A VOLUNTEER soldier has received a military award for looking after the welfare of troops before and after their tours in Iraq.

Each year, the Queen's Volunteer Reserves Medal is presented to only 13 people across the three Armed Services, for exemplary meritorious service.

Territorial Army (TA) Warrant Officer, Class One, John Dixon, from Haughton, Darlington, said he had been thrilled and surprised to receive the accolade in the New Year Honours List.

WO Dixon retired from the regular Army after 24 years, in 1994, before joining the TA in 1996. He is now serving with the Royal Logistic Corps of the TA.

During his military career, he has been deployed to Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Germany, Belgium and Holland.

More recently, he was involved in Operation Telic, the UK's contribution to the military operation in Iraq, and the honour is for services during that time.

In October 2004, he was mobilised for six months in England as the unit welfare officer working on behalf of soldiers and their families from 11 nationally- recruited Royal Logistic Corps TA units.

WO Dixon, 53, is married to Carole and has three children, Matthew, Laura and Helen.

Major Dennis Hannant said WO Dixon had been readily accepted as a father figure by many of the TA soldiers and their families.

"His efforts to secure outstanding pay and financial support for mobilised TA soldiers, often having to overcome bureaucracy and outdated policies, have been particularly noteworthy," he said.