There has been much talk in recent months of the need to cut public spending and regular readers will know that I support Conservative plans to reduce the deficit faster than Labour plans to do. However, I am concerned at suggestions that the axe could fall heavily on defence spending whoever wins the next General Election.
There are two aspects that need to be differentiated. One is the level of defence spending itself and the second is the fact that under this Government commitments have been made that greatly exceed the currently planned defence budget. Just to deal with the second issue there will have to be some painful decisions and adjustment in programmes. These will be manageable without damaging Britains defence capabilities as long as the defence budget is not cut in the coming...
Campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have left UK armed forces ill-prepared to take on any new tasks, MPs...
The UK armed forces could be facing defence cuts of up to a fifth. Will you be affected by these...
UK armed forces are to get a new camouflage design for their uniforms, the first major change since the...
The government is expected to confirm that UK armed forces now have the equipment needed to send more troops to...
Figures showing that the UK Armed Forces are currently just under 98 per cent of their full time trained strength requirement have been released today by the MOD. This is up from 96.8 per cent a year ago and shows a continued upward trend in both recruitment and retention.
As at 1 October 2009, the full time trained strength of the UK Armed Forces was 174, 890 against a target of 178,490. This comprises 170,050 UK Regular Forces, 1,320 full time reserve service personnel and 3,520 Gurkhas.
The statistics show that the number of people leaving the trained strength of the UK Regular Forces in the 12 months to 30 September 2009 has fallen by 21.9 per cent compared with the same period a year ago. Overall, the number of people leaving is at its lowest in five years.
A total of 24,230 new...
Three members of the UK armed forces are hospitalised following an incident in the Falkland Islands, the Ministry of Defence...
Whilst this year has seen the unfortunate incident of seeing two BNP activists elected to the European Parliament, there are times when one is heartened by evidence that people from all walks of life are not just disgusted by the BNP, they are revolted to the point of publicly declaring that they do not represent them or their way of life.So it is that five Generals in the British Army have listed their concern about imagery of the UK armed forces being used as propaganda by extremist political parties. Whilst the BNP is not mentioned by name, the context being that it is part of a campaign against the BNP speaks volumes.Hopefully, if nothing else, this will help send a message to those who have supported the BNP out of naivety, but likewise those of us within the more decent mainstream...
Tory shadow defence minister Liam Fox has said that he is determined to hold a Strategic Defence Review as soon as he is sat behind his desk at the MoD.He also ominously says that what will govern the Review will be “the budgetary constraints within which we will have to operate”.We know what that means: stringent cuts in the defence budget can be expected soon after a Tory government is installed.Mr Fox has already promised a cull of civilian personnel in the MoD along with vague references to other "efficiency savings". But we've heard all this many times before; we know empirically that the defence bureaucracy always seems to escape the knife.No, it will be frontline services - in the true sense of the word - which will again have to suffer the deepest cuts and the pressure will be...
Members of UK Armed Forces picked up a number of awards again this year at the Daily Mirror's annual Pride of Britain Awards.The UK Joint Medical Group Afghanistan was recognised for its work in the field hospital at Camp Bastion.Sergeant Noel Connolly from the Royal Marines also received a Special Recognition Award for his bravery last year in thwarting an attempted suicide attack.Major Phil Packer of the Royal Military Police received the Fundraiser of the Year Award for his efforts in support of Help for Heroes.And Petty Officer Martin Langlands received the Outstanding Bravery Award for his actions in an off-duty capacity which saw him rescue a family involved in a traffic accident.Congratulations to all award winners!MoD: Military personnel are Pride of...
Ceremony in St Paul's cathedral to commemorate end of the war in Iraq and to honour those that served and died in the conflictThe Queen and Gordon Brown will today attend a ceremony in honour of British armed forces and civilians who served and died in Iraq.Iraq veterans will join senior military figures for the commemoration service, which formally marks the end of combat operations in the country, at St Paul's cathedral in London.Servicemen and women injured fighting during the campaign, known as Operation Telic, and the families of those killed in the conflict have also been invited to attend."This service will provide an opportunity to remember the enormous contribution made by some 120,000 members of the UK armed forces and their civilian colleagues who have served in Iraq over six...
Are you sitting down?I do hope so. Best not to be eating or drinking while reading this as you may choke with disbelief, or spew forth a spray of beverage in a fit of laughter. Best to play it safe, health & safety and all that.Here we go...There is something David Cameron could promise that would win back the EU sceptics, make the Conservatives electable in areas where they would not have been for decades, if ever, which would address not one but two of the BIG issues that will face them. He should promise a referendum to the UK.Yes, he should offer a referendum on Lisbon and the UK’s position within the EU be it pre or post ratification, but that is not what I am talking about.He could offer the whole of the UK a referendum on whether we want to remain as the...
