Judges Special Recognition Award

Award Winner - Landmarc Support Services in partnership with the Defence Training Estate

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Judges Special Recognition Award

I am proposing for this Award not an individual but a ��corporate body��. As Oliver has reminded us in his recent email, the purpose of the Award is to find an "unsung hero". Nothing fits this description more than the team who has created a new, highly original training facility to replicate the contemporary theatre of war in Afghanistan.

The corporate body responsible is: Landmarc Support Services Ltd in partnership with the Defence Training Estate.

The team responsible is:

Helen Self – Communication Manager (Landmarc)
Lieutenant Colonel Simon Lloyd – Commander DTE East (Defence Training Estate)
Joe Gast – Regional Operations Manager DTE East (Landmarc)
Clive Paxman – Project Manager (Landmarc)
Steve Cave – Clerk of Works (Landmarc)
WO2 Mez De Meyer – Assistant Range Liasion Officer DTE East (Defence Training Estate)
Tony Oakley – Range Manager DTE East (Landmarc)
Colin Simpson – Commercial Manager (Landmarc)

Stuart Evans and I, who judged the project, quickly realised that this is an installation of national importance that has already been instrumental in saving lives and gives promise of saving many more as long as the UK's engagement in Afghanistan continues. It would be quite inappropriate to pick out one team member as an unsung hero because all have contributed in making (in a remarkably short time) a crucial and imaginative idea work.

Put simply, two middle eastern village complexes – one rural and one urban – have been created near Thetford in Norfolk. Additionally, the installation contains three Forward Operating Bases, a bridge, road infrastructure and six lanes of counter improvised explosive devices all constructed in 8 months.

Further, 8,000 Afghan props have been researched and procured to ensure that the conditions of Helmund can be authentically recreated in the depths of Norfolk. The total literally recreates a theatre of war.

The analogy of theatre is appropriate. The team (as listed above) can be regarded as a theatre production outfit producing sets for the enactment of battle scenes. It is not surprising that participating soldiers (there were 1,200,000 training days last year) have confirmed that "it is just what we need".

By reproducing the deadly conditions of war in Helmund, the installation provides (in conditions of safety) front-line experience for our armed forces on a
wide variety of terrains under diverse operational conditions.

Stuart Evans and I quizzed the team on the nature of the supply chain that has enabled all this to happen. It embraces design, construction and miscellaneous suppliers (eg for props) who have all contributed proactively. In particular, the adaptation of standard containers to speed the supply and longevity of the simulated Afghan compounds revealed creativity of the
highest level.

Finally, I think the above description will explain why I don't want to pick out a single team member although I must add that Colonel Simon Lloyd��s introduction to the scheme was succinct and masterly. I feel I have a personal responsibility to a team of dedicated people, who are successfully meeting a life and death challenge, to ensure that their on-going installation receives serious consideration for a Special Recognition Award.