British Military Current Events

[Blackadder1916]

[urlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/apr/25/military.kosovo]New mission for British troops in Kosovo[/url]

Richard Norton-Taylor The Guardian, Friday April 25 2008

Britain is to deploy hundreds of troops to Kosovo in a move likely to revive claims that the government is demanding too much from its armed forces.

Senior military and defence officials have agreed to a request from Nato to send a battlegroup based on 2 Rifles, a light infantry battalion of about 600 soldiers, to help maintain "public order" in the newly independent Balkan state, the Guardian has learned.

For the first six months of this year, Britain is responsible for providing Nato's standby reserve force for the Balkans. British defence sources said yesterday the deployment of 2 Rifles would not have a significant impact on the army's other commitments, notably in Iraq and Afghanistan - but that depended on how long the force will be asked to stay in Kosovo. Britain has told Nato it is willing to deploy the battalion, but for no longer than a month. A decision to deploy the troops is expected to be approved by the cabinet on Tuesday, say defence officials. They will be dispatched at the end of May.

Nato commanders expect increased ethnic tension in Kosovo over the coming months. Serb parliamentary and local elections are due to take place on May 11. On June 15, a new constitution establishing Kosovo independence - in defiance of Serb opposition - comes into effect. "The overall situation in Kosovo is always unpredictable," said Major General Martin Rutledge, head of a UK military team working for the UN mission in Kosovo.

The extra burden placed on British troops comes as the government confirmed that planned cuts in the number of troops in Iraq have been put on hold. Des Browne, the defence secretary, said yesterday in a written Commons statement that the number of troops based at Basra airport would remain at about 4,000 for the foreseeable future. The prime minister said late last year he hoped the number would be cut to 2,500 by this spring.

Browne referred to recent Iraqi-led operations against elements of Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi army militia in Basra. Iraqi forces had established control over "large parts" of the city and all key routes in and out, and were removing "significant numbers" of illegal weapons, he told MPs.

Eight hundred US and 150 UK troops were involved in the operation as "advisers", according to defence officials.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Holy cr*p.....

Not sure if this has already been posted, but worth a re-post anyways if so:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7321647.stm

Marine threw himself onto grenade

A Royal Marine who threw himself onto an exploding grenade to save the lives of his patrol has been put forward for the UK's highest military honour.

Lance Corporal Matt Croucher, 24, a reservist from Birmingham, survived because his rucksack and body armour took the force of the blast.

He was part of a reconnaissance troop in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in February, when the incident happened.

The Ministry of Defence said he could be considered for the Victoria Cross.

Bloodied nose

A spokesman said L/Cpl Croucher's comrades had made a citation to their commanding officer and officers were now considering whether to put his name forward for the honour.

L/Cpl Croucher, a member of 40 Commando, had been searching a compound south of Sangin which was suspected as being used for making bombs to attack British and Afghan troops.

When a Taleban booby-trap grenade was tripped, L/Cpl Croucher jumped on to the device to absorb the force of the explosion with his backpack as his comrades dived for cover.

The blast blew his rucksack more than 30ft away but he remarkably suffered only severe shock and a bloodied nose in the incident.

 

[armyvern]

Merged. And, a bump.

 

[daftandbarmy]

MI5 accused of colluding in torture of terrorist suspects

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/29/humanrights.uksecurity1

British agents alleged to have questioned men at Pakistani interrogation centre after they had been brutally mistreated

Officers of the Security Service, MI5, are being accused of "outsourcing" the torture of British citizens to a notorious Pakistani intelligence agency in an attempt to obtain information about terrorist plots and to secure convictions against al-Qaida suspects.

A number of British terrorism suspects who have been arrested in Pakistan at the request of UK authorities say their interrogation by Security Service officers, shortly after brutal torture at the hands of agents of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), has convinced them that MI5 colluded in the mistreatment.

Those men have given detailed accounts of their alleged ordeals at the hands of the ISI over the last four years. Some of them appear to have been taken to the same secret interrogation centre in Rawalpindi, where they say they were repeatedly tortured before being questioned by MI5.

Tayab Ali, a London-based lawyer for two of the men, said: "I am left with no doubt that, at the very worst, the British Security Service instigates the illegal detention and torture of British citizens, and at the very best turns a blind eye to torture."

One man from Manchester says that in 2006 he was beaten, whipped, deprived of sleep and had three fingernails slowly extracted by ISI agents at the Rawalpindi centre before being interrogated by two MI5 officers. A number of his alleged associates were questioned in Manchester at the same time and two were subsequently charged. This man's lawyers say his fingernails were missing when they were eventually allowed to see him, more than a year after he was first detained. They say they have pathology reports that prove the nails were forcibly removed.

