The first ever British Armed Forces Day has been launched with the help of a young soldier in Kuwait.

British troops currently based at the Kuwait Support Facility showed their support for the upcoming Armed Forces Day 2009 [Picture: Corporal Dylan Browne RAF, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

Private Rose Waller helped promote the specially designed Armed Forces Day Flag outside the British logistic headquarters in Kuwait to help remind people at home about the contribution made by British servicemen and women to their country throughout the world.

The 19-year-old medic works for the Joint Force Logistic Component, a deployable specialist headquarters which is responsible for returning six-years-worth of British kit home in good order on completion of UK combat operations in Iraq.

Private Waller, who is due home later this month, said:

"It's awesome that we are promoting an Armed Forces Day and I am looking forward to spending the day with friends and colleagues in KSF [Kuwait Support Facility]."

She was joined during the event by Navy logistician Amy Cooperthwaite and Corporal Lisa Dowling RAF. British troops currently based at the Kuwait Support Facility showed their support for the upcoming Armed Forces Day 2009 [Picture: Corporal Dylan Browne RAF, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

Around 500 personnel - Army, Navy and Air Force - are still working in Iraq and Kuwait as part of the Joint Force Logistic Component which is responsible for returning all the kit and vehicles from the area in good order, now that UK combat operations are finished in Iraq.

So far, around 5,000 containers and more than 600 vehicles - from quad bikes to Challenger Two main battle tanks - have been moved or returned to the UK so that they can be refurbished and reused as quickly as possible by troops on the front line elsewhere.