British Military Current Events

[daftandbarmy]

Well deserved....

New medal unveiled to honour Kabul evacuation heroes​

Members of the Armed Forces who were deployed in August 2021 to support the evacuation from Afghanistan will receive medallic recognition for their contribution. This was the largest humanitarian aid operation in over 70 years.

From:

Ministry of Defence

Published

19 January 2022



The Operation Pitting clasp and medal

Personnel from across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force will receive the Operational Service Medal (OSM) Afghanistan, with its own distinctive clasp, for their involvement in Operation Pitting – an evacuation effort to airlift thousands of Afghans and British nationals from Afghanistan as the Taliban seized control of the country.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

I’m delighted that Her Majesty The Queen has given permission for a special medal to be awarded to all those who deployed to Kabul, to honour their heroism in the face of extreme adversity.

Operation PITTING will go down as one of the great achievements of our UK Armed Services and their civilian counterparts in the post-war era. The whole country can be immensely proud of their tireless work to bring men, women and children to safety. They represent the very best of us.

Commanded from the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, Operation Pitting began on 13th August 2021 and assisted those eligible for relocation to the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy from Afghanistan.

During this period of humanitarian crisis, the military provided food and water, clothing, medical supplies and hygiene products for evacuees and policed the airport alongside multiple forces from across the world. 16 Air Assault Brigade put 600 soldiers on the ground to provide force protection and logistical support to the vast operation at Kabul Airport.

The RAF also completed a record-breaking flight with a passenger number of 439 on a Globemaster.

The operation ended on 28th August 2021 and resulted in the safe evacuation of over 15,000 people on 100 flights, from at least 38 different nations. This was a key part of a multi-national effort which secured the evacuation of over 122,000 people.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Last August, the Armed Forces demonstrated true heroism, bravery and dedication by supporting Operation Pitting – a monumental effort to airlift over 15,000 vulnerable Afghans and British nationals from Afghanistan during a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis.

As the security situation worsened by the hour, our service men and women stepped up and delivered the largest British evacuation since the Second World War. They will rightly receive medallic recognition for their efforts.

I would like to thank them, and all our service personnel, on behalf of the public and UK Government for safely evacuating endangered Afghans through some of the most desperate scenes imaginable. You have done us all proud.

Following approval from Her Majesty The Queen, they will now receive the medallic recognition their efforts deserve.

The medal​

The medal is the existing OSM Afghanistan, but with an ‘OPERATION PITTING’ clasp. Those who already have the OSM Afghanistan with the ‘AFGHANISTAN’ clasp will receive the new clasp to affix to the ribbon. The medal is silver and circular in shape.

The obverse shows the crowned effigy of Elizabeth II with the inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF.

The reverse bears the Union Flag, surrounded by the inscription FOR OPERATIONAL SERVICE and the four major points of the compass with, between the points, four Coronets: Royal (top left), Naval (Navy, top right), Mural (Army, bottom left), and Astral (Royal Air Force, bottom right).

Ribbon: The ribbon consists of a broad central red stripe, flanked each side by a stripe of navy blue and one of light blue, to represent the three services, with an outer stripe of light brown, to represent the Afghan landscape.

Clasp: OPERATION PITTING clasp.



New medal unveiled to honour Kabul evacuation heroes

 

[daftandbarmy]

Now there's the British Army I know and love (and still fear)

A British soldier reportedly tried to get high off shoe polish. He started a barracks fire instead​

“Lance Cpl. Thomas then went upstairs and didn't report the fire.”

A British Army soldier was booted from the military after he got stoned on boot polish and accidentally set fire to his barracks, multiple British news outlets have reported. Lance Cpl. David Thomas was in a common room at the Tidworth Camp, a military base in Wiltshire, England, when the incident happened in January 2020, according to Forces.net, a British military news site.

A British soldier reportedly tried to get high off shoe polish. He started a barracks fire instead

“Lance Cpl. Thomas then went upstairs and didn't report the fire.”

taskandpurpose.com

 

[FJAG]

Not so current events but the British Army Review has issued a BAR Special Report on the Gulf War.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Must be nice...

The British Army’s new attack helicopter, the Apache AH-64E, has been brought into frontline service.​

Fifty Apache AH-64E Version 6 aircraft (rebuilt from the British Army’s pre-existing Apache AH1 fleet) have been purchased from the United States with 14 of them having been delivered to the British Army so far.

