In Memoriam: Paul Donnachie

Rifleman Paul Donnachie, aged 18, of 2nd Battalion the Rifles was killed in Basra on Sunday 29th April 2007.

Link> MoD Defence News

Royals lead Nation's salute

According to a report in today’s Telegraph, The Queen and the Prince of Wales are anxious about the number of servicemen returning from the two theatres of war who end up homeless, sleeping rough or struggling to find work.

Back in October Prince Charles organised his own personal medal ceremony for soldiers of the Territorial 51st Highlanders who had just returned from Iraq and privately expressed his dismay at the lack of recognition for their efforts.

During May the Royal Family will be leading the public's expression of pride in Britain's Armed Forces and appreciation of the work they are doing.

On 8th to 10th of May The Queen is "hosting" the Windsor Castle Military Tattoo – A Hero’s Welcome which will be celebrating the heroic efforts and sacrifice of Britain’s soldiers.

Princes William and Harry will be hosting the City Salute on May 7th which will be the City of London's way of saying thank you to British troops for the sacrifices they make on our behalf and to celebrate their courage, modesty, toughness and humour.

The very direct and public involvement of the Royals will bring further pressure on the Government to treat the Armed Forces honourably.

Link> The Telegraph: Queen leads support for injured troops
Link> The Mail: Red faces at the MoD as Charles wades into treatment of troops row
Link> AV: Windsor Military Tattoo – A Hero’s Welcome
Link> AV: City Salute sunset pageant

The villages of Letchmore Heath and Patchetts Green to host Armed Forces Welcome Day

Proud villagers have set up a real "Heroes’ Welcome" for soldiers back from Afghanistan and Iraq. Troops will be wined and dined for free at the Armed Forces Welcome Day – thought to be the UK’s first – as part of next Monday’s May Day celebrations in the villages of Letchmore Heath and Patchetts Green, Herts. Landlady Jenny Searle of the Three Compasses in Patchetts Green, said: “It’s our way of saying Thank You.”

Nice one!

Link> The Sun: Soldiers return to a troop treat

Low recruitment threatens the Forces' ability to sustain international commitments

Following hot on the announcements that troop levels in Iraq will now be remaining at 4,000 and also that the UK is about to deploy a further battalion of 600 troops on a peace-keeping mission to Kosovo, the Observer today reports that the British army's frontline fighting capability has been severely weakened by an acute manpower shortage that has left military commanders short of two infantry battalions. It quotes an MoD document which admits that the British infantry is 1,280 men under strength ahead of this year's spring offensive in Afghanistan and that every battalion out there is 100 men short of its full complement.
The revelations were made in a document submitted to the House of Commons Defence Committee's inquiry into Recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces. The MoD admits that there are 70 'pinch points' of critical skill shortage - 31 in the RAF, 30 in the Army and 9 in the RN - and these are having a 'detrimental impact' on the ability of the Armed Forces to conduct two major conflicts. Shortages of aircraft gunners, intelligence analysts, mechanical engineers and medical personnel were highlighted.
Despite having spent a record £95million in recruitment over the last year (an increase of almost 50% on 5 years ago), the services are still failing to attract the recruits they need. The only factor from the report that the Guardian chose to mention is obesity: 'Increasing levels of obesity and resultant health problems among young people reduce the number eligible to join.' All the bad publicity about poor living conditions, inadequate compensation payouts, low pay and the Government's general failure in its duty of care can't be helping recruitment either. The Defence Committee's report on the subject will make interesting reading.

Link> The Guardian: Army weakened by recruitment failure
Link> The Guardian: New mission for British troops in Kosovo
Link> AV: Defence Committee web forum on recruitment and retention

Veterans Day: News of the World launches campaign

The NotW launched its campaign today to "honour our brave service men and women, past and present—and show them just how proud of them we are" by calling on the Government to:

~ move Veterans Day to a Saturday - the fixed date of June 27th falls on a Friday this year;
~ make Veterans Day a community event with parades in towns and villages and open days at barracks;
~ give priority to disabled soldiers injured on the frontline by moving them to the front of the queue for specially converted homes; and
~ provide education grants for serving soldiers and veterans to get them the re-training they need.

At the launch the newspaper brought together Harry Patch, a 109 year old veteran of the WW1 battlefields of Passchendaele and the last surviving Tommy from the trenches, and Mark Ormrod, a Royal Marine who lost both legs and an arm in a landmine explosion in Afghanistan last Christmas Eve. Mark said, "We share a common ground—to raise awareness for the veterans and hopefully help instil a new sense of pride in all our armed forces. It couldn't be more important."

The newspaper compares the UK event with what it calls the proper Veterans Day celebrations that take place in the USA where the whole of America makes time to salute the heroes who fought for their freedom. It puts the UK to shame.

Link> News of the World: Salute our heroes
Link> AV: National Veterans Day 2008 - Blackpool selected
Link> Veterans:UK

CGS Gen. Dannatt defends Army's role in Basra in open letter to the troops

The head of the British Army has taken the unusual step of writing an open letter to his troops in which he defends Britain's low-key role during an offensive against Shia militias in Basra.
The message from General Sir Richard Dannatt, made available to The Independent on Sunday, is intended to reassure troops in the face of claims that the British presence at Basra airport is increasingly untenable, and that the Iraqi government supposedly snubbed senior UK commanders during the recent operation.
Read the text of the letter at the link below.

