Guardsman Christopher Bepatt, 23, from Great Barr in Birmingham, has deployed to Afghanistan as part of the UK’s uplift of 440 troops to operations in Kabul.

Troops from both the Grenadier Guards and The Mercian Regiment are currently in Kabul providing protection to NATO and coalition mentors who meet with Afghans at national defence and security institutions in the capital daily.

“My role is to provide protection from mentors from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and even Afghan soldiers if necessary, as they advise and train at the Afghan National Army Officers Academy” said Guardsman Bepatt.

“We’re not here to control this country, we’re here to help advise and train”, he said.

The Prime Minister announced an increase of 440 additional UK troops to assist in operations in Afghanistan at the NATO summit in July, making the total number of UK troops in the country around 1100.

“I’m happy to be on a tour in Afghanistan, the experience is good”, said Guardsman Bepatt. “When I get home, I think it will feel good to know that I’ve been to Afghanistan and played my part in helping out.”

Guardsman Bepatt joined the Army in 2014, and attended the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, before arriving at the Grenadier Guards. In 2016 he was part of the world famous ‘Trooping of the Colour’.

“My first ‘Troop’ was weird – you see it on TV, then after all this training, you’re there, you’re part of it. It’s weird in a good way – exciting”, said Guardsman Bepatt.

Speaking of the men and women he serves alongside, he said, “People in civvy street wouldn’t help you out as much as the people I work with. You live together 24/7, so you count on each other. It’s like a brotherhood.”

His Company Commander, Major Neil Strachan, explained what the rest of the Grenadier Guards have been tasked to do this year, “The Grenadier Guards are deployed in three operational theatres simultaneously – The Queen’s Company is in Afghanistan, another Company (around 120 soldiers) is in Iraq providing mentors to Iraqi forces and their own force protection, and yet another Company is in South Sudan providing force protection to the UN mission there.”

Speaking of the progress he has seen in Afghanistan, Major Strachan said, “This is my third tour in Afghanistan, there has been significant investment made by the international community in Afghan security forces, and it’s clear this investment is working.”

“The current mission focuses on institutional development and ensuring that the Afghan government and military are supported in their efforts to provide security.”

Since UK combat operations ended in 2014, the UK has contributed to the NATO led, 41 nation, Resolute Support Mission which seeks to improve the capacity of Afghan national defence and security institutions through training, advising and assisting them. This is to enable Afghans to secure their borders and combat terrorism within the country.