We had many different tasks to accomplish on the daily sorties, some of the seemed rather boring other we really exciting. Sometimes it got interesting, very interesting.

There was a very high ranking person touring his positions throughout the conflict area. Some off these areas can only be reached by air. He was dropped in earlier and it was our job to get him out.

So the facts were clear to us, pick up the "boss" and his protective unit and get away as soon as possible. We had a maximum of 30 seconds on the ground. A helicopter itself is a great target, with a full crew even better, but with cluster of golden shoulders onboard, well, that would make the wrong people happy.

In approach, they were informed to be ready and off our reduced time on the ground. Before we even landed the heli door was opened, the skid mounted and signals passed to the passengers to make there way to us. As the first of the security team moved towards us, we touched down. Clearly the secteam had advised him (the boss) to move quickly because 5 of a 6 man pickup were onboard and he obviously didn't care, still talking to the men on the ground.

I was frantically signalling to him to hurry. Our commander was screaming in my ear to hurry up. I got down from the skid and tried to reach him but he was still to far away. 

Then i heard it, I don't care who he is, get him in now or I'm leaving without him!

I unplugged my comms and ran to him, grabbed his shoulder lappel and spun him round to the heli door, pulling him as he stumbled through the door and onto the floor before his team. I connected my comms, announced the load was complete and clear and off we went.

It was then i noticed I had a handful of golden lappel in my hand. As i looked round at the passengers, some smirking, some discretely giving thumbs up i noticed and angry (boss) requesting a head set to talk to us. The commander took control, ask me to pass him a headset and hide the lappel. "Don't worry, you done nothing wrong" said the commander and open a direct line between him and the "Boss". Obviously we all couldn't hear what was being said, but it looked very loud and aggressive.

The he left the helicopter, he turned and said sorry then walked off. Once they had all left and we 2er3 on our way again, the commander apologies for his behaviour and that there were no consiquences to fear, at worse you were following orders.