I couldn't believe what I was reading this morning. The Territorial Army has been told to stop training for six months to save millions of pounds from the Army's budget because of growing financial pressure on the Ministry of Defence.
Drill-hall instruction, weekend exercises and all other training associated with the TA will stop, cutting costs by about £20m.
A spokesman insisted that the savings and the ban on training would not affect the TA's operational contribution to Afghanistan, where about 500 territorial soldiers are serving. There are also ten TA soldiers in Iraq.
This is dangerous. Not for one minute do I believe that these cuts will not affect the manpower presently fighting in the war in Afghanistan. The repercussions will be felt throughout the TA and could eventually affect the availability of volunteers.
Politicians are talking about sending a further 2,000 troops to war. Where do they think they will come from other than partly from the TA?
Just in case our politicians have forgotten - Britain is at war. They can call it a conflict or whatever they wish but we all know it's war.
If the government want to save money, how about stopping funding for those athletes training for the Olympics and other sporting events? That should save a few pounds and nobody's life will be threatened. Or how about stopping MPs and civil servants travelling first class/business class? Military personnel have to travel everywhere second class. The halt of the taxpayers' subsidy of Westminster's restaurants and bars would also raise a million or two I'm sure.
Recently it has been reported that there are 2 civil servants in the Ministry of Defence for every regular soldier. It's the MoD itself which requires immediate cutting and not our armed forces. The Territorial Army is a vital part of our defence forces, especially when we're in the middle of a war which has no timetable.
Source: Telegraph
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20 comments:
I was incandescent when I heard.
They want to save £20 million pounds? OK here we go:
Close an embassy or twenty in places where we are only there for show; sell Kensington Palace, Clarence House and St James's Palace and put the royals who live there in Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle; stop private planes for royals, and personal helecopters for picking up mates and girlfriends of princes; stop security on junior, non working members of the royal family; sell off the wine cellars of the government and serve tap water at official functions, and certainly for lunches (we pay them to work, not get pissed)...
How's that for an addition to your list. I'm sure your readers can come up with many more suggestions.
I presume this means that the members of the TA will not be paid? So once again hit the little man and preserve all the rights of the establishment.
It's really funny how recession is caused by the rich but bourne by the poor.
SR they are traitors.
By their actions shall ye know them.
Their actions, as always, are traitorous.
I knew they'd pull this, anything to put off the final reckoning. A reckoning that means all benefits from the state will have to disappear because they've been complicit in the destrution of our nations finances and the individual's fortune.
A good question might be, where will the saved money go? A better question might be, when is conscription going to start?
Hmmm, keeping the people with the guns away from them for 6 months until an election. Some might say that the government is getting very nervous about something.
The Territorial Army who may go on operations will continue to train with the regular army(just a point)
although you do reveal what kind of response (As each defends what they consider as worth keeping) The Torys are going to run into when in pursuit of inflicting their austerity measures on different sections of the British Society.
'IF' elected that is
Great addition to the list Tris. You're right, the TA won't be paid because they'll be stood down. Also they'll lose gaining experience with any new equipment and of course continued practice, which is essential for military action.
All the rubbish about it won't affect Afghanistan is just that. TA volunteers are picked from various units, there isn't a TA unit only training for war zones.
It has yet to dawn on Whitehall that you can either have a war or you can stage an Olympics games, but you cannot have both. This is not just in financial terms, it is in others. If you do have a war, unless you give that war full priority you will face defeat. The literature on this is extensive.
Sickening to say the least Incoming.These volunteers are dedication soldiers and give up much of their spare time to ensure they're professional enough to back up the regular army.
Personnel in Afghanistan won't have time to re-train them once they arrive there.
No matter, it's only military lives at risk, not politicians.
First answer, I don't know Dram.
Second answer, I doubt if there are enough personnel left in this country to train conscripts.
Ah QM, now there's another aspect to this. Interesting...
Niko, all TA units may go on operations, that's what they're trained for.
If you look at the TA units presently in Afghanistan it's soldiers from various units not just one.
TA soldiers are all (or should be) trained to the highest standard to support the regulars.
Missing training for 6 months will take them back to square one.
Then of course, there are a few with their eyes on Iran...
I agree Subrosa. It is a disgrace.
I noted also, a few posts down the piece about £6m being spent on a climate change advert.
We have gotta force these fools out of power NOW.
This is a deeply worrying proposal. It will destroy the TA.
A TA unit needs a mix of people to sustain itself. Many, but not all, will deploy on Herrick. However, it needs to be able to sustain itself on weekend training exercises (and annual camp) to bring troops up to the standard when they can be further trained for deployment. TA units are largely self-sufficient, running their own training, administration, transport etc (with a few permanent staff).
This will support only two types of TA soldiers - new recruits and Herrick augmentees. The large chunk in the middle will not be supported. How exactly new recruits get to the deployable standard is a question that needs to be asked.
There's a lot that goes on in terms of trade training, promotion courses and annual training to meet the tax-free bounty requirement (£1500 I think). This will fall by the wayside. Soldiers will lose the chance to qualify for their bounty (although COs can apparently sign them off as efficient even without the qualifications). Reservists with nothing to do for six months will vote with their feet and leave. A few might even join the regulars. So that pool from which augmentees are identified will dry up.
This will lead to units falling well below establishment strength. This will lead to the disbandment of amalgamation of units (again). This is probably what the MoD want, so they can dispose of the estates (in a recession when land values have plummeted).
I was TA for 3 years, early 90s, good old days when we still trained to fight the Soviets!
The TA are real soldiers. Time for some shameless self-publicity:
http://efrafandays.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/ta-during-a-levels/
http://efrafandays.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/the-weaker-sex/
It's a disgrace to national security Dan. Yes I should have put about the cost of that advertising campaign in the post shouldn't I?
Completely agree with you Jess. I do hope the blogosphere picks this up then perhaps the MSM will do and then some serious questions will be asked.
Some serious comments too I hope because it cannot be allowed to happen.
I was seconded to the TA for 12 months back in the early 70s. (part of my full-time job). Great experience it was.
Is that you Alec? I know some real soldiers in the regulars too. :)
People should be very angry about this. It £20 million for god's sake. That really is peanuts. Just how broke is the UK if £20 million on something as vital as the TA is at this time when we are at war is seen as a worthwhile saving?
As someone mentioned and I certainly forgot, over a quarter of it could have been saved by not having this stupid climate change ad. I doubt that will change a single person's view of the subject. It's a well known fact that ads between ITV programmes are used to put on kettles, go to the toilet, let the cat out, chat with the family, send a text... and to be honest most people I know now record everything so that they can skip the ads altogether.
Pvt Anthony Myers could beat me with one hand behind his back.
Heck, Cpt Louise Greenhalgh could do so.
Both excellent soldiers from what I've read Alex, but you don't sound too bad yourself. :)
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