 

[MarkOttawa]

More on this:

Army stretched to 'dangerous levels' as troops are deployed in Kosovo
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/29/narmy129.xml

The Armed Forces are being stretched to "dangerous levels", critics claimed yesterday after it emerged that a final reserve battalion will be sent to Kosovo.

Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, will tell Parliament that a battle group of more than 600 troops from the 2nd Bn The Rifles will fly out to a potentially hostile reception next month.

In order to avoid accusations that Britain has no reserve battalion to deal with emergencies at home or abroad, the MoD rapidly created a new force last month.

The 3rd Bn Royal Regiment of Scotland was brought in to replace 2 Rifles as the Spearhead Land Element when defence planners realised the Rifles might be needed in Kosovo.

The Rifles were renamed the "Operational Reserve Force" and will now head to Pristina in late May coming under the command of the UN-led operation.

But opposition politicians yesterday accused the Government of stretching the military to "paper thin" levels.

"The Army will be holding its breath and hoping that there is no severe deterioration in the security situation," said Nick Harvey, the Lib Dem defence spokesman.

"With a further deployment in Kosovo it is hard to see how the simultaneous operations in Iraq, Afghanistan are remotely sustainable, even in the short term."

He called for a Strategic Defence Review "as a matter of urgency" in order to "better match resources with our commitments".

Defence chiefs have negotiated for the infantry battalion to remain on operations for 30 days as Kosovo, which was forcibly removed from Serb national territory after the UN imposed "supervised independence" in February.

But they could remain longer if there is trouble from the minority Serb population after the new Kosovo constitution is introduced on June 15 establishing independence that will be welcomed by the majority ethnic Albanians.

Britain is rapidly running out of reserves with eight infantry battalions on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The same numbers are preparing to deploy and another eight are recovering from the arduous six month tours from a total of 36 battalions.

The Airborne Task Force is also no longer available as all three battalions of the Parachute Regiment are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The head of the Army, Gen Sir Richard Dannatt, warned in a document obtained by The Daily Telegraph last summer that reinforcements for emergencies are "now almost non-existent".

In the memorandum to fellow defence leaders, the Chief of the General Staff said: "We now have almost no capability to react to the unexpected".

With the Army significantly under-strength by 3,500 troops it is struggling to plug the gaps on the frontline.

Resources have been further stretched after Mr Browne announced this month that troop numbers would remain at 4,000 in Basra rather than a reduction to 2,500 announced by the Prime Minister last autumn.

Mark
Ottawa

 

[daftandbarmy]

One wonders if this 'cry for help' is genuine, or merely an attempt to garner more sympathy for the Army, which is always struggling with the Navy and Air Force for pieces of an increasingly smaller defence budget.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Prince William flies in secret to visit British troops in Afghanistan war zone

Fran Yeoman  from Times Online April 29, 2008

Prince William has made a secret visit to British troops in Afghanistan, it was revealed last night.

The Prince took control of a C17 Globemaster transport aircraft for part of its journey from the UK to Kandahar, in the south of the country, on Sunday morning.

He spent three hours on the ground at the airfield, which is a regular target for rocket attacks, meeting personnel and being briefed on the work of British troops in the region — in particular that of the Royal Air Force.

The Prince, who is reaching the end of a four-month attachment with the RAF, then flew to the al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the main British support base for both Operation Telic in Iraq and Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. He spent several hours there before flying back to Britain, where he arrived on Monday. The whole trip took about 30 hours, a spokesman said.

Security concerns meant that the Prince’s visit was kept secret until last night. A fortnight ago two British soldiers were killed when their vehicle was caught in an explosion during a patrol to protect the Kandahar airfield.

A spokesman for Clarence House said last night that the 25-year-old Prince joined the air crew of a scheduled transport flight to Afghanistan, and piloted the aircraft for part of the eight-hour journey to and from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, but did not land the aircraft or take off.

He said that both the Queen and the Prince of Wales gave their consent to the trip, which was intended to give Prince William an insight into how the RAF is operating in a conflict zone.

“The purpose of the trip was for the Prince to familiarise himself with the operations of the RAF in theatre,”

the spokesman said. He added that the visit was the “culmination of his time with the RAF”, and had “passed without a hitch”.

Prince William, who is known in the RAF as Flying Officer Wales, was presented with his pilot’s “wings” by his father at a graduation ceremony this month. But his short time with the RAF has not been without controversy. In recent weeks the Service has attracted criticism for allowing Prince William to land a multimillion-pound Chinook helicopter in the Berkshire garden of his girlfriend, Kate Middleton.

