British Military Current Events

[Blackadder1916]

I love the way the Brits et al - the Welsh, Irish and Scots - do ceremonial. Its is a huge part of their heritage and to dismiss it outright is doing a disservice to the UK.

My two cents.

In a 2021 study by Oxford Economics "The Wider Value of the British Army" (commissioned by the British Army), the following was how they characterized " State Ceremonial and Public Duties".

Oxford Economics Report Finds British Army Contributes £15bn to UK Economy

A new report by Oxford Economics has been published, which has measured the monetary value of the British Army to society. The report, which is based on data from 2019, measured the contribution of the Army through things like jobs and social mobility.

www.army.mod.uk

The Army also contributes to the UK’s soft power through State Ceremonial and Public Duties, and major events such as the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which attracts a global TV audience of more than 100 million. These activities are major attractions that provide leisure opportunities for UK residents, attract overseas tourists, project the UK’s heritage to a global audience, and support prosperity. The prestigious Army regiments who deliver ceremonial duties are drawn from all parts of the UK, reinforcing the notion of the Union between the four nations of the UK.

 

[KevinB]

I wonder what fact checkers would say about the last slide.
Some of the financial benefits seem to be a little suspicious.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

There is a balance between operational capability and public duties outreach that needs to be met. The Brits do it exceptionally well, including having an e-Sports team and various other unconventional recruitment initiatives outside the parade square.

The proble we have in Canada is that we aren't willing to fund either effectively, and wonder why no one is interested (or knowledgeable about) joining the CAF.

 

[Weinie]

There is a balance between operational capability and public duties outreach that needs to be met. The Brits do it exceptionally well, including having an e-Sports team and various other unconventional recruitment initiatives outside the parade square.

The proble we have in Canada is that we aren't willing to fund either effectively, and wonder why no one is interested (or knowledgeable about) joining the CAF.

Meh.

 

[FJAG]

Well, we all know how sane Sam Hughes was, right?

I used to be of that view based upon the traditional lore, but the more I read about the times the more I wonder if Hughes was the recipient of a hatched job done by the "professional" officer corps (which he despised as political appointments and hacks) who did not have a good understanding of Canada's citizen army at the time instead being British regular wannabes and sycophants and fellow members of cabinet who were left in the dust by his hard-charging style.

One thing one can't ignore is that he managed to raise 500,000 volunteers in a country of 8 million and get a four-division corps into the field in good enough shape to handle Vimy. Not bad for an insane man.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Meh.

 

[Skysix]

One of the great complaints about the Canadian Militia just pre-WW1 was how the city regiments would spend lavish amounts of money on gaudy uniforms and time on drill and ceremonial - which their big spending donor COs considered essential for recruitment. There was much resentment about this with the rural regiments who were less well kitted out but spent their time on field training and musketry (which in those days affected pay).

One of the reasons Hughes hated the permanent force was their ridiculous waste of time on drill. One of the reason's behind the way that he mobilized the 1st Cdn Div was to raise them rapidly and efficiently in four months:


James Woods, "Militia Myths".

His focus was on marksmanship based on his experience in South Africa "upon which aimed rifle fire had been of critical importance."

Just as an aside, while many point to Hughes failure to follow the mobilization plan, the fact of the matter was there was no real mobilization plan (sound familiar?), just an overarching concept. Canadian's weren't that keen to be involved and 1 Cdn Div's volunteers were almost 2/3 by recent Brit immigrants or their children drawn from across the Militia as a whole.

What's clear though is that at the time, the gaudy British-style uniforms, the church parades, and freedom of the city parades and other social events were a major draw for recruits and the way that the Army connected with the public. More important than all of the above, though, was the massive cadet movement all across the country which doesn't get nearly a bit of the credit it deserved.

The question that I have though is do we need a Snowbirds and numerous ceremonial parades to bring that home these days? Fine let's keep a specially recruited and trained guard on Parliament Hill, but do we need to have a whole squadron of antique planes or would a few flypasts with modern equipment do better? Should we exercise freedom of the city in ceremonial dress or should we do it in fighting order with a few LAVs and guns on parade? Which would give us more of the attention and the type of recruits that we need and want?

Battle ready is a bigger draw than parade ready and faster/easier to organise and implement. Probably get a higher PRes turnout as well.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Battle ready is a bigger draw than parade ready and faster/easier to organise and implement. Probably get a higher PRes turnout as well.

Based on my unofficial survey, Remembrance Day was always our biggest turnout.

It was just about the only time during the year when hundreds of civvies were able to see them in public too, which is just dumb IMHO.

 

[FJAG]

Based on my unofficial survey, Remembrance Day was always our biggest turnout.

It was just about the only time during the year when hundreds of civvies were able to see them in public too, which is just dumb IMHO.

I still have recollections of the Toronto Garrison Church parades in the '60s. There were several thousand of us on parade complete with dozens of bands each marching up and down University Avenue to and from Queen's Park. Quite the occasion and lots of crowds.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Good riddance.... farking tosser! Should have booted him completely from the mob...

