had held sway. This would when nearly 3,500 British troops deployed to be achieved by working jointly with afghan institutions, helmand province.