OUR ARMED FORCES

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THE COVENANT & THE ARMED FORCES

On 12th January 2007 the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, in a lecture given onboard HMS ALBION at HM Naval Base, Devonport, declared that there was a need for a COVENANT to be formed between the people, politicians and Armed Forces of the United Kingdom to identify and discuss how best to provide for the Defence & Security needs of the Realm. The UKNDA undertakes to facilitate such a covenant in any way it can as described elsewhere in this web-site.

To read articles about the various elements of our armed forces - click on the name of the appropriate service below or at the bottom of the page.

Army Matters

Editor's Introduction

We are delighted to present two articles from our UKNDA member co-ordinating and representing 'Army Matters' - Col. Bob Stewart, DSO.   These are just some of the challenges faced by the British Army.

 British Army

• With a few more fatalities the combined total of deaths from Iraq and Afghanistan operations will reach the 258 total dead we sustained in the Falklands War.
• The Army is at its lowest ebb since 1939 and never in the last century was Army manpower so low.  We have now have just less than 100,000 trained personnel today.
• The United Kingdom comes 28th in the World in terms of numbers of soldiers.  This is well below states such as Pakistan (7th), Iran (8th), Ukraine (12th), Indonesia (13th) Thailand (14th), Syria (15th), Taiwan (16th), and Brazil (17th).  Even Mexico, Morocco, Eritrea and Poland have more soldiers than us.  Germany, France and Japan also have many more soldiers than UK – few of them are on active operations.
• In the First World War the small County of Cheshire raised 38 battalions of infantry.  Today we have about 38 infantry battalions in the entire Order of Battle – from all counties in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!
• Most of those 38 infantry battalions are under-strength by, on average, 70 men. Given that each battalion should have just over 500 soldiers, this represents an under manning to the tune of about 14 per cent.
• The fighting strength of infantry battalions has been continuously eroded over the last 50 years.  Half a century ago infantry battalions were normally above 700 in strength – now they are lucky to reach 500 soldiers.
• At this moment we have over 10,000 soldiers fighting in the two ‘hot wars’ of Afghanistan and Iraq.  They are sorely pressed.
  The Army Board has lain down that the Tour Interval (between coming back from one operational tour and returning for another) should be 2 years.  Yet there are some individuals who have a tour interval of as little as 3 months for one reason or another.  Very few units, if any, are able to have a 2 year ‘rest’ from operations.  Most return after about 12 -14 months.
• At one stage during a recent operation more than 50% of the Army’s signallers were deployed.  They could not be replaced one for one.
• The MoD has announced it plans to mobilize 1,200 reservists a year for the foreseeable future.  Effectively this means that 6% of all soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will be civilians in uniform.  In 2004 twenty per cent of the soldiers in Iraq were Territorial Army or Reservist soldiers.
• There are now no military hospitals for our wounded – all are dealt with by military wings of NHS hospitals.  Yet 25 years ago the Armed Forces had 4 or 5 dedicated general hospitals and even a fully equipped and manned psychiatric hospital at Netley on The Solent.
• Shortages of military equipment and appalling Army accommodation have been well documented elsewhere and will not be addressed here.
• Army Doctrine Publication Volume 5 (The Military Covenant) published under the direction of the Chief of the General Staff in February 2000 started as follows: 

“Soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices – including the ultimate sacrifice - in the service of the Nation.  In putting the needs of the Nation and the Army before their own, they forego some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the Armed Forces.  In return, British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service.  In the same way the unique nature of military land operations means that the Army differs from all other institutions, and must be sustained and provided for accordingly by the Nation.   This mutual obligation forms the Military Covenant between the Nation, the Army and each individual soldier; an unbreakable common bond of identity, loyalty and responsibility which has sustained the Army throughout its history.”

The Military Covenant is not working and the major reason for this is lack of money.

REPUTATION & RESPECT, LACK OF SOLDIERS, OVER-STRETCH AND OVER-RELIANCE ON THE TERRITORIAL ARMY

Introduction
 
I think it was Sun Tzu who famously declared, “If you want to avoid war prepare for it”.  Currently the British Army is actually fighting two wars and our preparations and sustainment of it are woeful.

We have between 12 – 13 thousand soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan right now.  Both wars are hot – these are not the docile operational situations of say, Cyprus, (now) Northern Ireland or (lately) the Balkans. We are more hard-pressed in Iraq and Afghanistan than we have been since the Korean War over 50 years ago.  Even during my own brief 48 hour visit to Basra COB in Iraq during July the place was rocketed 8 times and 3 servicemen lost their lives

Yet with a few more sad fatalities the combined total of deaths from Iraq and Afghanistan operations will reach the 258 total dead we sustained in the Falklands War.

So what can be done?  The answer is ‘lots’.  But I am only going to mention just three problems.  First, I want to talk about the Army’s reputation and the respect it is losing at the moment.  Second, I want to highlight the lack of soldiers and over-stretch.  Third, I want to discuss some problems of the Territorial Army.

