The journey to Afghanistan varies depending on the unit deploying and where they are based in the world.

Generally British-based regiments deploy via RAF Brize Norton. The first leg of their journey will be on a coach from their barracks to RAF South Cerney, to be processed, and then on to nearby Brize Norton.

At Brize there is a departure lounge and the troops have to 'check in' just as they would if they were going on a civilian flight.

The soldiers will then fly out of the UK on an RAF Tristar aircraft and make the seven-hour journey south-east to Kandahar in Afghanistan. Because the flight is so long, troops can occupy themselves with reading or playing on small games consoles. There is plenty of food onboard so the troops don't go hungry.

As they enter Afghan airspace all the soldiers have to put their personal body armour and helmets on.

From Kandahar airfield the troops fly onboard an RAF Hercules aircraft to Camp Bastion, the UK's main Operating Base in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

The timescale of the journey varies greatly from one deployment to another for various logistical reasons. However, the journey's end is the same for all the troops. They arrive amid the heat and humidity of Helmand's Camp Bastion.

From here the troops are transported to the various UK bases, which will become their home for the majority of their deployment.