Link> The Independent: Head of Army defends Britain's role in Basra in open letter to his troops

Coldstream Guards: Windsor freedom parade

Thousands turned out yesterday to applaud and welcome home the 450 soldiers of 1 Battalion, The Coldstream Guards when they marched through the streets of Windsor accompanied by the drums of the Regimental Band. The parade was lead by Lance Corporal Simon Wiggins from his wheelchair; he had been seriously injured by a roadside IED and is now undergoing treatment at Selly Oak Hospital.
The Coldstream Guards, the oldest serving regiment in the British Army (they reckon it to be one of the oldest regiments in the world), was formed in 1650 as part of Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army and takes its name from the town of Coldstream just north of the border in Scotland.
The Battalion has recently returned from a six month tour in Afghanistan spent in Helmand and Kabul. During their deployment the troops focused on counter-insurgency and security operations and working with the local Afghan community building bridges, both literally and metaphorically.
Lt Col George Waters, commanding officer said: “We have achieved a huge amount in bringing security to Afghanistan. That is not to say that there is not plenty still to do, but we have done a lot in the time we have been out there. The parade means a huge amount to those returning home today.”

Well done Coldstreamers! Well done Windsor!

Link> BBC: Windsor welcome for Afghan troops

Link> The Sun: Thousands turn out for troops

Link> MoD: The Coldstream Guards

Welsh opposition to new Defence Training Academy

Leading members of Plaid Cymru have joined other local campaigners protesting against the siting of the new £11billion tri-service Defence Training Academy at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan. Wales won out against strong competition from the West Midlands and other parts of England.

Work on the new Academy, which forms part of a major rationalisation of military training across the UK, is due to start in 2009. Once completed the Academy will run over 600 courses for about 6,500 students.

Those opposing the scheme accuse the British Government rather grandly of "making Wales the centre of training for war". Clearly they do not recognise the vitally important peace-keeping work carried out by Britain's Armed Forces, nor the sacrifices they are making on our behalf fighting those who would bomb British cities. Perhaps if the Welsh don't want this multi-billion pound, high-technology project, it's not too late to switch it to one of the places in England which are only too eagre to host it.

Link> BBC: Protests against military academy
Link> AV: Defence Training Review Rationalisation Programme

Manchester students seek to ban Armed Forces

The University of Manchester Students Union are to vote at their General Meeting next week on a proposal to ban the Armed Forces from union premises and from setting up recruiting stalls at careers fairs. The proposal has been put forward by Andy Cunningham, the union's Campaign Officer (sounds a bit militaristic to me), who also wants to sever the union's links with the University's Officer Training Corps. Supporters say it is "unacceptable" for the military to recruit young people to fight in "massively unpopular" wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These left-wing activists seem to have failed to understand that it is their nuLabour Party which is sending the troops out to fight these wars. Like the teachers, these naive students also fail to differentiate between the Armed Forces, who serve our country, preserve our freedoms and protect our citizens from terrorists, and government which determines policy. No doubt they'll still be voting for Brown and Co. in the next elections, though.

Link> BBC: Student military recruitment row
Link> UMSU: Motion A - Keep the military off our campus, get the military out of the Middle East!
Link> A Modern Libertarian: MUSU seek to 'ban' military

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme to be improved

In response to the outcry over the poor compensation payments made to severely injured troops - prompted particularly by the case of Paratrooper Ben Parkinson who initially received only £152,000 for loss of both limbs and brain injury - General Sir David Richards, c-in-c land forces, has said that the Government now acknowledges that payouts must be improved and that "there is an acceptance in the Ministry of Defence, not just in the military, that this whole area needs re-examination". Today's Sunday Telegraph reports that the current maximum compensation award of £285,000 could be tripled.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme has been severely criticised for paying troops injured in battle just a fraction of the amounts paid to civilians; for example, its not unusual for victims of car accidents to receive £2million. The MoD has also been slated for handing out huge compensation amounts to civil servants claiming for repetitive strain injury, backache and stress.
General Richards is "confident" that injured soldiers would be "properly looked after". Confidence in the Labour Government is in very short supply at the moment; lets hope the General's confidence is not misplaced.

Link> The Telegraph: Compensation boost for severely injured troops
Link> AV: Compensation payouts - compare and contrast
Link> The Telegraph: Ben Parkinson assured of full compensation
Link> MoD: Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Royal Anglian Regiment: 2nd Battalion, The Poachers, to be deployed to Iraq

It was been confirmed that 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment is soon to be deployed again to Iraq. Despite its earlier promise that troop numbers in Iraq will be reduced to 2,500 this year, the Government is now saying that the situation in the Basra and the south of the country is such that 4,000 British troops will be needed for the foreseeable future. Part-time Minister of Defence Des Browne has confirmed that The Poachers will be soon posted as part of this requirement, called Operation Telic 12.
Currently undergoing final training in Germany, the Battalion is expected to fly out to the Gulf in May. After initial acclimatisation in Kuwait, it will form part of the 7th Armoured Brigade (the Desert Rats) and will be deployed to Basra and the southern port of Umm Qasr. The Battalion's main role will be to support and train Iraqi forces and bring stability to the area; if anyone can make it happen, they can.

Link> The Leicester Mercury: Government confirms troops will go back to Iraq
Link> MoD: Royal Anglian Regiment - The Poachers

The Royal Anglian Regiment: Almanza Day

The Battle of Almanza took place on April 25th 1707 during the War of the Spanish Succession. It was fought between the armies of France and Spain on the one side and Britain and Portugal and their allies on the other. Although the Franco-Spanish forces won the day, great bravery was shown by the men of the Royal Norfolk Regiment in covering the retreat. In recognition of this heroism, Queen Anne honoured the Regiment by awarding it the badge of Britannia to be displayed on its Colours.