Singapore Technologies Kinetics have just unveiled the Warthog, a variant of their Bronco All-Terrain Vehicle modified for the British Army. The MoD ordered 100+ of these armoured vehicles in a £150million deal signed last December under the Urgent Operational Requirement programme.The modifications required by the UK included a protected gun-mount, extra armour, specialist electronic counter-measure equipment and communications tools.Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said: "Warthog will be true to its name as a beast of a vehicle that can manoeuvre across difficult terrain, power-up steep gradients and even cling to slopes. Warthog will provide improved protection to our troops in Afghanistan's Green Zone, where water and a fragile infrastructure make it...
STUBS is a new charity which aims to 'demonstrate care and respect for UK armed services in an innovative way'. It was set up by Jan and Craig Vassie and secured charitable status in April of this year.The concept behind STUBS originated from a simple idea: that at most events there are more often than not a number of unsold tickets and that these could be put to a charitable use.......and who better to benefit than Britain's service personnel, especially those injured in the service of their country.For some time the Vassies had been taking patients from Headley Court as their guests to home matches of the London WASPS rugby club and this lead to the club agreeing to pilot their scheme by donating 20 unsold tickets per home game to STUBS to distribute.The principle aims of the...
The mole who leaked the MP expenses receipts was in my view right to leak them because of the anger the mole had about the pay of our Armed Forces. I don't agree with the operation in Afghanistan, Iraq or anywhere else our troops might be sitting and personally I think they should be at home, putting that aside they should still get a good salary.The Armed Forces die for us, they serve for us and that's why the Lib Dems ran the Gurkha campaign to get them rights. Nick Clegg is also known for voicing the opinion that the Armed Forces are being short changed, and on both occasions I agree with him.The mole in my view had an excellent motive but will it affect the pay that the Armed Forces are getting? Probably not, the bottom line is that Labour and the Tories are not serious about the...
The Armed Forces Operational Awards List No.33 was published on 11th September. The list recognises service on operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and national operations for the period 1st October 2008 to 30th April 2009. Of the 145 members of UK Armed Forces listed, the following serve with the Royal Anglian Regiment: OBE - Lieutenant Colonel Simon Browne MBEMBE - Captain Richard James BredinMC - Staff Sergeant Brendan William ElliottMiD - Staff Sergeant Warren GourleyMiD - Staff Sergeant Robert Stewart McGroryQCVS - Captain Benjamin Thomas HawesQCVS - Sergeant Christopher John LeachIn conjunction with this list the Chief of Joint Operations has awarded his Commendation for 'Distinguished Service in support of United Kingdom Operations' and the General Officer Commanding and Deputy...
Gordon Brown insists UK armed forces are making progress in Afghanistan, despite the death toll among personnel passing...
The Richmond Centre, a new combined Junior Ranks club and mess, has just been opened at Catterick Garrison. The complex includes a "super-diner", bar, internet café, shops and lounge and was delivered under Defence Estates' "key workstream", Project Slam (Single Living AccomModation) scheme.As is customary these days, much of the management of the Richmond Centre and its facilities has been outsourced to number of private companies. In a similar vein, "stakeholders" (i.e. Junior Ranks) will have their meals served up in the Pay-As-You-Dine style.Project Slam is a 10-year modernisation scheme started in 2001 with a £1billion budget. With 12,516 bedspaces already delivered by April 2009 and a further 6,000 in progress, the Project is proving a remarkable success given the MoD's track...
The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee has just published its report "Global Security: Afghanistan and Pakistan". It confirms what most people have been saying for a long time: that the government should clearly state its priority for Afghanistan and put in the resources to meet it.The report slams Britain's EU partners (particularly Germany) for failing to meet their obligations in Afghanistan and for thereby placing an "unacceptable strain" on the handful of NATO countries which are: principally the US, UK & Canada. Germany is also criticised for even failing to provide adequate training to the Afghan police force. The Committee says that if they can't provide fighters on the ground, out EU friends should be providing kit instead. The Bush Administration is criticised for...
With a picture of openly gay service member Tpr James Wharton on its cover, the British Army's magazine, Soldier, celebrates ten years since being gay in the UK Armed Forces stopped being illegal and takes stocks of the army's commitment to diversity.The inteview with Tpr Wharton can be read here. The magazine also features an article about Helen and Elspeth De Montes-Davis, two partnered captains with careers as health professionals. The article can be found here.The whole issue of the magzine can be viewed online...
