For the Merlin Force, Exercise MERLIN VORTEX has been the perfect example of teamwork. In order to train personnel for their deployment to Afghanistan, 450 staff made up of helicopter crew, engineers and support staff have pulled together, proving that it takes all trades to keep the Force flying……

Detachment Commander – Lieutenant Commander Neil Parrock

Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Neil Parrock is the Detachment Commander of the Exercise, which has seen the Force personnel of all three Services working together to achieve their training objectives. Neil, 37, is Officer Commanding the Training Development and Standardisation Flight for the Merlin Force, back home at RAF Benson, but has been in Southern California since July. He described the choice of location: “Here in El Centro its almost identical in terrain and climate to what we will experience in Afghanistan, and over a period of 4 months everyone in the Merlin Fleet will be deployed out here for a period of at least 4 weeks; that’s 450 staff, with 40 crews that need to be trained, along with the support team of instructors, engineers, survival equipment specialists, Mobile Air Operations Team and admin staff.”

Armourer – Senior Aircraftman Richard Laker

Senior Aircraftsman Laker, 21 years old, is in El Centro as an Armourer. His role is to equip the aircraft with weapons and ammunition during their ‘gunning phase’ of training. He has 3 ½ years experience in the RAF as an Armourer and usually works in the Station Armoury at RAF Benson, where he looks after the small arms; the rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns.

Avionics Technician – Corporal Nick Spring

Corporal Nick Spring is a 30 year old avionics technician with the Merlin Force Engineering Squadron, responsible for keeping the aircraft’s electronics and avionics systems serviceable. He explains “when they’re landing on the sand the dust billows up everywhere and just covers everything. All the cabinets are covered in the sand. We go through air dusters like they’re going out of fashion!”

Mechanical Engineer – Senior Aircraftman Rick Mitchell

Senior Aircraftsman Rick Mitchell is a 28 year old heavy mechanical engineer, responsible for airframes and propulsion. His explains his role in El Centro as “purely keeping the aircraft serviceable for the aircrew”. He is due to deploy to Afghanistan quite early in 2010 and says “It’s proper hard work but I think the training we’re doing is going to prepare us well. I’m quite looking forward to getting out there.”

Flight Operations Manager – Acting Sergeant Richard Warwick-Saunders

Acting Sergeant Warwick-Saunders is a member of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and is currently in El Centro providing flight operations support. Far removed from his normal life as a retired Company Secretary, his task is crucial to the training. He explains “I look after the rosters for the operations assistants, follow flights whenever they’re airborne, and liaise with our hosts such as booking refuels, obtaining maps and advising pilots of the authorised flying areas.”

Mobile Air Operations Team Leader – Flight Sergeant Jim Jarvis

Flight Sergeant Jim Jarvis is trained as an Air Loadmaster and currently works with the Mobile Air Operations Team. His task in El Centro is to provide radio communications and Support Helicopter support. This includes arranging under-slung loads and identifying suitable helicopter landing sites in remote areas of the desert.

Survival Equipment Fitter - Senior Aircraftsman Martin Tustin

Senior Aircraftman Tustin’s role is to ensure the aircrew are correctly equipped with articles such as flight helmets and Display Night Vision Goggles, and to ensure the equipment is prepared and serviced prior to being needed. At 26 years old he has 6 years experience with the RAF as a Survival Equipment Fitter and usually equips the crews of the Merlin Force at RAF Benson.

Medic - Senior Aircraftsman Alan Davies

22 year old Senior Aircraftman Davies has been a Royal Air Force medic for 4 years. He is usually based at RAF Benson doing medical administration, looking after families and covering the duty medic role for medical emergencies. In El Centro he describes his role as “first on med cover for everyone, it’s more hands on and more clinical”, providing emergency medical care and triage for the entire detachment. He is supported by a doctor.

Military Transport Driver – Senior Aircraftsman Matthew Taylor

Senior Aircraftman Taylor, 22 years old, joined the Royal Air Force in April 2007. In his normal day job back at RAF Benson he does numerous tasks from refuelling aircraft to airport runs. His tasks are similar in El Centro, with airport runs taking up a lot of his time, but he is also responsible for maintaining the fleet of hire cars, which are essential given the remote location of the Naval Air Facility.

Merlin Air Loadmaster – Petty Officer Richard Harker Royal Navy

Petty Officer Harker, 33 years old, joined the Royal Navy as an air crewman in 1994 and was detached to 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron in 2007, transferring to the role of air loadmaster. He is currently completing his pre-deployment environmental training in El Centro, which involves overseeing all aspects of the cabin area of the aircraft. This includes controlling under-slung loads that the aircraft may be carrying and ensuring the swift and safe entry and exit of both passengers and cargo from the cabin.

Detachment Administration Officer - Flight Lieutenant Clare Thomas

Flight Lieutenant Clare Thomas, 30 years old, is the Merlin Force Training Officer at her home station of RAF Benson, but in El Centro she is the Detachment Administration Officer, responsible for the 109 personnel currently training on the Exercise. “I get to look after everyone, regardless of rank or trade, and with aircrew, engineers and support staff it can get quite hectic!”

Merlin Pilot – Flight Lieutenant Jo Watkinson

Flight Lieutenant Watkinson is a 28 year old Merlin pilot from 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron based at RAF Benson. She is currently completing her pre-deployment environmental training in El Centro, including dust landings. She explains, “When I first did my dust landing training it was in Iraq. When you’re going out on operations and that’s when you’re getting your first chance of doing the dust landings, it’s a little bit more stressful. ”

Logistics Support – Corporal Michael McDonald

Corporal McDonald, 29 years old, has been in the Royal Air Force for 10 years. He is a supplier by trade and at RAF Benson he works in the mobility support section. His role is to detach with the Squadron to provide logistical support; ensuring they have the kit they need to complete their tasks. In El Centro his role is similar, although with the added pressure of purchasing some items locally and returning any unserviceable kit to the UK.