The Royal Norfolk Regiment was amalgamated into 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964. The 1st Battalion (nicknamed the "Vikings") still wear as its collar badge The Royal Norfolk Regiment's Britannia superimposed on The Suffolk Regiment's castle and key of Gibraltar.

Link> The Royal Anglian Museum: The Royal Norfolk Regiment (9th Foot)

The Army appoints new PR director

For some time now the Chiefs of Staff and the Government have been saying that the British public need to re-engage with the Armed Forces, that a gulf has opened up between them and that bridges, if not needing to be built, at least need to be repaired. The National Recognition Study was even launched to come up with ways in which the rapprochement could be made, in which the general public could be encouraged to show their pride in and respect for Britain’s Armed Forces and in which the service community would again feel that they are valued and respected.

However, with a just little coaxing from the media, people in towns and cities the length and breadth of the country have been turning out in their thousands to welcome home the guys from Iraq and Afghanistan. At Christmas time thousands of parcels were sent to the troops on the frontline from well-wishers who had no idea who was going to open them but who only wanted to let the guys know that they were thinking about them and that they cared. Millions of pounds have been donated by private individuals to a whole range schemes aimed at raising funds for causes benefitting both current and former servicemen and women.

The Army has recently appointed a new head of public relations. Nick Gurr, the new Director General of Marketing and Communications (DGMC) who will be responsible for the Army’s press office and for overall communications policy and strategy. The new DGMC has already recognised that he does not need to combat negative public feelings about the Armed Forces: “The public love the armed forces and regard them very highly”. What he thinks is lacking is “an understanding of what they do, why they do it and how they do it” and of course that’s true; the public does need to know what the troops are achieving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo and why so many soldiers are sacrificing their lives in their name.

But the public also wants to know why there continue to be frequent reports of equipment shortages on the frontline; why so many defence projects suffer from expensive delays and overruns; why are service personnel and their families still having to live in slum-standard accommodation; why are compensation payouts so abysmally low. The public wants to know why the Government is failing in its duty of care under the Covenant. And it wants to know because the Government is the agent of the people and its failure means that ultimately it is the people themselves who are failing.Let’s hope that Nick Gurr will bring more openness into the communications between the MoD and the public. The unrestricted flow of information is the lifeblood of democracy. The public’s acquiescence in the governmental direction of public affairs and its management of state institutions depends on the truthful accounting of activities conducted in the name of the people. Such openness will bring more confidence in and achieve a greater consensus about what the forces do, why they do it and how they do it.

Link> PR Week: MoD enlists director to raise profile of forces
Link> MoD: The Press Centre

Army Benevolent Fund: World's Biggest Curry Lunch

The World's Biggest Curry Lunch is a fun, simple fundraising idea which invites everyone across the UK to host a curry meal for their family, friends and colleagues in return for making a donation to the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF). The ABF is the soldiers' charity which provides support to soldiers, retired soldiers and their families in times of need.
Big Curry Week begins on 21 April and the ABF is encouraging participants to host their curry meal throughout this week.
Today the Lord Mayor of the City of London hosted his Curry Lunch at the Guildhall . HRH Prince Charles and General Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, along with about 1,000 other guests tucked into chicken masala and poppadams inside the largest Indian restaurant this side of the Ganges. It is hoped that the meal will raise about £200,000 to go towards the charity's current operations fund helping those serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is reported that the guests were still in the marquee trying to sort out the bill at 02:00 on Friday morning.
Link> Army Benevolent Fund: World's Biggest Curry Lunch
Link> The Press Association: Charles joins servicemen for curry

Army Bursary Scheme takes off

Despite opposition from the National Union of Teachers, several colleges have now signed up for the new bursary scheme provided by the British Army. For example, Moulton College in Northampton and the Evesham and Malvern Hills College will both be offering Army Further Education Bursary Schemes to help students prepare for a career in the forces.
The scheme is available to people between the ages of 16 and 25 who are going into further education. It will provide £1,000 for students whilst at college and a further award of £1,000 for completing training when they join the British Army at the end of their course. The project has been supported by the Government's Department of Innovation, Universities & Skills and the Learning and Skills Council.
Army spokesman Lt Col John Moody said: "The Army has a proud tradition of supporting its future employees through further education and this new scheme demonstrates our commitment to life long learning and vocational training."
On the other hand, Gordon White, Northants county secretary to the NUT, said: "These schemes are all designed to tempt young people through the back door." Oh dear, another Gordon!

Link> Northampton Chronical:College links up with Army
Link> Malvern Gazette: Students in line for army grants

Link> AV: Army bursaries now on offer

Ex-Forces and Homeless

As the name implies, last Tuesday night’s BBC TV documentary “Ex-Forces and Homeless” attempted to find out why a large proportion of Britain’s homeless is made up of veterans. Ken Hames, who lead the investigation and who served for 27 years in the Army fighting in both the Falklands and the Gulf, started the programme with the depressing statistics that “on any given night in London alone there are thought to be over a thousand homeless veterans; in some parts of the country they number 12% of the homeless population.”
The programme took Hames on a journey from an ominous doss "shelter" under Holborn Viaduct to a grim, austere hostel in Glasgow. But it was as much a journey of self-discovery (if not self-indulgence) for Hames himself as it was to hear the stories of the homeless veterans he met.
Ken Hames’ aims were to find out why so many veterans are homeless and whether it was their experience in the military that caused it. So what did this documentary tell us?

