In July 2005, Six servicemen and a member of the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS), currently serving in Cyprus, registered as competitors for the 2007 Marathon Des Sables. This arduous event known as "the toughest footrace in the world" takes place in the Sahara desert over seven days, during which time participants cover a distance of 151 miles on foot, in temperatures reaching 50 C (120F). In addition all entrants must be totally self reliant, carrying their food, water, medical needs and camping equipment for the duration of the race. The race itself; which is equivalent to a marathon a day, is in fact broken into various stages, the most extreme of which is a distance of 50 miles in a 24 hrs period.

Spokesperson for the group, Sgt Tate stated "I appreciate you may be thinking that British Servicemen may not find this endeavour too taxing. However the area that we will be covering is one of the most inhospitable on earth, we will be relying on willpower, determination and camaraderie to see us through". During each of the stages the participants will have to cope with a multitude of uneven surfaces comprising of rocky slopes, shale and dunes, some of which are 200 metres high.

The reasons for this endeavour are numerous, firstly and most importantly it is to raise the profile and, through sponsorship, the funds, of several charities. The main recipient being 'The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association - Forces Help (SSAFA - Forces Help). This national charity is of particular importance in the service environment in that it provides a much needed support network for forces families, helping serving and ex-servicemen/women and their families in need.