British Military Current Events

[daftandbarmy]

The RAF in action:

Reuters

Check the New Years' Honours List for an AFC and a couple of DFCs  ;D

 

[CougarKing]

Reuters

Britain says will send more army trainers to Iraq to help fight Islamic State

By Michael Georgy

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Britain will boost the number of its army trainers in Iraq in the coming weeks to support the Iraqi armed forces' battle against Islamic State militants, the British defense secretary said on a visit to Baghdad on Wednesday.

Britain said last month it had deployed a team of trainers to Iraq to help Kurdish peshmerga fighters maintain and use heavy machineguns against the ultra radical militants which have taken over large parts of Iraq and Syria.

Britain also participated in U.S.-led air strikes against Islamic State, which beheaded 47-year-old British aid worker Alan Henning in October.

Defense Secretary Michael Fallon, who met with top Iraqi government officials during his visit to Baghdad, said the details of the mission would be ironed out soon.

(...SNIPPED)

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The last round of training certainly did not seem to pay off.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The last round of training certainly did not seem to pay off.

The usual British rules will likely apply when working with foreigners:

If they didn't get it first time around, shout louder!

 

[Kirkhill]

And after a bit of fun and games in Afghanistan, Britain sent Sergeant Whatsisname off to the Middle East for a bit of R&R....

Said England unto Pharaoh, "I must make a man of you,
  That will stand upon his feet and play the game;
That will Maxim his oppressor as a Christian ought to do,"
  And she sent old Pharaoh Sergeant Whatisname.
    It was not a Duke nor Earl, nor yet a Viscount --
      It was not a big brass General that came;
    But a man in khaki kit who could handle men a bit,
      With his bedding labelled Sergeant Whatisname.

....

....if you watch the Sergeant he can show vou something more.                                  '
  He's a charm for making riflemen from mud."
    It was neither Hindustani, French, nor Coptics;
      It was odds and ends and leavings of the same,
    Translated by a stick (which is really half the trick),
      And Pharaoh harked to Sergeant Whatisname.

http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/pharaoh_and_sergeant.html

Kipling 1897 - Don't you just love the eternal verities of the Classics?  Too bad they apparently don't teach them at Eaton anymore.

 

[CougarKing]

A number of recent scandals revolving around Libyan cadets being trained in the UK:

Libyan cadets face sexual assault charges in the UK (source: Guardian)

Libyan cadet in Bassingbourn claims 'poor treatment' (source: BBC)

Libyan soldiers at Cambridgeshire barracks 'seek UK asylum' (source: BBC)

 

[daftandbarmy]

And after a bit of fun and games in Afghanistan, Britain sent Sergeant Whatsisname off to the Middle East for a bit of R&R....

http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/pharaoh_and_sergeant.html

Kipling 1897 - Don't you just love the eternal verities of the Classics?  Too bad they apparently don't teach them at Eaton anymore.

Or Eton, either  ;D

 

[Kirkhill]

Or Eton, either  ;D

:-[ :'(

Been in Canada too dam long....

 

[dimsum]

:-[ :'(

Been in Canada too dam long....

You say that like it's a bad thing  >

 

[Kirkhill]

You say that like it's a bad thing  >

Oh....just pass me another beer. 

 

[daftandbarmy]

:-[ :'(

Been in Canada too dam long....

Which is clearly why your teeth are in such good shape.  8)

 

[OldSolduer]

Wrapping up the ASIST train the trainer course.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Dad's Army: MoD to call up the over-50s

The maximum age for some part-time soldiers to join the reserves has been raised to over 50
 

Over fifties will now be able to sign up as part-time soldiers after the Government raised the maximum allowable age to join, it was disclosed.

The moves comes as Army reservist recruitment figures were attacked as “shocking” and “embarrassing” after the ranks of part-time soldiers grew by just 20 in the past year, despite a Government drive to sign up thousands.

Julian Brazier, Minister for Reserves rejected claims that lifting the upper age limit from 43 to 52 for former regular soldiers wanting to join the reserves was a sign of desperation to meet recruitment targets. The army has also raised from 45 to 50 the age limit for civilians with specialist skills, such as a language or a medical background, who want to become an officer in the reserves.