• It is not at the transition from military to civilian life that the problems occur; they happen many years later. Hames says that “most [veterans] end up homeless years after they leave the services, when their problems have overwhelmed them”. He concedes that “in recent years the resettlement training and advice provided by the armed services has greatly improved; everyone gets assistance in returning to civilian life, regardless of rank”. In many cases, the postponement of the collapse is because psychological trauma can lay dormant and erupt many years after the events that caused them.
• Although homelessness is not a feature of the transition stage, the psychological effects of going from the military to the civilian world obviously build up over time and make a major contribution to the downward spiral. On leaving the forces the individual can become cut off from his support systems at the very time when he most needs support. One interviewee said, “When you leave the “band of brothers” you don’t realise what you’re going to lose. You feel abandoned. Civilians who are not ex-forces don’t really understand you.” The feelings of self-worth and the pride felt in wearing the uniform and serving your country are taken away. The paternalistic, disciplined and authoritarian nature of the forces, where decisions are made for you and things happen in a regular and regimented way, can make it harder for some people to cope with the difficulties of civilian life; this is especially so following long periods of service. Indeed the longer the period of service, the greater the problem of adjustment – three of the four interviewees (and indeed Hames himself) had been in the Services for over twenty years.
• Making the transition to civilian life is always difficult but for those who have experienced the stress of combat, the adjustment can be even harder. For those who have had traumatic experiences the mental scars are deeper; “you can’t shoot and kill someone and walk away unblemished”. For Hames “the key to avoiding the downward spiral is facing your demons no matter where they came from”. One interviewee had done just that and had pinpointed the exact moment that had triggered his PTSD. Identifying this event had enabled him to cope with life despite being theoretically homeless - he was living temporarily in a caravan in Cornwall.
• A dysfunctional early family environment is common amongst many of the homeless veterans. This can cause psychological problems which can be masked or contained during military service but come to the surface again when the “rigid lifestyle” of military service is withdrawn. The director of the one homeless organisation that was interviewed said: “Most of the people we see will have had very dysfunctional backgrounds, families, before they come into the military. And it tends to mean that people who come in [the Forces] with serious problems maybe contain them very well and function OK while they’re there but when they come out the other end they’re in a very similar emotional place to where they were when they went in”. “With all the people we’ll be getting coming into our service, despite whatever the experiences they’ve had in the military, the experience in early childhood and adolescence will probably be much more significant, will explain some of the reasons for going into the military, but will also tell us a lot about why things went a bit wrong in the military or why things went wrong afterwards and they ended up homeless.”
• The climb out of homelessness gets very much harder the longer it's experienced. The founder of the Big Issue said that “three months of homelessness takes three years to get out of your system”. The depression resulting from homelessness is the “killer of people’s ability to reconnect with society”.

OK….. so did the program work? On one level it did: if nothing else, it raised the profile of the plight of Britain’s homeless veterans. It would have raised public awareness and tugged at the collective British conscience.
However the programme raised more questions than it answered and failed to come up with any solutions other than the rather prosaic: “the key to avoiding the downward spiral is facing your demons”.

• What about the difficulties experienced in keeping a job, about divorce and family breakdown? These are contributory factors to homelessness after all.
• There are many organisations and charities that can help veterans in difficulties: why did those interviewed not approach them for support?
• Although a serviceman may lose his particular “band of brothers”, there are regimental associations with members who can empathise and relate to an ex-soldier in trouble; why are these not approached for help?
• Homelessness occurs many years after the veterans have left the service. Do the years away mean that they have become so disconnected from the support agencies that they feel ineligible to seek help?
• Hames interviewed servicemen. How many homeless servicewomen are there and do they have the same problems?
• The guys interviewed had left the services many years, even decades, ago. What’s the situation with regards to the current generation? What difficulties do those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan find in adjusting to civilian life?
• Whilst the MoD is doing a better job at handling the transition, should it also be keeping tabs on veterans and following them up after 5, 10 even 20 years to see if they need helping?
• The majority of UK citizens have little or no personal contact with the Services. In WW1 every family had a soldier on the front. In WW2 total war meant the civil population itself was on the frontline. The wars in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan are seen on TV but not experienced directly. There is no shared experience between the civilian and the military. There is no common “language”; no “communication”. Is the veterans’ feeling of alienation from society, therefore, reinforced by society’s own detachment from the Armed Forces?

Several organisations which provide help to veterans who are homelessness, need support or are suffering from PTSD problems, are listed on the righthand side of this webpage.
One organisation that is actively seeking to prevent homelessness amongst Britain's veterans is Parcels43 with its Priority Housing 4 xForces campaign. This campaign seeks to oblige local councils and housing associations to give priority to ex-Service personnel and their families rather than making them wait in homeless units and hostels or temporary accommodation. If you would like to sign their petition, visit: Link> Parcels43: Priority Housing4XForces

Ken Hames started the Ex-Forces and Homeless programme by referring to the Covenant: “The 200 year-old Military Covenant says that soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices, including the ultimate sacrifice, confident that in return the Nation will look after them and their families”.

He also opened the programme with the words: “You never let your mates down; you never leave them behind. The principle of the battlefield is: if somebody drops, we carry them and we carry them back to safety.”

One thing is clear from the programme: the Country has let these guys down, has failed to carry them back to safety.

The Can'ts can strike

It's tough being a teacher: the classrooms are like battlefields, only £35,000 a year salary, a mere 12 weeks annual holiday and awful working conditions. You can sympathise with them. It's not surprising then that they are being forced into taking strike action. Of course they're sorry that the strike will take place in the midst of preparations for Key Stage, GCSE and A level examinations.
We should all be grateful for the stand the teachers are taking. Their self-sacrifice and professionalism, their commitment and loyalty to their union and their bravery manning the picket lines will indeed be an inspiration to Britain's young people.