He also used a Chinook to fly to the stag party of Peter Phillips, his cousin, on the Isle of Wight, stopping off at Woolwich Barracks in southeast London to pick up Prince Harry.

The younger Prince has considerably more first-hand experience of Afghanistan than his brother, after spending ten weeks working as a forward air controller in Helmand province before being swiftly pulled out of the country when news of his presence leaked out in last month.

Last week he and William visited Headley Court Rehabilitation Centre in Surrey, where they met troops who had been injured in Afghanistan, including Marine Ben McBean, 21, who was flown back to the UK at the same time as Prince Harry after losing an arm and a leg.

Prince William’s next attachment, with the Royal Navy, will begin after a period of leave at the beginning of June. The secondments are designed as part of a “familiarisation” exercise to help the Prince understand all the Armed Forces, which he will one day head.

 

[geo]

Cheech... William has been getting stick time on a whole range of aircraft.... including C17, Lancaster bomber, Toronado..... guess he's just a chip off the old block.  Just hope he has better taste in wives.... Camilla

 

[daftandbarmy]

British troops to stay in Basra 'for the long term'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/may/02/desbrowne.defence


Britain will maintain a garrison of 4,000 troops at Basra airport for the forseeable future, whatever the pressures on the armed forces, defence officials said last night. They described the British garrison as being there "for the long term" after talks in London yesterday between General David Petraeus, commander of US forces in Iraq, Des Browne, the defence secretary, and Sir Jock Stirrup, chief of the defence staff.
It was said that the troops were needed to continue their task of training Iraqi forces and also to maintain what officials called "political credence" with the US.

After an hour's meeting at Downing Street with Gordon Brown, Petraeus said British forces had been "invaluable" in providing intelligence, air and logistics support for Iraq troops engaged in the recent Charge of the Knights operation against Mahdi army militia elements supporting the Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Asked how long the US wanted 4,000 British troops stationed outside Basra, Petraeus responded: "The answer right now is we don't know ... We need to work [it] out in the next month or two as we look at the so-called troop-to-task analysis."

British defence sources said that did not mean a decision would be taken then to reduce the number of UK troops in Iraq. The hope expressed by Gordon Brown late last year that the number could be reduced to 2,500 this spring clearly has been dashed. Petraeus said the immediate focus was on helping Iraqi forces in their operation against Mahdi army and criminal elements in Basra. He said more than 1,000 Iranian-made mortar and artillery rounds as well as rockets had been found in the city. British officials said that though private polls suggested the people of Basra were relatively optimistic about the future, the situation in Basra remained "fragile". About 800 US troops, including special forces, are helping a combined force of 30,000 Iraqi army and police. About 150 British troops are involved. The British and US military troops involved were advisers, officials said.

Petraeus, who was accompanied by Ryan Crocker, US ambassador to Iraq, said the supplies of Iranian weapons into Iraq were a "huge concern". British forces are not getting involved in these disputes in what ministers call their "overwatch" role, providing air support, including helicopter supplies and surveillance, to Iraqi forces in the city.

They are also training the Iraqi army's 14th division based in Basra. British military planners and commanders hoped that by now they could have substantially reduced the number of British troops in Iraq, and are frustrated by the time it has taken the Iraqi army to develop into an effective force. Petraeus admitted that Iraqi forces in the recent operation in Basra had got off to a "shaky start. Some were not equal to the task," he said.

Iraq's interior ministry said yesterday that more than 1,000 Iraqis had been killed in April, 968 of them civilians.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Robobug goes to war: Troops to use electronic insects to spot enemy 'by end of the year'

It may have seemed like just another improbable scene from a Hollywood sci-fi flick – Tom Cruise battling against an army of robotic spiders intent on hunting him down.

But the storyline from Minority Report may not be quite as far fetched as it sounds.


British defence giant BAE Systems is creating a series of tiny electronic spiders, insects and snakes that could become the eyes and ears of soldiers on the battlefield, helping to save thousands of lives.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=563786&in_page_id=1965

 

[daftandbarmy]

Now this is VERY serious, chaps

Nuclear threat sparked tea worry 
 

The threat of a nuclear attack on the UK in the 1950s caused concern over the supply of tea, top-secret documents which have now been released reveal.

Government officials planning food supplies said the tea situation would be "very serious" after a nuclear war.

"It would be wrong to consider that even 1oz per head per week could be ensured," they stated.

The papers were released under the Freedom of Information Act by the National Archives at Kew.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7382750.stm

 

[Blackadder1916]

Not surprising considering the relationship of the Brits to their tea, especially back then.  For many, probably the main method of taking liquids (save beer) was tea.  In all situations, it seemed that when there was any pause you put on the kettle.