RAF recruitment chief quits amid diversity row over ‘pause on hiring white men’​

The head of the Royal Air Force recruitment team has resigned amid claims the service has "paused" offering new roles to white​

The Group Captain responsible for recruiting has left their post, but is still a serving RAF officer, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.

It comes amid claims the RAF has effectively paused recruiting white men in order to meet diversity targets.

Sky News reported that the senior female officer had imposed a temporary freeze on recruitment but the move caused a widespread backlash from officers who claim the move puts the UK's security at risk by prioritising diversity over recruiting the right candidate for the job.

A spokesperson for Rishi Sunak told Sky News: "The only thing that should matter in recruitment is the content of your character, not your sex or the colour of your skin.

"That the Ministry of Defence would allow Britain's security to potentially be put at risk by a drive for so called 'diversity' is not only disgraceful, it is dangerous."

But an RAF spokesperson denied the allegations saying: "There is no pause in Royal Air Force recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements.

"Royal Air Force commanders will not shy away from the challenges we face building a service that attracts and recruits talent from every part of the UK workforce.

"As with the Royal Navy and British Army, we are doing everything we can to encourage recruiting from under-represented groups and ensure we have a diverse workforce.

"The Royal Air Force has a well-earned reputation for operational excellence that is founded on the quality of all our people. We will always seek to recruit the best talent available to us."

The MoD issued a long thread on Twitter, writing: “Operational effectiveness is of paramount importance and no one is lowering the standards to join the Royal Air Force. The RAF recruits for many professions and like the rest of the Armed Forces is determined to be a force that reflects the society it serves to protect.

“There is no pause in RAF recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements.

“The RAF will not shy away from the challenges faced in building a Service that attracts and recruits talent from every part of the UK workforce.

“The RAF is doing everything it can, alongside the Royal Navy and British Army, to increase their recruiting intake from under-represented groups.

“The RAF offers exciting and rewarding opportunities for everyone joining the Service, and to all those who serve.

“They have a well-earned reputation for operational excellence in everything they do. Above all, relying on the quality and talent of all their people to achieve that.”

RAF recruitment chief quits amid diversity row over ‘pause on hiring white men’

The head of the Royal Air Force recruitment team has resigned amid claims the service has "paused" offering new roles to white men.

www.lbc.co.uk

 

[Weinie]

Good riddance.... farking tosser! Should have booted him completely from the mob...

RAF recruitment chief quits amid diversity row over ‘pause on hiring white men’​

The head of the Royal Air Force recruitment team has resigned amid claims the service has "paused" offering new roles to white​

The Group Captain responsible for recruiting has left their post, but is still a serving RAF officer, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.

It comes amid claims the RAF has effectively paused recruiting white men in order to meet diversity targets.

Sky News reported that the senior female officer had imposed a temporary freeze on recruitment but the move caused a widespread backlash from officers who claim the move puts the UK's security at risk by prioritising diversity over recruiting the right candidate for the job.

A spokesperson for Rishi Sunak told Sky News: "The only thing that should matter in recruitment is the content of your character, not your sex or the colour of your skin.

"That the Ministry of Defence would allow Britain's security to potentially be put at risk by a drive for so called 'diversity' is not only disgraceful, it is dangerous."

But an RAF spokesperson denied the allegations saying: "There is no pause in Royal Air Force recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements.

"Royal Air Force commanders will not shy away from the challenges we face building a service that attracts and recruits talent from every part of the UK workforce.

"As with the Royal Navy and British Army, we are doing everything we can to encourage recruiting from under-represented groups and ensure we have a diverse workforce.

"The Royal Air Force has a well-earned reputation for operational excellence that is founded on the quality of all our people. We will always seek to recruit the best talent available to us."

The MoD issued a long thread on Twitter, writing: “Operational effectiveness is of paramount importance and no one is lowering the standards to join the Royal Air Force. The RAF recruits for many professions and like the rest of the Armed Forces is determined to be a force that reflects the society it serves to protect.

“There is no pause in RAF recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements.

“The RAF will not shy away from the challenges faced in building a Service that attracts and recruits talent from every part of the UK workforce.

“The RAF is doing everything it can, alongside the Royal Navy and British Army, to increase their recruiting intake from under-represented groups.

“The RAF offers exciting and rewarding opportunities for everyone joining the Service, and to all those who serve.

“They have a well-earned reputation for operational excellence in everything they do. Above all, relying on the quality and talent of all their people to achieve that.”

RAF recruitment chief quits amid diversity row over ‘pause on hiring white men’

The head of the Royal Air Force recruitment team has resigned amid claims the service has "paused" offering new roles to white men.

www.lbc.co.uk

Her?

 

[TacticalTea]

Good riddance.... farking tosser! Should have booted him completely from the mob...

RAF recruitment chief quits amid diversity row over ‘pause on hiring white men’​

The head of the Royal Air Force recruitment team has resigned amid claims the service has "paused" offering new roles to white​

The Group Captain responsible for recruiting has left their post, but is still a serving RAF officer, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.