Link> AV: The Can'ts v the Cans: teachers object to Britain's Armed Forces

St George's Day

The Royal Anglian Regiment: Ross Kemp's DVD sales benefit Army Benevolent Fund

The highly acclaimed, BAFTA-winning TV series Ross Kemp in Afghanistan has now been released on DVD and from the proceeds of the sale of each DVD a donation will be made to the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF).

In this critically acclaimed series Ross Kemp joins his father's old regiment, 1 Royal Anglian, and travels to Britain's frontline in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, to experience for himself the British Army's fight against the Taliban. Filmed during the summer of 2007, Ross dodges the bullets to witness and endure the worst fighting British troops have suffered for over fifty years. Candid and brutally honest, this series is the first on UK television to show in detail what our soldiers are doing to win peace in this war torn land. Extraordinary battle scenes show us in close up the brutality of war. Off the battlefield we find out what a soldier's life is like and why they continue to fight this fanatical enemy. And with exclusive footage, we tell the stories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, along with powerful and moving interviews from relatives bereaving the loss of their sons.

Link> MoD: Ross Kemp DVD supports Army

MQ-9: The Grim Reaper

A £50million robot spy plane, a Reaper, has had to be deliberately blown up to prevent its secrets falling into enemy hands. The MoD say that the Unmanned Air Vehicle was not brought down by enemy fire but crashed as result of an unspecified mechanical fault.

The RAF's variant of the US General Atomics' hunter-killer Predator has been deployed in Afghanistan since October 2007 in the role of airbourne surveillance. The Reaper UAVs are being used to give all-weather 24/7 Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability providing ground troops with a clear picture of activity in their area of operations. Needless to say these pilotless spy planes are crammed full of sophisticated surveillance kit and gizmos - not the sort of stuff the US/UK military establishment would like to see ending up in Tehran, Beijing or Moscow. So the SBS were rushed to the crash site before the Taliban could get there and salvaged what they could; an RAF Harrier then dropped a 1000lb bomb on what was left - a grim end to £50m.

The RAF could only afford to have two Reapers in Afghanistan, so they'll be extra careful now with whoever's operating the remote control (preferably someone who doesn't own an abused Toyota Yaris). A third Reaper is however on order and is due for deployment in mid-summer.

The RAF is also considering purchasing a further 10 of the UAVs which together with associated kit could cost up to $1billion. Whether these additional aircraft will also be spy planes or whether they will be the pilotless hunter-killer versions (which is how the US deploy them), the MoD hasn't yet announced.

Link> The Sun: RAF blow up £50m spy plane
Link> MoD: Reaper takes to the air in Afghanistan

BFBS: The Big Salute

The British Forces Broadcasting Service's annual charity fundraiser, The Big Salute takes place over the week starting Sunday May 4th. Billed as the Forces' own 'Red Nose Day', the global event is aimed at getting members of Britain's Armed Forces and their families and friends to help raise money for Service charities.

The nominated charities for 2008 are BLESMA (The British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association), Combat Stress, Headley Court, Veterans Aid (which helps homeless ex-Servicemen) and St Dunstan's (which helps Service personnel with sight loss).

Some celebrities already supporting the event are Ewan McGregor, James Blunt, Al Murray, and the Osbournes.

Helen Williams, BFBS Television Controller, said: "We wanted to show our respect, admiration and support for those who serve their country, particularly those who have been seriously injured as a result. And we want to encourage all members of the British Forces community to join in with our campaign." Details and where to buy wristbands and t-shirts are on th Big Salute website:

Link> BFBS: The Big Salute

RHIP - Prince William flies again

Prince William has now been had up for a fifth time for flying his Chinook outside your regular training flight path. Having been caught out paying a flying visit to see his girlfriend at her family's estate in Berkshire, dropping in to see his Dad at Highgrove, buzzing his Gran at Sandringham, and picking up his bro to give him a lift to Cowes for a stag weekend, he's now been had up for using his Chinook to get to a wedding in Northumberland.

But if you're the heir to the throne, you should be allowed some perks - it is called the Royals Air Force after all. Rank has its privileges or as the MoD put it: “In retrospect, there was a degree of naivety in the planning of these joyrides.... I mean, sorties.”

Link> The Telegraph: Prince William in fresh row over helicopter use

Bringing the Fallen home: how it's done in Canada and the UK

A couple of weeks ago the cortege bringing home the bodies of two soldiers killed in the service of their country was abandoned by its nominal Thames Valley Police escort and left to fend for itself through the busy local traffic, ignored by the public and forced to wait at busy junctions by heedless drivers. With all the adverse publicity that the government has been receiving for its shaby treatment of the Armed Forces and with all the promises that have been consequently made that things would improve, the disrespect shown by the authorities to these soliders was doubly shameful.

In its report the Daily Mail compared the way fallen soldiers are treated in the UK with the situation in Canada. In the UK Britain's fallen heroes are lucky if the hearses carrying their flag-draped coffins are provided with a solitary motorcycle or police car escort. Here's an account of what happens in Canada: Upon arrival in Canada every fallen is greeted by their family member, the military and politicians as the plane touches down at Trenton airbase. The family gets to decide if the press are allowed to be present at this event. If the family decides the ceremony will be private, the press are kept off the base. The fallen are then taken to Toronto where a civilian contractor prepares the body for funeral and transfers it to a nice coffin. The trip to Toronto is 260km/160miles is a police escorted convoy of family members and military personnel on the biggest and busiest highway in Canada. Along the entire route every overpass will be lined with local police, firefighter, EMS, boy scouts, etc and thousands of civilians with Canada flags. All the area legions will have an honour guard standing along the route. The highway has been renamed in honour of the fallen [the Highway of Heroes]. As the convoy arrives in Toronto, traffic is blocked at every intersection on the way to the funeral home. After the Fallen is processed in Toronto, the funeral arrangements are made with the family. If they want a full military funeral the military/government will make the arrangements. The family again decides if press are invited. The YouTube video below shows this in practice.

