Royal Marine brings kit home from Iraq

A local senior Royal Marines officer, who is Commander British Forces in Iraq, is leading the huge operation to bring home six-years-worth of operational equipment from Iraq in good order.

Brigadier Paul Stearns, is the commander of the Joint Force Logistics Component, a specialist headquarters that can be deployed anywhere in the world to support UK operations.

His headquarters of 25 staff is currently in the Iraqi desert, overseeing the removal of more than 4000 combat troops, 5000 containers of kit and more than 1000 vehicles – from quad bikes to the 72-tonne Challenger Two main battle tank from Kuwait.

The operation has been ongoing since before the completion of UK combat operations in Iraq was announced in April and is now well under way.

Their aim is not only to recover all the combat kit used in operations in Basra Province but to make sure it is done in good order and as efficiently as possible.

Brigadier Paul explained: ‘Today’s military equipment is at a premium, it is high quality and high value. It’s vital we get it to its next home fully refurbished or put on the shelf ready for use again as quickly as possible.

‘’The taxpayer has invested a lot of money in our equipment and my team are acutely aware of this. It is my job to protect that investment.“

Most of the equipment has left for the UK on a fleet of military container ships leased by the Ministry of Defence. By the end of the operation they will have moved