Boris Johnson MP visits RAF Benson
The Member of Parliament for Henley-on-Thames, Boris Johnson recently paid a visit to RAF Benson to gain an understanding of the training that Service personnel must undertake before deploying on operations.
The programme included a visit to the flight simulator, which provided an insight into the intense training undertaken by aircrew, followed by a tour of 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron and a tour of the Merlin helicopter. Flight Lieutenant Matt Tandy explained the role and capabilities of the Merlin, which is used out in Iraq to transport troops and for medical evacuations.
This was followed by a practical demonstration of the Dismounted Close Combat Trainer (DCCT), where Mr Johnson met members of the RAF Regiment Flight, many of which have just returned from operations in Iraq. They explained how useful the DCCT is for training personnel and went on to describe their recent operational experiences.
Mr Johnson met a variety of service and civilian personnel from across the Station including those involved in looking after the welfare of personnel and their families, particularly during times when the spouse is deployed on operations.
Following his visit Mr Johnson commented, “I really enjoyed my visit to RAF Benson. It was fantastic to be given the chance to try and fly a Merlin simulator as well as to try my hand on the firing range simulator. I further welcomed the chance to talk to officers and staff at the base about their work, particularly about current operations in the Middle East. I am grateful to everyone at the base for making my visit so worthwhile and enjoyable. I hope that I am invited back sometime in the future”.