The Thames Valley Police force has been shamed by the Daily Mail's exposure of their disrespectful and uncaring attitude. The police initially claimed it did not provide escorts because it preferred to "focus on community safety rather than ceremonial roles". That tactless comment went down like a lead balloon so the Chief Constable then blamed the withdrawal of some of the force's motorcycles from the road after the deaths of two officers elsewhere in Britain. Chief Constable Thornton said her force had previously escorted military hearses when bodies were flown to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, but the switch to Lyneham a year ago coincided with the motorcycle withdrawal. She added: "We are, however, about to take delivery of a new fleet of motorcycles and they will be operational from the second week of June. Thames Valley Police will then recommence the escort to facilitate movement through traffic." However, to avoid further criticism, the force decided against waiting until June and on Friday provided three estate cars for escort duties.

But it's not a question of "avoiding criticism"! The police, local councils and other public authorities should be spontaneously honouring the guys who have laid down their lives for their country; they shouldn't have to be forced into doing it for fear of criticism or as a PR stunt.

Link> The Mail: Pictures that should shame us all reveal the shabby way Britain treats its fallen heroes

Link> The Mail: War dead get their police escort back ...
Link> YouTube: Canadian soldiers return to Toronto

In Memoriam: Alan Jones

Kingsman Alan Joseph Jones of the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, was killed in Basra on 23rd April 2007.

Link> MoD Defence News

BA in Military Aviation Studies

Following on from the MoD being acknowledged as an 'Awarding Body' by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm Military Aviation Academy has now been 'licensed' to issue degrees in Military Aviation Studies. Graduates from the course will also be able to continue with their studies and take a Masters degree at the Armed Forces Defence Academy. These qualifications will give "academic recognition to the unique skills needed for service in combat aircraft".

Link> MoD: Uni partnerships lift forces' high flyers
Link> MOD: Fleet Air Arm
Link> AV: MoD gains 'Awarding Body' accreditation

In Memoriam: Ben Leaning & Kristen Turton

Corporal Ben Leaning and Trooper Kristen Turton of The Queen's Royal Lancers Battle Group were killed in action in Maysaan province, southern Iraq, on Thursday 19th April 2007.

Link> MoD Defence News

Slum conditions at Brize Norton

The Sun today describes the slum conditions that servicemen still have to put up with, this time at RAF Brize Norton. It had been thought that, following the media exposure and subsequent public outcry about the disgusting state of many military bases, the MoD had got its act together and was making sure that in-use barracks were brought up to an acceptable standard - but this is clearly not the case. The description of the squalid prefab huts that the servicemen have to live in beggars belief. Where's the Government's duty of care here?
A serviceman commented: “Imagine this as the last place in England you see before you die for your country.... If prisoners were put in that dump, they’d sue and win a fortune off the Government. It’s the worst place any of us have ever had to live – and we’ve been all over the world."
It is good to know, though, that the Chief of Air Staff Sir Glenn Torpy and Defence Secretary Des Browne are said to be "very concerned" and the MoD are "figuring out a plan" to deal with the situation. The MoD promised: "We will make sure that whatever may have happened in the past, no service personnel have to stay in this accommodation in such a state in the future." Until the next time, then

Link> The Sun: Your final vision of Britain before you fight for country
Link> BBC: RAF base pictures prompt inquiry
Link> The Sun: Military chief's £20m mansion

The Can'ts v the Cans: Round III

I found this article on the Bristol Evening Post's website. I thought it summed up the position pretty neatly so have reproduced it here.

Some teachers believe it is immoral to allow members of the armed forces into schools. This is left-wing garbage. Teachers, like those at the National Union of Teachers' conference last month, say that the Ministry of Defence is glamorising war and influencing the poorly educated by allowing representatives of the army, navy and air force into schools all over the country. Well, if our children are poorly educated, then surely teachers should look to themselves. After all, they are paid, either through our taxes or school fees, to educate our children.

..... Tell them to speak to teachers in Bosnia, where British troops helped to rebuild the schools so that children could be educated, where British camps were opened up to the public for shelter during repeated heavy air raids, and where schools were watched over by British troops so that the children could be taught. .....

Why not look to soldiers to help and assist in schools? They could help with much-needed discipline. Perhaps then children would learn the need for teamwork. Perhaps then they would see that discipline helps with good morals and stands you in better stead for future life. Perhaps it would prevent youths feeling they have no purpose in life. Soldiers could help with outward- bound activities and help kids gain some self-respect.

Teachers should be the ones flying the flag. They should be instilling in our children the virtues of Britishness. They should be applauding our troops for fighting for freedom. They should welcome troops into schools and encourage children to talk to them. The armed forces employ thousands of people and offer scores of different jobs and careers, which happen to include teaching.

Teachers are very fortunate that we have services which, over the years, have protected their rights and everyone else's. I accept that the armed forces are not universally popular among the British general public. There will always be people who disagree with the military, and rightly so, too, because that is what freedom of expression is all about. However, to condemn them out of hand is wrong. The armed forces do not go out to kill, they go out to protect our interests, personnel and civilians, both here and overseas.