Cross-party Commons defence committee warns that government's procurement policy could make situation worseBritish military operations in Afghanistan are being seriously undermined by the shortage of helicopters, with commanders having to rely on ground transport at greater risk to soldiers, a hard-hitting report by the Commons defence committee concluded today.The cross-party report is likely to cause ministers severe embarrassment because they have persistently denied that a lack of helicopters is having any adverse impact on operations.The document warns the problem could get worse as a result of the government's procurement policy."We ... are convinced that the lack of helicopters is having adverse consequences for operations today and, in the longer term, will severely impede the...
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Yesterday my computer came under multiple attacks which disabled my system. This isn’t the first time its happened and it wont be the last. It seems Rogue Gunner is getting to someone? Time for another Fire Mission.Taliban Announces Capture Of “Drunk” US Soldier Missing in AfghanistanThis is shocking news I pray he gets released, I have heard there is a possibility of a prisoner exchange?Roadside Blasts Kill 6 NATO Troops in Afghanistan Lets make sure that their deaths will not be in vain and strive for a decisive victory. RIPRobert McNamara dies RIP Robert you certainly made your mark on the world and held office in troubled times, your Country owes you a debt of gratitude and you will be sorely missed.Inquiry agreed into alleged torture of Iraqis by UK soldiers The Cheri Blair’s...
Oh to be a recently retired cop with the drug squad:"Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009, Official Report, column 1193W, on the Caribbean: crime, what funding the UK provided for the establishment of the Drugs and Crime Task Force in Anguilla. Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has provided approximately £50,000 in funding for the establishment of the Drugs and Gun Crime Task Force in Anguilla.The Drug and Gun Crime Task Force was established in 2006 by the Commissioner of Police in Anguilla. On the request of the government of Anguilla, the FCO provided co-funding for experienced, retired officers from the UK to train and mentor the task force following its inception....
Today, 27th June marks the 1st Armed Forces Day in the UK – a day to remember and give thanks to the men and women who have or are currently serving in the UK Armed Forces.
Across the UK events will be taking place to mark the occasion.
I have made no secret in the past of my opposition to the deployment of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. I draw a distinction, however, between the operations our service men and women are engaged in at the personal vainglory of some political leaders and the men and women themselves.
The following video commemorates just a few of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice
For more details of Armed Forces Day Click here . . ....
Today we are hosting a blog by Colonel Nigel Fenn, the Defence Attache of the British Embassy in Belgrade, written on the occasion of the first UK Armed Forces Day.The British Embassy in Belgrade marked the first United Kingdom's Armed Forces Day by raising a commemorative flag outside the Embassy on Thursday, 25 June. Britain's Armed Forces day will take place on Saturday 27th June and will be marked by events all over the UK. The commemorative flag will fly at councils, businesses and homes as well as UK Armed Forces bases all over the world. In recognition of this event the British Embassy in Belgrade is proud to support the event. Armed Forces Day was created as part of the British Government's initiative to recognise better the contribution made to society by...
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Celebrations for the first Armed Forces Day are being held later in towns and cities around the...
Yesterday, we hosted a couple of events. At lunchtime, we celebrated the first ever UK Armed Forces Day by holding a lunch for ex-UK military personnel (including World War II veterans) now living in Guatemala. UK Armed Forces Day is about showing our thanks for the sacrifices and immense commitment that our British Forces make. In the UK, there were also a number of events to raise public awareness of the work that they do. (For more information, check out www.armedforcesday.org.uk) I was really pleased to be able to support this day because I have worked very proudly alongside the British military throughout most of my diplomatic career – in Jordan, Iraq, Washington, NATO HQ and most recently in the Horn of Africa. Then we were back down to Antigua - this time to meet some of...
In response to a recent parliamentary question from Shadow Defence Sec. Liam Fox MP asking for the numbers of British military personnel on operations around the world, Bill Rammell MP, Armed Forces Minister of State. gave the following reply."The endorsed force levels for UK military operations are provided in the following table by location:"8,300 Afghanistan1,500 Falklands/South Atlantic1,500 Kuwait1,050 At sea300 Cyprus250 Qatar150 Bahrain150...
25 June is more than a date in South Korea - it's part of the language. To refer to the Korean War, you simply say 6.25, the day that North Korea invaded the South. This year is the 59th anniversary of that day, and by happy close coincidence, the British government has decided to hold the first UK Armed Forces Day on 27 June.
This meant that we decided to hold our local celebration of Armed Forces Day on 24 June. There is real poignancy here in remembrance of fallen service personnel since over 1,100 British servicemen lost their lives in the Korean War. And the Republic of Korea itself is enormously generous in supporting the veterans (of all the states that sent forces to the UN Command) during re-visits. They really set a fine example in honouring the...
MoD unveils new helmet and body armour - Osprey Assault - for UK armed...