The AH-64E replaces the Apache Mk.1, which entered service in 2001 and proved itself as a battle winning asset on Afghanistan and Libya. The Boeing-built AH-64E features new drivetrain and rotor blades to boost flying performance; improved sights and sensors; communications systems to share data with other helicopters, uncrewed aircraft systems and ground forces; and embedded maintenance diagnostic systems to increase aircraft availability.”

New version of Apache attack helicopter enters service

50 Apache AH-64E attack helicopters have been purchased from the United States with 14 of them having been delivered to the British Army so far.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

 

[Kirkhill]

Must be nice...

The British Army’s new attack helicopter, the Apache AH-64E, has been brought into frontline service.​

Fifty Apache AH-64E Version 6 aircraft (rebuilt from the British Army’s pre-existing Apache AH1 fleet) have been purchased from the United States with 14 of them having been delivered to the British Army so far.

The AH-64E replaces the Apache Mk.1, which entered service in 2001 and proved itself as a battle winning asset on Afghanistan and Libya. The Boeing-built AH-64E features new drivetrain and rotor blades to boost flying performance; improved sights and sensors; communications systems to share data with other helicopters, uncrewed aircraft systems and ground forces; and embedded maintenance diagnostic systems to increase aircraft availability.”

New version of Apache attack helicopter enters service

50 Apache AH-64E attack helicopters have been purchased from the United States with 14 of them having been delivered to the British Army so far.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

Ship of Theseus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Forever and ever. Amen.

 

[OldSolduer]

Must be nice...

​

The AH-64E replaces the Apache Mk.1, which entered service in 2001 and proved itself as a battle winning asset on Afghanistan and Libya. T

New version of Apache attack helicopter enters service

50 Apache AH-64E attack helicopters have been purchased from the United States with 14 of them having been delivered to the British Army so far.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

And that is precisely one reason the CAF will never have attack helicopters. Canada has far too many "give peace a chance" types.

 

[Rifleman62]

Non Lethal Canadian Forces, Trudeau's desire. Wait for the official change to CF from CAF

 

[FJAG]

Non Lethal Canadian Forces, Trudeau's desire. Wait for the official change to CF from CAF

We're already the CF. Para 14 of the NDA provides:

PART II The Canadian Forces​

Constitution​

Marginal note: Canadian Forces

14 The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces.

If you read through the NDA, the reference is always to "the Canadian Forces" not the "Canadian Armed Forces".

 

[daftandbarmy]

We're already the CF. Para 14 of the NDA provides:



If you read through the NDA, the reference is always to "the Canadian Forces" not the "Canadian Armed Forces".

 

[Rifleman62]

Wolf, is this still correct:

14 The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces.


Do we not legally have the Navy, Army, Air Force rather than on Service called the CF?

I was being facetious in my post. The change could be "Canadian Military Services" , as some Police are now called Police Services vice Police Force.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Do we not legally have the Navy, Army, Air Force rather than on Service called the CF?

No. The army, navy and the other guys are just commands that were retitled with the traditional names.

Organization

• 17 (1) The Canadian Forces shall consist of those of the following elements that are from time to time organized by or under the authority of the Minister:
  • (a) commands, including the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force;
  • (b) formations;
  • (c) units; and
  • (d) other elements.

 

[FJAG]

Wolf, is this still correct:

14 The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces.


Do we not legally have the Navy, Army, Air Force rather than on Service called the CF?

I was being facetious in my post. The change could be "Canadian Military Services" , as some Police are now called Police Services vice Police Force.

No. Prior to unification the Canadian Forces consisted of three services: the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

I don't have a copy of the NDA as it was immediately prior to 1964, but the 1950 version read as follows:

Part II The Canadian Forces
Constitution
Marginal Note: Services
15. The Canadian Forces are the naval, army and air forces of His Majesty raised by Canada and consist of three Services, namely the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

On 7 July 1964 the government passed "An Act to Amend the National Defence Act" (Bill C-90) under which a CDS replaced the three service chiefs and integrated the three services' headquarters into one Canadian Forces Headquarters. That started a process of restructuring the various services' commands until finally on 1 Feb 1968 another act, the "Canadian Forces Reorganization Act" (Bill C-243) came into effect and the CA, RCN and RCAF ceased to exist and were unified into one service - the Canadian Armed Forces.

This unified service had six commands: Maritime, Mobile, Air Defence, Air Transport, Materiel, and Training. There have been numerous changes in names but the legal entity of Canadian Forces with one service, the Canadian Armed Forces has remained unchanged.

So you can have your pie and eat it too. You can be the CF or the CAF depending on what you are referring to. I swear, no one will know the difference. This kind of stuff only matters to us lawyers and DAP.

