MILITARY personnel from across the UK gathered at RAF Brize Norton to celebrate those who had gone the extra mile in their role.

The second annual Supplier of the Year Awards (SOTYA) was hosted at the West Oxfordshire airbase on Wednesday.

Supplier of the Year is open to personnel in the Logistics Supply branch, described as a diverse and challenging career in the RAF.

A total of 23 nominees from across the RAF were invited to Brize to see how the RAF's largest station operates.

Guests were shown around the impressive C-17 at 99 Squadron before a three course lunch in the warrant officers and sergeants mess.

Air Commodore John Bessel was asked what made these awards special and said: "At the awards I have seen people who go the extra mile to do more. To show their excellence, to do more, to train more, to give that little bit extra to ensure that air power makes a difference."

After lunch the awards were announced. Out of the 23 nominations there were two runners up, SAC Burns from RAF Waddington and SAC Short from RAF Odiham, and just one winner, Sgt Norman from RAF High Wycombe.

Sgt Norman, currently serving in the Falkland Islands, was chosen because of his contribution to the way the supply chain systems are operated in the RAF.

He said: "I am absolutely amazed, surprised, grateful to be put forward for doing what I considered to be my job.

"The amount of hard working talented people here today, I feel blessed to have been awarded this."