Here I do not propose to go into other major difficulties such as the lack of, appropriate medical care, equipment, combat supplies, training or pay. 

Reputation & Respect

The Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, is clearly worried about the state of the Army and has said so publicly.  As the professional Head of our soldiers he is right to be so.  

Of course our Army is fighting unpopular wars.  But it is doing so because we, the people, through a government we elected, have sent them.  In every sense they are ‘Our Boys’.  Yet they are not well supported.

Ten years ago, just about the time I was leaving the Army, the reputation of our soldiers, sailors and airmen was sky high.  There was huge support for what we were doing in Northern Ireland and Bosnia and had done in the first Gulf War.

Today many in the public have a very different yet dichotomous attitude.  Whilst they might still accept that we have amongst the best troops in the World they do not support our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. This translates directly into a loss of respect for servicemen.  It is easily noticeable.  Like lots of others I can spot soldiers a mile away, even out of uniform.  On several occasions I have watched as normal people were clearly embarrassed by the presence of such young men and women.  Shamefully they appeared to deliberate avoid both looking and going near them.  By contrast in the United States soldiers identified in public are frequently clapped and cheered.

Our soldiers are only doing our bidding.  We as a society give them scant thanks for putting their lives on the line for us.  Recently the Government announced that soldiers on operations could expect a council tax rebate. It’s insultingly small and inappropriate. Few people join the Army for its great pay. Really genuine thanks for doing the job would be much more appreciated.   

Has our national soul gone missing?  More than 250 families have now lost family members in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Many more than that have had a loved one returned crippled for life - condemned to a limited future of pain and poverty.

Lack of Soldiers and Over-Stretch

The Army is grossly over-stretched.  Everyone admits as much – except, of course, the Ministry of Defence! Let me just highlight one aspect of this in the infantry.  In the First World War my original home county of Cheshire raised 38 battalions of infantry for the Country.  Today we have about 38 infantry battalions in the entire Order of Battle. 

Most of those 38 infantry battalions are under-strength by, on average, 70 men. Given that each battalion should have just over 500 soldiers, this represents an under manning to the tune of about 14 per cent.

But the infantry represent only about a quarter of the Army.  Other Arms and Services are just as seriously overstretched.  For example, at one stage during a recent operation more than 50% of the Army’s signallers were deployed.  I don’t know how we managed the roulement 6 months later!

Some soldiers are almost permanently on active operations with very little recuperation time between tours.  The minimum tour interval is meant to be 2 years – according to the Army Board.

The Territorial Army

The quickest and most economic way to make up such Regular Army shortages is to call on the Territorial Army. Already and currently reservists make up four per cent and seven per cent of the total manpower deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan respectively. The MoD has announced it plans to mobilize 1,200 reservists a year for the foreseeable future.

The MoD's proposal to cut TA funding by £5 million over two years seems strange - even if these cuts are not meant to affect operational ability; £5 million is a drop in the ocean of defence spending - but its effects on cash-strapped TA units will be significant. Training days have already been pared to the bone but the TA needs an additional 10 days' training per soldier a year to maintain operational standards. All the soldiers told me that not being allowed to train properly was a huge ''turn-off''.

The TA is about 7,000 under its established strength of around 38,000. But, for understandable reasons such as recent mobilization or short-term medical problems, there may be considerably fewer than 18,000 available and fit personnel to reinforce the Regulars. Then a lot of these - senior officers and non-commissioned officers - are not needed. The Army wants junior ranks, not more senior leaders, to fill gaps in its order of battle. This causes problems of cohesion for TA units whose juniors go to war while the seniors stay at home.

Reservists need to have a full-time, central welfare structure. This too would cost little to establish. Our Army needs the TA, almost like never before. But there is a danger that the Territorials will be worn to shreds by over-use and dependence on relatively few people. What happens then? The frightening thing is we are very close to finding out.

Conclusion

We urgently need more soldiers.  As things stand our soldiers are strained almost beyond endurance.  We owe those who go into harms way on our behalf so much more than words.

Yet I quote the opening words of the recently launched Military Covenant (the underlining is mine):

“Soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices - including the ultimate sacrifice - in the service of the Nation.  In putting the needs of the Nation and the Army before their own, they forego some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the Armed Forces. 

In return, British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service.  In the same way the unique nature of military land operations means that the Army differs from all other institutions, and must be sustained and provided for accordingly by the Nation.   This mutual obligation forms the Military Covenant between the Nation, the Army and each individual soldier; an unbreakable common bond of identity, loyalty and responsibility which has sustained the Army throughout its history.
 
It has perhaps its greatest manifestation in the annual commemoration of Armistice Day, when the Nation keeps covenant with those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives in action”

Let we, the people, keep the Government and MOD to the promise they themselves made so recently when they published the Military Covenant!  The truth is that if such promises were kept we would probably have a Defence Budget of at least 3 per cent of GDP.
 
Col Bob Stewart DSO 7 Oct 07

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