David Johnstone appointed new NI veterans commissioner

David Johnstone has been appointed the new Northern Ireland veterans commissioner.

The Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner's Office (NIVCO) is an independent body and aims to act as a link between veterans and support services available to them.

The first commissioner, former Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan, resigned from the role in September of this year.

He said that veterans in Northern Ireland "do not enjoy the same protection as their counterparts in Great Britain".

Mr Johnstone joined the Royal Irish Rangers (Reserve) in 1988.

He was commissioned from Sandhurst in 1991 and attained the rank of major before leaving the Army in 2014.

In 2004 he was deployed to Iraq where he served as second in command of his company in Basra.

He said it was an honour and a privilege to be appointed veterans commissioner.

"This is a very important role and one that can make a positive difference to the lives of veterans and their families," he said.

"I aim to hit the ground running in the new year, by getting out and engaging with the wider veteran community and key partners, alongside the experienced NIVCO team."

Announcing Mr Johnstone's appointment, NI Secretary Hilary Benn said: "His knowledge and experience will be invaluable to our former service personnel and I know he will work tirelessly to ensure their voices are heard.

"The government recognises the dedicated service of all our veterans and is committed to supporting the veteran community across Northern Ireland, and the whole of the United Kingdom.

"We will always stand up for those who have served our country."