It comes amid claims the RAF has effectively paused recruiting white men in order to meet diversity targets.

Sky News reported that the senior female officer had imposed a temporary freeze on recruitment but the move caused a widespread backlash from officers who claim the move puts the UK's security at risk by prioritising diversity over recruiting the right candidate for the job.

A spokesperson for Rishi Sunak told Sky News: "The only thing that should matter in recruitment is the content of your character, not your sex or the colour of your skin.

"That the Ministry of Defence would allow Britain's security to potentially be put at risk by a drive for so called 'diversity' is not only disgraceful, it is dangerous."

But an RAF spokesperson denied the allegations saying: "There is no pause in Royal Air Force recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements.

"Royal Air Force commanders will not shy away from the challenges we face building a service that attracts and recruits talent from every part of the UK workforce.

"As with the Royal Navy and British Army, we are doing everything we can to encourage recruiting from under-represented groups and ensure we have a diverse workforce.

"The Royal Air Force has a well-earned reputation for operational excellence that is founded on the quality of all our people. We will always seek to recruit the best talent available to us."

The MoD issued a long thread on Twitter, writing: “Operational effectiveness is of paramount importance and no one is lowering the standards to join the Royal Air Force. The RAF recruits for many professions and like the rest of the Armed Forces is determined to be a force that reflects the society it serves to protect.

“There is no pause in RAF recruitment and no new policy with regards to meeting in-year recruitment requirements.

“The RAF will not shy away from the challenges faced in building a Service that attracts and recruits talent from every part of the UK workforce.

“The RAF is doing everything it can, alongside the Royal Navy and British Army, to increase their recruiting intake from under-represented groups.

“The RAF offers exciting and rewarding opportunities for everyone joining the Service, and to all those who serve.

“They have a well-earned reputation for operational excellence in everything they do. Above all, relying on the quality and talent of all their people to achieve that.”

RAF recruitment chief quits amid diversity row over ‘pause on hiring white men’

The head of the Royal Air Force recruitment team has resigned amid claims the service has "paused" offering new roles to white men.

www.lbc.co.uk

I noticed that in that entire article, they are never quoted as saying ''there is no pause in the recruitment of white men''. Only the generic ''there is no pause in recruitment'', which no one had alleged anyway.

Odd. Skirting around the truth?

In addition, this statement ''The RAF recruits for many professions and like the rest of the Armed Forces is determined to be a force that reflects the society it serves to protect.'' seems to maintain that they are, indeed, favouring skin and sex diversity over quality and diversity of thought / competence.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Meanwhile, in the Guards Division they are giving birth to more 'tik toks'...

Second Battalion Irish Guards reactivated after 75 years​

The battalion, which was disbanded in 1947, will see new soldiers hone their "discipline and skills" by performing ceremonial duties.

Second Battalion Irish Guards reactivated after 75 years

The battalion, which was disbanded in 1947, will see new soldiers hone their "discipline and skills" by performing ceremonial duties.

www.forces.net

 

[daftandbarmy]

Retired, still Ready for Anything...

 

[Good2Golf]

BZ.

ps. Is ‘back room member’ a euphemism for rigger?

 

[daftandbarmy]

BZ.

ps. Is ‘back room member’ a euphemism for rigger?

That depends: does it refer to 3 PARA Mortars?

 

[Good2Golf]

That depends: does it refer to 3 PARA Mortars?

Lol, just the Red Devils…

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Based on my unofficial survey, Remembrance Day was always our biggest turnout.

It was just about the only time during the year when hundreds of civvies were able to see them in public too, which is just dumb IMHO.

I didn't see any CAF displays at the PNE this year either.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Smells slightly of desperation...

MoD confirm they will ‘not accept’ Ajax until issues fixed​

The Ministry of Defence say they “will not accept a vehicle until it can be used safely” and that they “cannot determine a realistic timescale for the introduction of Ajax into operational service”.​

John Healey, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, asked:

“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s Government Major Projects Portfolio Data 2022, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of delivering the Armoured Cavalry 2025 Ajax programme (a) on time and (b) on budget in the context of the Independent Projects Authority’s rating of that programme as red.”

The Ajax programme, which began in 2010, is intended to transform the Army’s surveillance and reconnaissance capability.​

However, it has gone badly wrong, with no deployable vehicle delivered to date let alone providing Initial Operating Capability or Full Operating Capability dates, say the Public Accounts Committee in a report released earlier this year.

Committee chairwoman Meg Hillier said that the government “must fix or fail this programme, before more risk to our national security and more billions of taxpayers’ money wasted”, adding “these repeated failures are putting strain on older capabilities which are overdue for replacement and are directly threatening the safety of our service people and their ability to protect the nation and meet Nato commitments”.

MoD confirm they will ‘not accept’ Ajax until issues fixed

The Ministry of Defence say they "will not accept a vehicle until it can be used safely" and that they "cannot determine a realistic timescale for the introduction of Ajax into service".

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

 

[Colin Parkinson]

"Warriors enter chat"