To read the complete article, click on the link below:
Link> Bristol Evening Post: To protect and to serve

Link> AV: The Can'ts vote to ban the Armed Forces from Britain's schools
Link> AV: The Can'ts v the Cans - Teachers object to Britain's Armed Forces

PS
Link> The Mail: Over a third of bosses say staff lack the three Rs... despite the billions ploughed into education

Defence Committee web forum on recruitment & retention

The House of Commons Defence Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces. As part of this inquiry they are running an online forum to hear the views of former and current service personnel. They are also interested in the views of religious leaders, parents and guardians, and careers guidance counsellors. The aim of the forum is to find out what motivates some people but not others to join the Services and what factors can affect people's desire to remain in uniform over time. Needless to say they are "especially keen to investigate the disconnect that exists in the number of recruits from ethnic minorities who choose to join the Services".
DefComm's inquiry is aimed at identifying why the UK Armed Forces are failing to meet their recruitment targets. The MoD is already under pressure to find enough troops to sustain the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; this pressure can only increase if sufficient new recruits cannot be found and if the current high level of personnel leaving the Services continues.

The web forum for posting comments runs until 21st May. Even if you are not 'eligible' to make a comment yourself, the forum itself is well worth a visit to read the comments from those qualified to make them.

Link> eConsultations: Recruitment & Retention in the Armed Forces

Link> Parliament: Defence Committee launches country-wide web forum on recruitment and retention in the services

Robotic suits: SuperSoldiers

The US army is developing robotic suits for its soldiers with the aim of giving them 'superhuman' powers. The bionic exoskeleton, with its strap-on robotic arms and legs, is designed to give the soldier of tomorrow the ability to lift heavy objects, travel long distances and scare the ....... out of his enemies. The suit's sensors and hydraulic mechanisms function like a human nervous system, constantly calculating how to distribute the weight being borne and create a minimal load for the wearer. And it doesn't use a joystick or keyboard to control movement; the 'pilot' is an integral part of the exoskeleton.
For the moment the scientists are saying that these cyborgs will not be 'killing machines'... ... ... but somehow I don't believe them.

Link> BBC video: US army robot suits tested

MoD Police may be getting Tasers

The MoD Police are currently trialling Taser X26s to see if the 'less lethal' weapons would be a suitable addition to their armoury. What's interesting is the lengths the MoD is going to reassure everyone that the tasers will be used in a strictly controlled way and that the human rights of the recipients will not be infringed; the tasers are even fitted with an onboard computer to log usage, presumably to be used as evidence in a subsequent compensation court case. Apparently, although a taser generates 50,000 volts, it only delivers 0.0021 amps and it's the amps which do the business (NB a household plug carries 13 amps). Judging by the protective outfit that the 'victim' in the trials is wearing, even being zapped by a mere 0.0021 amps is something to be avoided.

Link> MoD Defence News: Taser goes on trial with MOD Police
Link> AV: MoD Police to guard critical national infrastructure

Royal Logistic Corps - Easy Riders

A team from 5 Training Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps are to embark on a round-Britain motorcycle ride to raise money for the 'Help for Heroes' campaign and to raise the profile of the RLC TA. The team will be using 'Army-issue' Harley Davidson bikes and will be following Britain's coastline for about 4,200 miles. The ride will be starting in Grantham, Lincs on 6th June and finishing at the TA100 Centenary Event at Lincoln on 19th June.

Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes our way

Link> MoD Oracle: RLC TA Bikers Provide 'Help For Heroes'
Link> MoD Army: Royal Logistic Corps - Territorial Army
Link> Help for Heroes

'Tribunal' decides fate of 2,000 Gurkha soldiers

The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal is currently meeting in London to hear appeals from 15 British Army Gurkha soldiers to determine whether they and their families will be able to remain in the UK. The decision of the tribunal will also determine whether a further 2,000 Gurkhas will be able to settle here.

Gurkhas currently serving with the British Army will automatically be entitled to remain in the UK at the end of their service but for soldiers who left before 1997 the right to stay is discretionary. The 15 former soldiers were recently denied citizenship because it was said they didn't have "close ties with the UK".
So, years of loyal service and risking your life for the country doesn't qualify as close enough ties! What does then? Jumping on the back of a lorry in Calais?

Link> The Sun: Gurkhas' Brit battle

Link> The Telegraph: Gurkhas return medals over 'discrimination'
Link> The Mail: Anyone who doesn't believe the Gurkhas should have the right to retire in Britain should read this extraordinary account of their finest hour...

MoD Mac stolen from McDonalds

An Apple Mac laptop belonging to an Army captain has been stolen the local McDonalds whilst the officer was tucking into a Big Mac. Following the fiasco last January when an MoD laptop containing the personal data of 600,000 people was lost, staff had apparently been instructed not to take their laptops into cafes and bars. But at least the MoD has been able to assure us that the data on the laptop was encrypted and password protected ...... but then they would say that, wouldn't they?

Apparently one laptop is lost or stolen from the MoD each week.

Link> BBC: MoD laptop stolen from McDonalds
Link> The Sun: Army capt has laptop nicked

TA Centenary Parade in Reigate

Thousands of people are expected to turn out to honour members of the Territorial Army when they parade through the streets of Reigate on Saturday, May 10th. The parade, part of the TA's centenary celebrations, will be made up of local troops from 150 Recovery Company Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers and 2 Field Troop 579 Field Squadron many of who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The event is being organised by the Borough Council: "We wanted to recognise the service of the Borough's troops to their country and to thank them for the sacrifices they and their families have made. The parade will enable both the Council and the Borough's residents to join together to show our gratitude."