“It is one more example of intelligent modification of the process,” Mr Brazier said. “Before, somebody would automatically get excluded if they were over age. Now we want to see what they are applying for.”

But Commanders were accused of “Dad’s Army” desperation, with one former officer telling The Times: “They will take anyone with a pulse.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/11230288/Dads-Army-MoD-to-call-up-the-over-50s.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

Joanna Lumley's legacy of misery: She fought to allow retired Gurkhas into Britain with her heart in the right place. Five years on, even they say it's backfired terribly

Shortly before 7pm last Tuesday, a multi-national scrum of shoppers began jostling for position in the fruit and vegetable section of Morrisons supermarket, Aldershot.

Their target: a variety of items reaching their sell-by date that were about to be sold for 9p, regardless of their original price.

A Romanian couple managed to grab the celery (down from 69p), while a Hampshire pensioner snatched the satsumas (reduced from 99p). But they were no match for the tenacious band of Nepalese incomers, who manoeuvered beside the tray with polite but practised efficiency to sweep up the most coveted bargains.

Why were they so desperate to buy this cheap produce, I asked one of the traditionally dressed Gurkha clan, Mrs Yam Kumari, a careworn woman who looked much older than her 53 years, as she clutched a plump cabbage.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2835216/Joanna-Lumley-s-legacy-misery-fought-allow-retired-Gurkhas-Britain-heart-right-place-Five-years-say-s-backfired-terribly.html#ixzz3J6N4FvCD

 

[CougarKing]

The "Desert Rats" say goodbye to their tanks...

UK MoD link

Desert Rats formally leave armoured role
14 November 2014

The final parade of 7th Armoured Brigade The Desert Rats was held in the small town of Bergen, north Germany, as they move from their armoured role into an infantry brigade.

Brigadier James Woodham, Commander of 7th Armoured Brigade, led the parade of 640 soldiers. They represented all the current units of the Brigade and those units that currently wear or have worn The Desert Rat on recent operations. He said: “We stand on the brink of some significant changes for 7th Armoured Brigade. We are starting the process of transitioning to 7th Infantry Brigade which will stand up in the UK in early next year.

“Today is an opportunity to celebrate a fantastic history that has been based here in Germany since the end of the Second World War and to thank our German hosts who have been so fantastic at looking after us whilst we’ve been here.”

(...SNIPPED)

 

[daftandbarmy]

Para Platoon, Earning the Maroon Beret

http://forces.tv/67488664#b4JqkyJSKfy4IQQR.01

 

[daftandbarmy]

Excellent news.... 

Medal 'victory' for forgotten Falklands hero as government U-turn paves the way for paratrooper to receive top gallantry award 
Stewart McLaughlin, 27, was killed during the Battle of Mount Longdon
And after the battle, his commanding officer put him forward for a medal
But he was denied a bravery award after the handwritten citation was lost
Now, he is in line to receive a top gallantry award after a U-turn by the PM


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2845759/Medal-victory-forgotten-Falklands-hero-government-U-turn-paves-way-paratrooper-receive-gallantry-award.html#ixzz3JsKRjR4F
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[daftandbarmy]

SAS quad bike squads kill up to 8 jihadis each day... as allies prepare to wipe IS off the map: Daring raids by UK Special Forces leave 200 enemy dead in just four weeks

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2845668/SAS-quad-bike-squads-kill-8-jihadis-day-allies-prepare-wipe-map-Daring-raids-UK-Special-Forces-leave-200-enemy-dead-just-four-weeks.html#ixzz3JsNHYjgI
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[medicineman]

Think they'll get issued special gang colours to put more of "the fear of God" into them?  Maybe blame it on the Hell's Angels or Rock Machine?  >

MM

 

[daftandbarmy]

Think they'll get issued special gang colours to put more of "the fear of God" into them?  Maybe blame it on the Hell's Angels or Rock Machine?  >

MM

At a rate of only 8 heads per day they should blame it on the ladies of the RAF Regiment  8)