Several members of BFG were honoured for their service in the recently published New Year Honours List.

‘Outstanding’, ‘huge range of tasks’, ‘driving force’, ‘nothing short of exemplary’, were just a few of the terms used to describe the efforts which led to them being awarded richly-deserved honours. Among those honoured were the following:

OBE

Col Ricky Bhabutta, late RAMC, Medical Director Primary Community Care BFG Health Service

Now based in Bielefeld, Col Ricky Bhabutta said: “My family and I are surprised and delighted at this honour. The award relates to my three year secondment to the Scottish Executive where I was engaged on a series of workforce related programmes, including modelling medical careers and helping take forward the Remote and Rural Strategy. From there I moved to APC Glasgow before being posted out to the BFG HS”.

Mrs Jan Dowlen-Gilliland, Director Operations & Clinical Services BFG Health Service and Director Nursing SSAFA Forces Help.

Based at Wegberg, Jan has been honoured for her huge support to medical, nursing and SSAFA provision to all three Services. Although based in Germany, her responsibilities are worldwide and take her far afield, including Cyprus, Brunei, Gibraltar and Canada. Seen as outstanding in everything she does, both clinically and managerially, Jan’s considerable contribution has included improvements to community mental health, for which she has been a driving force, medical support to troops preparing for operations and on return, as well as her unstinting voluntary work for children with additional needs and disabilities. She has been described as ‘always leading, always travelling, with dedication to duty and a great inspiration’.

Jan said: “I am of course delighted and honoured to receive such an award which was totally unexpected. And I am particularly proud that it is in relation to my work as Director of Nursing and Clinical Services for SSAFA Forces Help, as well as Director Operations BFG HS.”

Lt Col Scottie Adam AGC (SPS), CO Rheindahlen Support Unit.

As the CO Rheindahlen Support Unit, Lieutenant Colonel Adam has overseen the improvement of welcoming packs and mandatory introduction briefs for staff posted to JHQ Rheindahlen, as well as setting up a first class communications strategy and a families forum.

Lt Col (Ret’d) Alistair Thomson AGC, formerly SO1 HQ UKSC(G) (ETS Branch).

Formerly SO1 HQ UKSC(G) (ETS Branch), Lt Col (Ret’d) Alistair Thomson worked for Army educational establishments in the UK, Germany and Belgium, and was responsible for the review and provision of Potential Officer Development and acted as Education Advisor to the Regular Commissions Board.

MBE

Maj Jonathan Thorn RLC, formerly COS (Rear) 4 Mechanized Brigade.

Now SO2 HQ Osnabruck Garrison, Maj Thorn has received the MBE for his work with 4 Mechanised Brigade. While working as COS (Rear) 4 Mechanised Brigade, he was required to balance a huge range of competing tasks. These included supervising the handling of casualties and compassionate movements, and providing well- reasoned advice to all-comers, including many inexperienced civilian staff.  Among his many duties was prioritising welfare support to some 2,000 families in the Garrison and almost 1,500 in other Garrisons.  In addition, he has been the focus in Osnabruck for every unit rear party in preparing and carrying out plans for the closure of the Garrison and the Brigade’s move to UK. Additionally, he oversaw the movement of troops to and from operational theatres, as well as the transfer of key equipment to depots and to the units of 7th Armoured Brigade when they were preparing for their operational roulement. 

Maj Thorn said: “The award was, I believe, for the fairly intense work that was involved in running and coordinating the rear party efforts for all of the units that comprised 4 Mech Bde's TELIC 11 deployment, and the support to those units on HERRICK 7 from Osnabruck Garrison.  All this of course took place at the same time as we were preparing to move the Brigade to the UK and to hand back Osnabruck to the German Authorities. I and my wife, Irena and daughter, Joanna are naturally overjoyed at the news, but also recognise that there is an immense amount of luck involved. We look forward to the award ceremony, which I am told is an absolutely fantastic experience.”

Maj Jon Cheek, REME, formerly SO2 Maint Ops HQ ARRC

Now SO2 (W) Joint Helicopter Command, Maj Cheek provided an outstanding contribution to the development of HQ ARRC in his exceptional work on Programme BORONA, and has been a driving force in planning the move of the Headquarters to the UK in 2010.

MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL

Local WO1 Gerard O’Toole, The Parachute Regiment, Station Sergeant Major Rheindahlen Support Unit

With 22 years service in the Parachute Regiment already under his belt, Local WO1 O’Toole’s first appointment in Rheindahlen Station was as Training Wing Sergeant Major, which he totally reinvigorated into a fully fit-for-purpose organisation. Moving onto the RSU, he quickly established himself as an accomplished individual, with performance nothing short of exemplary. As well as routine duties, he has coordinated numerous high-profile events such as Queen’s Birthday Receptions, Remembrance Sundays and the annual RBL Poppy Appeal.

WO2 Steven Myers, REME, Manager Dummersee Sail Training Centre.

Having completed a full 22 year engagement in the REME Vehicle Mechanic trade group, WO2 Myers moved on to be Manager of the British Dummsee Yacht Club in 1999 (now the Sail Training Centre). Under his care, the club was transformed in to a Centre of Excellence recognised by the Forces and Royal Yachting Association as a class-leader, which now sees an annual throughput of some 3,500 soldiers, dependants and Service children, giving the Centre an enviable reputation.

Amongst all these efforts, he still found time to qualify in 2003 as an Advanced Windsurfing Instructor and Trainer, one of only two in the British Army. Not only Army Windsurfing Champion two years in a row, he has won the North West European Championships and been BFG Champion five times.

WO2 Ian McFarlane AGC (SPS), Regimental Administrative Warrant Officer, 1 Military Intelligence Battalion, Rheindahlen.