B*N*S*N4

The man who can source anything in Afghanistan

A Military Operations news article

12 Nov 09

As if looking after yourself on an operational tour isn't enough, one Major in Afghanistan has the responsibility of ensuring that 400 soldiers within 10 The Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment (10 QOGLR) have everything they need.

Major Mark Lavers on a quad bike in southern Afghanistan
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

As Quartermaster of 10 QOGLR, Major Mark Lavers is currently deployed in Helmand province, Afghanistan, and is responsible for the life support of British and Gurkha soldiers based in Camp Bastion.

His job involves ensuring that there are spare parts for a 300-strong fleet of mission-essential vehicles while at the same time maintaining the largest stores of ammunition and communication systems in theatre.

He is known as the 'man who can' due to his ability to source anything.

He said:

"The kit and equipment that the soldiers of today have is second-to-none, and is the best it has ever been. It is continually evolving, and it is a full-time task keeping up with all the developments."

With a team of only 20 soldiers to achieve all of this, Maj Lavers is also responsible for tracking the movement of all the regiment's equipment in and out of Afghanistan, reaching all the way back to the United Kingdom:

"In all my 25 years in the Army this is the most challenging and rewarding operational tour that I have been on," he said. "The scale of my job is much bigger here than it is back in Aldershot....

There is more! Here.