![A line of Challenger 2's fire as part of the Royal Welsh Battle Group during Exercise Prairie Lightning at BATUS in 2012. [Crown Copyright/MOD2012]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/09/45158850-1-1024x420.jpg)
Hi, I’m Gerry O’Toole and I am DIO’s Business Manager for the British Army Training Unit Suffield, also known as BATUS. It’s an enormous area of land in Alberta, Canada, where the British military can practise huge exercises. You may …
![A LEC from Belize working on some plumbing. [Crown Copyright]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/08/Belize-Brian-Robles-Plumber-1024x768.jpg)
Hi, I’m Brigadier Simon Stockley and I’m responsible for the provision of infrastructure to support our personnel in their bases overseas, while simultaneously providing Defence training facilities in the UK and around the world. Today I wanted to take the …
![Firefighters from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service monitoring the fire on Salisbury Plain Training Area. [Photograph courtesy of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/08/20180706_210200-1024x768.jpg)
Hi, I’m Brigadier Simon Stockley, Head of the DIO’s Overseas Region and Defence Training Estate (OR&DTE). My role includes the provision of military training facilities here in the UK, and around the world, to enable our Armed Forces to be …
![Resurfacing work on the secondary runway. [Crown Copyright/MOD2017]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/01/Resurfacing-work-on-the-secondary-runway.-Crown-CopyrightMOD2017-1024x704.jpg)
Hi, I’m Bryan Dunn and I lead the specialist infrastructure engineers here at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. Being a specialist engineer at DIO is challenging but it is a hugely important task due to the amount of complex infrastructure that …
Hi, I’m Lt Col Stewart Andrews and I’m DIO’s Senior Training Safety Officer for Salisbury Plain. Last year, 2948 illegal incursions were reported in the South West; most were caused by people illegally driving 4x4s and motorcycles on the Plain. …
![Aerial photo of Bulford Kiwi [Crown copyright, MOD 2018]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/07/ODI-20180629-463-002-789x1024.jpg)
Hi, I’m Richard Osgood and I’m DIO’s senior archaeologist. Part of DIO’s role is to look after the MOD estate and we do a lot of work to preserve and protect monuments and sites of historical and scientific interest. Last …
From roundabouts to roadworks, and ponds to pedestrian areas, I’ve helped to deliver them all. Hi, I’m Siobhan Barr, a chartered senior quantity surveyor from Skanska, a leading construction company and developer. Today I am blogging about the role I …
![Challenger 2 tank crews training at BATUS. [Crown Copyright/MOD2014]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/05/45158850-1024x420.jpg)
As DIO’s Chief of Staff I have the privilege of being able to visit our staff located both in and outside the UK. I recently visited the British Army Training Unit Suffield (otherwise known as BATUS) for a familiarisation trip. …
![Clyde Commercial Framework announcement [Crown Copyright, MOD 2018]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/05/20180516-Clyde-Commercial-Framework-1024x683.jpg)
How do you choose between suppliers who have similar skills and experience? How do you select a partner you will be able to work with for the next 10 years? I’m Ian Arbuckle, Assistant Head of Commercial Services at DIO. …
![A Byway Open To All Traffic sign on Salisbury Plain. [Crown Copyright, MOD]](https://insideDIO.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2018/04/Byway-Open-To-All-Traffic-sign-Kirsty-Williams-1024x684.jpg)
Last week we looked at some ways to risk your life on the Defence training estate. When we catch people ignoring the rules, they use a variety of excuses for their actions. Here's a countdown of some of the more ridiculous we’ve come …
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