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Armed Forces

How is a rugby legend helping keep the public safe on MOD land?

Head and shoulders image of Mike Tindall, a white man with a short beard, smiling at the camera. He wears a military helmet and body armour over a dark jacket.

Last month DIO’s Corporate Communications team invited England Rugby legend and ‘I’m a Celeb’ contestant Mike Tindall to Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) to help us promote our ‘Respect the Range’ public safety campaign. ‘Respect the Range’ is DIO’s biggest …

DIO’s Respect the Range campaign takes to the beach

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Armed Forces, Defence Training Estate (DTE), Training Estate Public Safety
A view from above of a stretch of beach, into which a large sand drawing of a Chinook military helicopter has been drawn. Next to the Chinook artwork, as if below the helicopter, there is a small group of people looking as though they are having a picnic.

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting Saunton Sands beach, near Braunton Burrows Training Area to launch the 2022 ‘Respect the Range’ Campaign. The launch saw the creation of a 100m Chinook helicopter sand artwork that generated national media …

The road to Royal Air Force Reserves

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Armed Forces, RAF, Reserve Forces, Royal Air Force, Working at DIO

When I was 23, I walked into a military camp for the first time in my life to be interviewed for a job as an admin assistant at the Headquarters of the Surgeon General. I was met by a large, tattooed Scottish Army Major who shook my hand and welcomed me at the start of my career ‘behind the wire’.

DIO initiates Chinook helicopter operation to help enhance wildlife habitat  

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Armed Forces, Environment and Ecology, Wildlife
A Chinook hovers over a barge holding large bags of aggregate.

A few weeks ago I was thrilled to be in Portsmouth Harbour to witness the culmination of three years of work on an unusual project.     I’m DIO’s Principal Ecologist, which means I lead a team responsible for managing the habitats and species on MOD …

Respect the Range: staying safe on the UK Defence Training Estate

A pair of soldiers in combat uniform are pictured kneeling in long grass, with weapons drawn.

Much of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) training estate is accessible to the public, offering exciting opportunities to explore and discover some of the most beautiful and unique rural areas in the UK.