Definition: In this task, you're given a question, a context passage, and four options which are terms from the passage. After reading a passage, you will get a brief understanding of the terms. Your job is to determine by searching and reading further information of which term you can answer the question. Indicate your choice as 'a', 'b', 'c', or 'd'. If you think more than one option is plausible, choose the more probable option to help you answer the question.
Input: Question: How old was Stanford's successor who took over his battalion when that successor was killed in Afghanistan? Passage:Stanford was commissioned into the Welsh Guards in 1987 and saw active service during the Troubles in Northern Ireland for which he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in October 1993. He went on to become commanding officer of 1st Battalion the Welsh Guards in which capacity he was deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina on peace keeping duties in 2006. He was the Field Officer in Brigade Waiting and commanded the parade in Trooping the Colour 2007. In 2009 he was succeeded by Rupert Thorneloe just prior to the battalion's deployment to Afghanistan and the latter was killed in action during Operation Panther's Claw. He saw active service during the Iraq War when he served as an advisor to the Head of the Iraqi Army in 2009. He became Chief of Joint Fires and Influence Branch at Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in March 2012 and General Officer Commanding Support Command in June 2015. He became Senior British Loan Services Officer, Oman in October 2017.
Links: a. Rupert Thorneloe b. Order of the British Empire c. Regional Command (British Army) d. Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
Output:
a