From the movie A Bridge Too Far
Corporal Hancock: Sir. [Offering a mug of tea]
Major General Urquhart: Hancock. I've got lunatics laughing at me from the woods. My original plan has been scuppered now that the jeeps haven't arrived. My communications are completely broken down. Do you really believe any of that can be helped by a cup of tea?
Corporal Hancock: Couldn't hurt, sir.
[Urquhart accepts his mug of tea]

 

[daftandbarmy]

Huzzah!

Sir Michael takes stand for soldiers with Zulu posters

From the http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Sir-Michael-takes-stand-for.4049837.jp



SIR Michael Caine, the veteran film star is to donate posters from Zulu in aid of an Armed Forces fundraising campaign.

Sir Michael is among a host of stars to show their support for the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) Big Salute, the new annual forces fundraiser on BFBS Radio and television worldwide.

Actor Ewan McGregor, singer James Blunt, comedian Al Murray and reality TV stars the Osbournes are among those backing the scheme. The campaign is dedicated to supporting British Forces personnel and those who have served their country and suffered as a result.

Sir Michael is donating two signed Zulu posters to the auction. The film was recently voted the British Forces' favourite.

Sir Michael said: "My thoughts and best wishes are always with them because I used to be, and always will be, one of them."

 

[geo]

Zulu,
I loved that movie..... Huzzah for the Royal Engineers!

 

[Old Sweat]

Sir Michael also served in Korea in the Royal Fusiliers, so his support for the army is based in part on his experience.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Chelsea gunman shot dead after 5 hour siege

Looks like he was a member of the military....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1933408/Chelsea-gunman-shot-dead-after-5-hour-siege.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

Zulu,
I loved that movie..... Huzzah for the Royal Engineers!

AND the 24th of Foot (aka The Royal Regiment of Wales)!

 

[daftandbarmy]

Big deal  :

Lots of civvies practise freefall techniques in similar facilities to make the best use of aircraft time...


Paratroopers forced to practise parachute jumps in a wind tunnel due to shortage of planes

British Paratroopers are having to practise jumping in a vertical wind tunnel because the RAF is so short of aircraft.


Members of the Army's elite Pathfinder Platoon are warning that their parachute training is suffering "as a result of the paucity of aircraft in the UK", because so many RAF Hercules planes are in Afghanistan and Iraq, or have been shot down or destroyed on operations.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=565191&in_page_id=1770

 

[daftandbarmy]

Exclusive report: Soldiers need loans to eat, report reveals

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/exclusive-report-soldiers-need-loans-to-eat-report-reveals-825928.html

Senior figures react angrily to damning indictment of life inside the Army. Jonathan Owen and Brian Brady investigate

A highly sensitive internal report into the state of the British Army has revealed that many soldiers are living in poverty. Some are so poor that they are unable to eat and are forced to rely on emergency food voucher schemes set up by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Some of Britain's most senior military figures reacted angrily yesterday to the revelations in the report, criticising the Government's treatment of its fighting forces.

The disturbing findings outlined in the briefing team report written for Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff, include an admission that many junior officers are being forced to leave the Army because they simply cannot afford to stay on.

Pressure from an undermanned army is "having a serious impact on retention in infantry battalions", with nearly half of all soldiers unable to take all their annual leave as they try to cover the gaps.

The analysis, described by General Dannatt as "a comprehensive and accurate portrayal of the views and concerns of the Army at large", states: "More and more single-income soldiers in the UK are now close to the UK government definition of poverty." It reveals that "a number of soldiers were not eating properly because they had run out of money by the end of the month". Commanders are attempting to tackle the problem through "Hungry Soldier" schemes, under which destitute soldiers are given loans to enable them to eat.

The scheme symbolises a change from the tradition of soldiers getting three square meals a day for free. Now hard-up soldiers have to fill out a form which entitles them to a voucher. The cost is deducted from their future wages, adding to the problems of soldiers on low pay.

The controversial Pay as You Dine (PAYD) regime, which requires soldiers not on active duty to pay for their meals, has seen commanding officers inundated with complaints from soldiers unhappy at the quality of food that they get and the amount of paperwork involved.

Senior officers warn in the report that "there is a duty of care issue" and add that the "core meal" provided to soldiers on duty "is often not the healthy option". The confusion of which soldiers even qualify for free meals while on duty is revealed in the admission that "in some areas the soldier has to pay and then claim back and in others the duty meal is included in the contract".

General Dannatt has vowed to take action. He said, "I am determined that PAYD must be made to work to both the financial and physical well-being of those who are fed."

