Colonel Ben Watson, CSC, is the Director of Army Plans and Design in Army Headquarters. An infantry officer, he commanded the 8th/9th Battalion as the Ready Battalion Group and spent the rest of his regimental service with the 2nd Battalion. He has deployed on operations to Afghanistan, Timor-Leste, Iraq, the Solomon Islands and the Greater Middle East Area, and served in planning and operational appointments within Joint Operations Command, Army Headquarters, 6th UK Division and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.