6 posts tagged “war”
The Army's chief recruiter has defended the decision to launch a £2 million public relations campaign on the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
Brigadier Andrew Jackson, Commander of the Army Recruiting Group, said the timing was "coincidental" and rejected suggestions the money could have been better spent on improving pay or equipment.
But he also revealed the army was on course to miss its annual recruitment target by around 10% as he launched the To The Best campaign which encourages the public to show their support for British troops.
Polling carried out for the launch showed the public drawing a sharp distinction between their opinions of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan and the soldiers themselves.
While only 41% of those surveyed said they backed operations in Iraq and Afghanistan (with 38% opposed outright), 87% nevertheless said they supported British soldiers.
The campaign, which includes a series of emotive television advertisements, urges people to log their support for the armed forces on a new website: http://www.tothebest.army.mod.uk
The subtitled advertisements feature civilians in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Ghana thanking UK soldiers for services ranging from dramatic rescues to drilling new boreholes.
Brig Jackson highlighted the positive media coverage of Prince Harry's deployment to Afghanistan as reflecting the mood in the country in support of troops. But he acknowledged a series of high-profile controversies over support for soldiers in society at large including the row over forces personnel wearing uniforms in public.
And while he accepted that a website might be seen as an "abstract" way for the public to express support for soldiers sent to dangerous places, he said he hoped it would lead to people doing so in other ways such as attending parades.
The campaign, backed by a string of celebrities from rugby player Jonny Wilkinson to the singer Jamelia, has been criticised by relatives of some soldiers killed on operations.
A British mine disposal expert has been killed in Lebanon while clearing cluster bombs dropped by Israeli forces during last year's war with Hezbollah.
Craig Appleby, 36, from Farnham in Surrey, received fatal injuries when a bomblet exploded in the south of the country.
It is believed Mr Appleby was killed near Bint Jbeil, which is close to the border with Israel.
The former soldier had been in Lebanon for a month, working for ArmorGroup Mine Action, a UK-based company.
A spokesman for the company described Mr Appleby as a "highly experienced, highly qualified" individual with more than 10 years' experience.
He served in the British Army as a bomb disposal officer and as a mine action instructor to British, Nato and local troops worldwide, including in Bosnia, Kenya, Kosovo and Kuwait.
After leaving the Army, he worked as an explosive ordnance disposal adviser and trainer in Saudi Arabia, Libya and Rwanda
The spokesman said: "Craig was a shining example of those who work in this highly dangerous field, without whom local communities are unable to rebuild their lives safely and confidently following armed conflict.
"Although he had only been with us for a short time, he had already proved himself highly capable, an excellent leader and was well liked and respected by his team.
"On behalf of ArmorGroup, I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Craig's family at the loss of a fine son, brother and friend and would like to confirm that the company is doing all that it can to work with the family in their hour of need."
The most seriously injured troops are to receive more cash under
reforms to the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme announced on Thursday.
Defence Secretary Des Browne said personnel who were hurt in the line of duty would be eligible for payouts for all injuries suffered in a single incident - rather than just the three most serious.
Those who have been injured since the start of the scheme in April 2005 will receive additional payments so they receive the same benefits.
The maximum lump sum payout would stay at £285,000 under the proposals - which will now go for consultation.
The move follows a series of high-profile cases where payments for those hurt in the line of duty have been seen as inadequate.
Paratrooper Ben Parkinson was left paralysed after being blown up by a land mine in Afghanistan last year, losing both legs, suffering severe fractures, and receiving brain damage that left him unable to speak and with severe memory loss.
However, the 23-year-old - who was serving with the 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery - was awarded only an "insulting" £152,000 lump sum because rules of the scheme meant that most of his wounds counted for nothing.
By comparison, an RAF typist who damaged her thumb at the Ministry of Defence in London was given a £484,000 payout.
Defence Secretary Des Browne said: "Our Armed Forces are unique in making a vital contribution to the security of our nation and we have a responsibility to continue to look after them properly when they get injured.
"This review will benefit those with the most serious multiple injuries - and they will be compensated for all their injuries up to the full £285,000 lump sum payment."
The Royal British Legion says Britain has failed to live up to its duty of care to its armed forces.
A nationwide campaign is being launched to highlight the group's Military Covenant which is described as a promise from the nation to help ease the plight of wounded service personnel.
It is a three-pronged campaign demanding a just compensation scheme recognising the commitment and sacrifices made by those serving the nation, Greater commitment to support the physical and mental health of service personnel and their families and more support for bereaved service families.
Speaking at the launch, Frances Done, director general of the Royal British Legion, said: "We believe the nation has failed to live up to its commitments under the Covenant, with the consequence that some people have been left to struggle alone once they leave the services.
"Charities such as the Legion are increasingly being called upon to fill the gap.
"The issues have reached a critical stage. They require the immediate attention of Parliament and must be seriously addressed by all parties in the next general election."
She added: "Thousands of our servicemen and women are putting their lives on the line for us at this moment. They do not hesitate to fulfil their duty and neither should we.
"A career in the armed forces is unique. Those who join know they will have to follow orders, even if this leads to their death.
