Soldier sends war news back home (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Soldier sends war news back home

4:11pm Wednesday 12th March 2008 in News

CURRENTLY serving on his first operation in Afghanistan a brave local soldier says one of the first things he is looking forward to on returning to the town will be to enjoy a pint.

Aston Fields rifleman Lt Jon Dolphin was deployed to the war torn Helmand Province of Afghanistan last October and is nearing the end of his six month service in a place he describes as "one of the most dangerous on the planet."

The 28-year-old is part of the 7th Battalion, the Rifles, who are deployed by helicopter and patrol the desert to fight Taliban forces, provide protection for medical teams who rescue casualties, and conduct random vehicle searches to look for concealed weapons or drugs.

The commander of a platoon of 29 soldiers, Lt Dolphin also helps cover soldiers' experiences, by sending back their stories through photographs and videos, to the UK.

Lt Jon Dolphin said: "We're doing a dangerous job out here.

"It's a situation that is not going to be resolved quickly and require soldiers like myself to continue to work with the Afghan people.

"We’re doing a dangerous job out here. It’s a situation that is not going to be resolved quickly and require soldiers like myself to continue to work with the Afghan people."

Lt Jon Dolphin

Having talked at length with some of the local people, drunk their tea and shared a few jokes it makes you realise at the heart of it, the people here are fellow human beings who just want to be allowed to get on with their lives."

Jon celebrated his first wedding anniversary with wife Helen before he left, and contacted the Advertiser/Messenger from Afganistan as he thought it would be a nice surprise for him to be featured in the local paper.

He added: "I'm missing my wife and family and could murder a pint, but that will have to wait a few months."