Medal Recognition for Front Line Support - Bovington

24/05/2011
Medal Recognition for Front Line Support - Bovington

Thirty nine civilian employees working for the Defence Support Group have received campaign medals in honour of the front line support they provided in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.

Mike Norton, 52 from Poole; Graham Taylor, 51 from Weymouth and Mike Tucker, 57 from Dorchester deployed for 12 months as part of the Interim Regeneration Capability (IRC) team who successfully delivered the IRC programme as part of the Permanent Joint Headquarters' equipment sustainability system programme. The programme removes the need to send back and repair equipment in the UK. From a purpose built facility, DSG repairs the equipment at the frontline, which maximises equipment availability, minimises the time that vital equipment is away from critical operations and provides better value for Defence and the taxpayer.

For the three men going to work overseas was not completely unknown territory.  Mike Norton and Graham have both supported the British Army Training Unit Suffield in Canada.  Whilst Mike Tucker went out to Afghanistan to provide support to an urgent operational requirement on a Warrior tank.

 

Despite the testing conditions and the hostile environment to contend with, the team's spirit and high standard of output delivered a very successful programme and led to DSG awarded main contractor status to operate the Full Regeneration Capability facility until 2013.

 

As the men received their medal from Archie Hughes, DSG Chief Executive, their colleagues watched proudly.

 

Archie Hughes, said,  "DSG is never short of volunteers committing to and deploying to Camp Bastion for long periods away from their homes and loved ones. They are all excellent ambassadors for our business and the roles they are performing on a daily basis are certainly appreciated by their Armed Forces colleagues.  They are all a credit to DSG and they have our grateful thanks for everything they have done and continue to do in supporting the UK's Armed Forces."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

 

1.      Image 02-11 Medal recognition_Bovington_Graham Taylor shows Archie Hughes (left) presenting Graham Taylor with his medal.

 

2.      Image 02-11 Medal recognition_Bovington_Mike Norton shows Archie Hughes (left) presenting Mike Norton with his medal.

 

3.      DSG launched on 1 April 2008 as a new MOD Trading Fund with the primary focus of providing expert in-house maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade services for the through life support of the key land and air based platforms and equipment of the UK Armed Forces.

 

4.      It draws together many unique capabilities that have been developed over several decades for the direct benefit of troops and their equipment at both home and abroad. DSG turnover is in excess of £200m, with a workforce of around 3000 strategically located throughout the UK.

 

5.      DSG's Head Office is located in Andover and provides strategic direction to the main sites in Bovington, Catterick, Colchester, Donnington, Sealand, St Athan, Stafford, Stirling and Warminster. Smaller support sites located in Aldershot, Bicester, Kinnegar and Sennybridge further enhances DSG's geographic coverage. Small support teams are also permanently embedded in other UK military sites as well as established in support of operations in Afghanistan at Camp Bastion.

 

6.      For further information about DSG or to arrange an interview, please contact Allan Robertson, in the DSG press office:
Office hours: 01446 784007

Out of hours: 07710 789853

Visit: www.dsg.mod.uk

Ref: 02/11