"This bravery should be recognised and rewarded with the provision of proper care for service people past and present, and their families should the worst happen."
Armed forces minister Bob Ainsworth said: "I welcome the Royal British Legion's campaign to generate debate about the covenant between the nation and the armed forces.
"I will look in detail at the Royal British Legion's concerns and respond in full as soon as possible.
"I do not believe that the covenant is broken and, having spoken to the military chiefs, nor do they.
"But making sure that the covenant is upheld, particularly when we are asking our people to do so much, is very important.
"For this reason we keep the support we provide to our personnel and their families under constant review.
With the help of a laptop, some recording equipment and a spare stationery cupboard the Army is trying to bring absent parents home for a few minutes each evening.
Today's emphasis on foreign deployments makes British Army life tough.
Tough on the soldier who - with the demands on so few, covering so many conflicts - barely has weeks between the rotation of operational tours. But tough also on the families left behind.
Four-year-old Sophie Brown is like any other. With her straw-blonde hair, perfect rows of grinning milk teeth and an infectious belly laugh, she is a happy, well-adjusted little girl. But for more than a quarter of her life, she's had no Daddy to read her a bedtime story.
Daddy is a soldier.
It doesn't take a child psychologist to tell you that separation from a parent can have a detrimental effect on a child. But prolonged and sporadic absences like those suffered by children of service personnel can be the most damaging.
Storybook Soldiers was inspired by Storybook Dads, which was first established at Dartmoor Prison three years ago. Kirsty Alderson, an ex-Army officer who now works at an Army Education Centre based in Wiltshire, was at an award ceremony in London almost a year ago and found herself sitting next to the team from Storybook Dads.
"I chatted to them and they explained their underlying aim was to maintain contact between parents in prison and their children - precisely what the Army strives to do for its families.
"We had won £1,500 prize money at the event and slowly the seed was planted in my mind that we could do a version of their scheme for soldiers," she said.
Within months, Kirsty and a team of volunteers had travelled to Dartmoor to learn more, and had bought recording equipment, laptops, editing software and discs, before commandeering a stationery cupboard at the barracks in Tidworth.
Private insight
As April approached and the Tidworth regiments began making the move to Iraq, word of the scheme got round and the first, slightly hesitant, soldiers peered around her door.
"You have to be sensitive too, because it is a real insight into their private lives and into their relationship with their child, which is very personal.
"Also, when they're reading the stories I think it really hits home exactly what they are about to do - and it's hard for them."
It's mainly fathers, but there are mothers too. They read the tales and Kirsty and her team then add music and sound effects and make a proper CD case with animated cover.
Rosemary Meeke, one of the Storybook Soldiers team, says: "We have had people recording stories for everything from unborn babies, to eight-year-olds, from all ranks, from privates to colonels and from all units too.
"One soldier even made up his own story - he got quite carried away and brought in characters from other stories and different plots. It was all very Roald Dahl!"
Michael "Ginge" Brown was in no doubt he wanted to leave Sophie with her very own memory of Daddy when he headed off to Basra this spring.
A warrant officer with the Engineers, he has had a busy career.
"I was in Iraq last summer as well as this. I've done 11 years in Northern Ireland, six months in Bosnia, Kosovo and the Falklands and I just feel that I can't contribute as much as I'd like with the children.
"Storybook Soldiers seemed like an idyllic way of both trying to offset the burden of my wife Shirley being the sole carer for our family and of Soph being able to keep a little piece of Daddy."
Home for two precious weeks of R&R, Brown explained that such is the word-of-mouth popularity of the scheme that one of the padres out in Basra had gathered up a collection of children's books and was helping those who missed out before deployment to record a tale while based in Iraq.
It can be punishing for them though.
In temperatures pushing over 50 degrees Celsius, the precious air conditioning unit has to be switched off because its buzz affects the levels.
"It's a bit of a man test," he laughed.
The Army Welfare Service has welcomed the scheme, saying it can only have a positive effect on children who find it hard to understand why daddy, and sometimes mummy, is not always there.
And given the volatile nature of an operational tour in Basra, there is an undoubted benefit for those who have lost loved ones in having a permanent recording of their voice.
Rosemary said: "It's not only nice for the children to hear their daddy, but the mothers find it a comfort too."
The team now plans to take Storybook Soldiers to Germany where despite a staggered scaling back, there are still thousands of UK troops based who also deploy on operations.
"We're so excited that it's taken off," said Kirsty.
So does Sophie enjoy her Charlie and Lola and Thomas The Tank Engine Tales?
"Yes. They're very nice," she answered coyly.
And does it make her feel closer to Daddy?
"Yes. And that's very nice too thank you."
The Seventh Annual Weblog Awards have been recently announced at http://2007.bloggies.com
Although there is some good stuff recognised, surprisingly, neither of my two favourite blogs, apart from this one (which is only ever destined for mediocrity at it's very best) was featured. I would therefore like to award my own personal "Bloggies" to the following:
Baghdad Burning - Girl Blog from Iraq... let's talk war, politics and occupation.
and
Random Acts of Reality - a Blog based in London, England, written by an E.M.T working for the London Ambulance Service. ( Subtitled "trying to kill as few people as possible")
Enjoy.
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