Despite numerous assurances by the Government to look after wounded soldiers, the report warns of deep resentment over a cap on the amount of compensation that wounded soldiers receive. It outlines the "deep frustration" at the inadequate amount being spent on accommodation.

The level of accidental deaths also comes under fire. "Ten potentially avoidable accident fatalities in operational theatres in one year [2007] is not acceptable," said General Dannatt.

He added: "I am concerned at the comments from the chain of command, some elements of which clearly believe that they will lose influence over their soldiers and that this will impact on unit cohesion." He also described improvements to equipment as being of "little use" because there is not enough for soldiers to be trained in using it until they are deployed.

Army chiefs and politicians claimed the document proved the Government was failing to meet its responsibilities towards Britain's servicemen and women, laid out in the Military Covenant. They say it is a damning indictment of an army that is losing its edge and close to breaking point as it struggles to keep pace with fighting a war on two fronts.

Patrick Mercer, a Tory MP and former army colonel, said the report reinforced widespread anxieties over conditions for the troops and that many top-ranking officers are breaking ranks to express their fears. "I've been talking to some very senior officers recently, all of whom privately have said to me that the Army is running on empty; the money has run out," Mr Mercer said. "The manpower situation is in crisis, and the so-called Military Covenant is abused at every turn. The thing that really worries them is the manpower situation and the fact that the MoD seems to be in denial about it."

Colonel Bob Stewart, a former commander of British forces in Bosnia, said the Army was struggling with overstretch and undermanning. He added: "It's inevitable that the British Army is actually woefully imbalanced ... badly equipped, particularly for training, and quite honestly I'm afraid to say it is losing its edge as a top-rate army in the world because it cannot maintain it."

Major General Julian Thompson, who led 3 Commando Brigade in the Falklands war, said: "There are certain ministers that may be very honest and care and want things done, but the problem is whether they are being given support from the very top, and I sense that they are not. We all know where the money comes from, the Treasury and the Prime Minister."

Major General Patrick Cordingley, who led the Desert Rats into Iraq during the first Gulf War, said the report raised serious questions about the Army's ability to meet its commitments. He said: "I would be very concerned about the strain on the armed forces remaining at this level of deployment in both Afghanistan and Iraq. It cannot be sustained for longer than perhaps another two years."

An MoD spokesman yesterday tried to gloss over the report, which was based on months of interviews with thousands of soldiers and their families between July 2007 and January 2008. He attempted to play down the degree of poverty among soldiers, many of whom earn £16,000 a year, and added: "Briefing team reports contain the unedited views of individual soldiers, some of which reflect widespread opinion, while others are isolated views. The reports are published widely and the feedback given by lower ranks in the Army helps CGS to stay firmly in touch with life across the Army."

But there is a growing dissent being expressed on military websites. Pay remains a major issue for both soldiers and officers. One describes the pay as "appalling, disgusting and pathetic".

Douglas Young of the British Armed Forces Federation said: "People are leaving the armed forces for financial reasons. There's no question about that."

Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Nick Harvey said, "Junior ranks in the armed forces have terrible salaries when you compare them to people starting out in the police service or fire service. How on earth are you supposed to recruit and retain people unless you offer a decent salary?"

To read the full report, click here

The IoS Military Covenant campaign

Our aims

We want soldiers to have the right to expect any war to be lawful, to have adequate resources, the right to be properly cared for in the event of injury, and the right to know that, in the event of their death, their families will be properly looked after.

The Covenant

"Soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices – including the ultimate sacrifice – in the service of the nation ... In return, British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals.

"The chain of command, from the Government downwards, is responsible for articulating and sustaining the morality and justice of the cause in question ... Only on this basis of absolute confidence in the justice and morality of the cause can British soldiers be expected to be prepared to give their lives..."

What the big guns say...

Colonel Bob Stewart, former UN commander, Bosnia: "The British Army is imbalanced and is losing its edge as a top-rate army in the world"

Maj-Gen Patrick Cordingley, Commander, first Gulf War: "It saddens me how little the junior ranks are paid when you consider what they are asked to do"

Lord Bramall, former chief of defence staff: "Each year they strive to put a quart set of requirements into a pint pot of funding"

Colonel Clive Fairweather: Former SAS deputy commander: "I really do think the Army is heading for the rocks and I don't say this lightly"

 

[daftandbarmy]

Soldiers test positive for drugs 


Ten soldiers serving with the Black Watch have tested positive for illegal drugs in a random test, the Army has confirmed.

The tests were carried out on the soldiers, who form part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, at their Fort George barracks near Inverness.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/7406302.stm