 Barrons ' early career was spent in various staff and field posts in the UK , across Europe , and in the Far East . He also spent time working at the Ministry of Defence and in education . Sent to Germany in 1991 , Barrons then served his first tour of duty in the Balkans in 1993 . Returning to the UK , Barrons took up a staff position and went on to do a tour in Northern Ireland and then to become a Military Assistant , first to the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and then to the Chief of the General Staff . Between 2000 and 2003 , Barrons served again in the Balkans , in Afghanistan during the early days of International Security Assistance Force , and then in a staff position in Basra , Iraq . 