Link> BBC: Thousands expected to honour TA

Gurkha Tribute Fund and York Parade

A public appeal has just been launched in Maidstone, Kent to raise money for a statue in tribute to the Gurkhas. The Maidstone Trust is looking to raise £15,000 to set up a bronze statue depicting a Gurkha engineer sergeant in dress uniform. The statue will mark the 60th anniversary of the raising of the Queen's Gurkha Engineers and will be inrecognition of the bravery, courage and loyalty they have displayed in the British Armed Forces.

Donations to the fund can be made via the Gurkhas website:

Link> The Gurkhas website
Link> Kent Online: Jaunty tribute to bravest of brave

On Friday 11th April troops from 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron who have just returned from Afghanistan marched through York to applause from hundreds of local people. Following the parade the troops were awarded their service medals by Major General Jacko Page and the Lord Mayor of York.

"We are pleased and proud to parade through the city which has given us such warm and generous support during our recent charity fundraising efforts."

Link> The York Press: Gurkhas on parade
Link> MoD: York parade honours Gurkhas' Afghan deployment

These guys have rightly earned our gratitude and respect; the Government should be giving them the same rights as other British servicemen.

In Memoriam: Mark Powell & Mark McLaren

Colour Sergeant M L Powell, of the Parachute Regiment, and Sergeant Mark J McLaren, RAF were killed when two Puma helicopters crashed in Iraq on Sunday, 15th April 2007.

Link> MoD Defence News

In Memoriam: Richard Palmer

Lieutenant Richard Palmer of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards was killed in Southern Iraq on Saturday, 15th April 2006.

Link> MoD Defence News

Compensation payouts: compare and contrast

On the one hand we hear today that an Iraqi is to receive £2million (that's 4,841,000,000 dinars in Iraq) compensation when he was accidentally shot by a British soldier in 2003.

On the other hand the maximum amount of compensation that an injured British soldier can receive is £285,000; many soldiers who are suffering from terrible injuries don't get anywhere near this amount.

Despite the Government's assertion that the £2million payout was a special case, queues of Iraqis and Afghans can now be expected outside our lawcourts seeking similar handouts. Indeed one human rights lawyer has said he already has 30 Iraqi clients on his books: "The fact that so far there has just been a handful of cases here is simply an indication of the logisitical difficulties for the Iraqis of persuing claims."

This case highlights once again the shameful way in which the Labour Government and the MoD treat injured soldiers: not only are the Armed Forces' compensation awards derisory, but the hard struggle that has to take place to wring even these relatively small sums from the MoD is insulting and demeaning. The MoD chose to pay the Iraqi teenager rather than fight a court battle. The MoD however fights tooth-and-nail to minimise the amount of compensation it pays out to injured British troops - even when the maximum amount is a mere fraction of what was paid to the Iraqi.

The MoD however is quite prepared to dish out ludicrous sums to civilians: like the typist who received £484,000 for a strained thumb or the civil servant who got £202,000 when he strained his back lifting a printer or the office worker who was awarded £217,000 in compensation for suffering chronic fatigue syndrome and depression.

Link> The Telegraph: Iraqi shot by British soldier awarded £2m
Link> The Sun: Fury at Iraqi compensation
Link> AV: Revised MoD compensation scheme: a con
Link> The Times: Iraq wounds worth less than Civvie back pain
Link> The Mail: Worst injured soldier ever to survive is awarded less than RAF typist with a sore thumb

Armed Forces Day gets go ahead?

According to the BBC's website it now looks likely that Britain is to hold an Armed Forces Day to allow the public to show their support and respect for the military. In a letter seen by the Sunday Telegraph, the prime minister signals that plans are being drawn up for "a special day of celebration".

The PM is reportedly seeking to involve the Premier League football clubs in the celebrations by suggesting that they host honour parades similar to the one that took place at Aston Villa's stadium last season.

After a decade of indifferent and demeaning treatment at the hands of Blair, Brown and Co., the Armed Forces seem suddenly to be the flavour of the month with the Labour Government.

Link> BBC: Brown supports 'Armed Forces Day'
Link> The Telegraph: Victory for Armed Forces Day campaign
Link> The Mirror: Soldiers in football ground parade to boost public support
Link> AV: Pressure mounts for Armed Forces Day (II)
Link> AV: Pressure mounts for Armed Forces Day (I)

Abacus insurance payout: an insult

Private Simon Peacock of 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian, who almost died from injuries caused by a Taliban RPG, has been paid just £1,400 from his insurance company Abacus - after originally being offered £226. Pte Peacock is in constant pain from the lumps of shrapnel still lodged in his heart, lungs, knee and hand which he has been warned could kill him at any time. Although he is able to walk around, there is no chance of him returning to active service and he will probably have to leave the Army.
He said: "I think it's insulting. Apparently my injuries don't fall into the right categories for a decent payout, so all I've got is £1,000 for shrapnel wounds and £400 for my time in hospital.
I even had to fight for that. Originally they only offered me £226 and I had to get the commanding officer of the Army rehabilitation centre to sign a note on my behalf to get it increased."

Along with most other frontline soldiers Simon has been paying out for private injury insurance because the compensation awards provided by the Ministry of Defence are so abysmal. Abacus is one of the insurance companies recommended by the MoD.

It's bad enough that troops on active service are having to fork out for their own insurance; when the insurance company then turns round and offers such a miserable payout for such serious injuries, its downright disgusting. Army sources said there were a number of cases where injured soldiers are in dispute with insurance firms over pay-outs.

Of course, if he'd strained his thumb typing up reports, he would be getting £484,000 from the MoD

Link> EADT24: Injured soldier 'could die at any time'
Link> AV: Soldiers forces to pay massive insurance premiums
Link> The Press Association: Soldiers take out private insurance
Link> The Echo: How can we treat squaddies so badly?