 

[FJAG]

UK PM Considers Major Military Offer To NATO | Joint Forces News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson considers biggest possible offer to NATO and prepares to stand up UK Armed Forces to protect allies. ~ Press Release, 10 Downing Street, 30 January 2022: The UK is expected to bolster its offer to NATO with a major military deployment to strengthen Europe’s borders...

www.joint-forces.com

British military in ‘major deployment’ to defend Europe

British military forces are set to be deployed to strengthen Eastern Europe’s borders in the face of rising Russian aggression.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

If 26 RA is sent it would be the deployment of an MLRS regiment

26 Regiment Royal Artillery

26 Regiment Royal Artillery is the Army’s Divisional Fires Regiment. Equipped with the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and EXACTOR 2, the new Regiment delivers precision strike munitions out to 84km in support of the Iron Division.

www.army.mod.uk

 

[daftandbarmy]

I wonder what he thinks they'll be able to protect with less than 150 tanks...

 

[FJAG]

I wonder what he thinks they'll be able to protect with less than 150 tanks...

I've just updated it - they are considering Commandos, MLRS, UAVs and Apaches - that would help.

We have none of those.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I've just updated it - they are considering Commandos, MLRS, UAVs and Apaches - that would help.

We have none of those.

 

[daftandbarmy]

And so it continues... I've met Howlett on several occasions. Excellent guy...

General, 92, may face police quiz over deaths of ten people who were shot during controversial operation to arrest suspected IRA members in Northern Ireland in 1971​

• General Sir Geoffrey Howlett was leading paratroopers in Ballymurphy, west Belfast, in August 1971 when ten people were shot dead during an operation
• An inquest held last year found those killed were 'innocent of wrongdoing'
• Sir Geoffrey, now 92, has spoken of his fear of being called to a criminal trial

A decorated former Army general now aged 92 could be questioned by police over a notorious Troubles flashpoint in Northern Ireland more than half a century ago.

General Sir Geoffrey Howlett, who rose to become commander-in-chief of Allied Forces in Northern Europe, was leading paratroopers in Ballymurphy, west Belfast, in August 1971 when ten people were shot dead during a controversial operation to arrest suspected IRA members.

Among those killed were a priest, Father Mullan, and a mother of eight.

General, 92, may face police quiz over deaths of ten people in 1971

General Sir Geoffrey Howlett could be questioned by police over his leading role in Ballymurphy, west Belfast, in August 1971 when ten people were shot dead during an operation.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[KevinB]

I don't see the same vigor in going after the IRA members from that era...

 

[daftandbarmy]

I don't see the same vigor in going after the IRA members from that era...

It's all insanely complicated but the general theme under Common Law, AFAIK, is: Everyone is equal before the Law. Even when some citizens are blowing up innocent women and children with car bombs, apparently.

So, if we want them to forgive us our 'trespasses', we need to forgive theirs. A Legal Eagle will swoop down in a minute to wrap my knuckles of course, but I think that's how it's all playing out. Confused by the amnesties Blair dished out which, to be fair, finally helped end the 'Big War' in NI back in the 90s after more than 3000+ dead.

All that to say, and I recall with great clarity a quote from the training we were given in the rules for opening fire, "if you pull a trigger/ beat someone up/ destroy property etc [in a Civil War type scenario] be prepared to answer for it in front of a Judge".

Having been an Assisting Officer for some of my soldiers in such situations, I can assure you that it's not a comfortable place in which to find yourself.

(And that's why we always preferred the Police to do the shooting etc, whenever possible.)

 

[OldSolduer]

It's all insanely complicated but the general theme under Common Law, AFAIK, is: Everyone is equal before the Law. Even when some citizens are blowing up innocent women and children with car bombs, apparently.

So, if we want them to forgive us our 'trespasses', we need to forgive theirs. A Legal Eagle will swoop down in a minute to wrap my knuckles of course, but I think that's how it's all playing out. Confused by the amnesties Blair dished out which, to be fair, finally helped end the 'Big War' in NI back in the 90s after more than 3000+ dead.

All that to say, and I recall with great clarity a quote from the training we were given in the rules for opening fire, "if you pull a trigger/ beat someone up/ destroy property etc [in a Civil War type scenario] be prepared to answer for it in front of a Judge".

Having been an Assisting Officer for some of my soldiers in such situations, I can assure you that it's not a comfortable place in which to find yourself.

(And that's why we always preferred the Police to do the shooting etc, whenever possible.)

As I used to say about peacekeeping duties in Cyprus - You`d better have a sucking chest wound before you even think about putting a magazine on your weapon...