• HOME
• WHO WE ARE
• WHAT WE DO
• CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
• NEWS
• WORKING FOR DSG
• CONTACT DSG

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.

Jon Aylott, 29 year old, married and expectant father to be from Alloa and George McCallum, 47 year old married father of four from Cumbernauld, both 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 Jon, going to work at the frontline was not completely unknown territory, having previously toured Iraq during the Gulf War as a soldier in the REME.

Despite the testing conditions and the hostile environment to contend with, Jon, George and 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 Jon and George received their medal from John Reilly, Chief Operating Officer, their colleagues watched proudly.

John Reilly, 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. Picture from L-R, George McCallum, John Reilly, Chief Operating Officer and John Aylott.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. For further information about DSG or to arrange an interview, please contact Venus Tingzon, in the DSG press office:
Office hours: 01264 383217
Out of hours: 07879 481018

Visit: www.dsg.mod.uk

Ref: 11/11