British Military Current Events

[GK .Dundas]

My Dad always said that, unlike in other Commonwealth countries, a Canadian had to win a VC twice before it was awarded once.

I guess we're just continuing the tradition.

I have always suspected that should a Canadian soldier ever find himself in the position of quite literally saving the World. If he's really lucky they'll settle for time already served.  :

 

[Old Sweat]

I'm surprised in a way that the CF chose to maintain the VC as it's highest award for valour since it seems in many ways we've tried to steer away from our British roots. The cynic in me always felt that we didn't award it because in some way we were worried that it would offend the French.

Sorry for the side track, but the VC had been eliminated along with the DSO et al. It was reinstated at the time of, I believe, Gulf 1.

 

[daftandbarmy]

We got one, we got two, we got 13 more than you
With a nick knack paddy whack, give a prot a gun
Paras - 13, Bogside - None


Anger as Bloody Sunday soldiers could face criminal prosecution

British soldiers involved in the Bloody Sunday shootings four decades ago could be prosecuted in moves condemned by former military leaders last night.


Up to 20 retired soldiers face being formally questioned by police for alleged murder, attempted murder or criminal injury.


But Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, yesterday led the criticisms arguing that it was an “ugly chapter” that must now be closed.


A former colonel said the development was “despicable” and that a formal apology for the killings from David Cameron, the Prime Minister, three years ago should have drawn a line under the matter.


British soldiers shot dead 13 civilians during a civil rights march in Londonderry in January 1972, while another died five months later from injuries sustained on the day.


In 2010, the long-awaited Saville inquiry, which had taken 12 years to complete and cost £191 million, concluded the killings had been “unjustified and unjustifiable”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/northernireland/10391993/Anger-as-Bloody-Sunday-soldiers-could-face-criminal-prosecution.html

 

[Rick Goebel]

I'm surprised in a way that the CF chose to maintain the VC as it's highest award for valour since it seems in many ways we've tried to steer away from our British roots. The cynic in me always felt that we didn't award it because in some way we were worried that it would offend the French.

Canada has partially solved this by changing the inscription on the Canadian VC from "For Valour" (English only) to "Pro Valore" (neither English nor French)

http://www.gg.ca/honours/pdf/Victoria_Cross_e.pdf

Rick Goebel

 

[daftandbarmy]

Canada has partially solved this by changing the inscription on the Canadian VC from "For Valour" (English only) to "Pro Valore" (neither English nor French)

http://www.gg.ca/honours/pdf/Victoria_Cross_e.pdf

Rick Goebel

Paul Triquet earned a VC: http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/war-conflict/first-world-war/royal-22nd-regiment-canadas-fighting-van-doos/biography-of-paul-triquet-vc.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

Royal Marine executed captured Afghan, court martial hears

A Royal Marine shot a badly-wounded Taliban prisoner in the chest at point black range before declaring: "I have just broken the Geneva Convention”, a court martial hears

The Royal Marines case is the first time a British serviceman has been tried for murder durng the Afghan conflict. Photo: Jason P. Howe

A Royal Marine sergeant murdered a badly wounded Taliban prisoner by shooting him in the chest at point blank range in a “field execution”, a court martial heard.


He then taunted the dying man to “shuffle off this mortal coil”, before turning to his comrades and telling them to keep quiet because he had broken the Geneva Convention.


The alleged execution was captured in graphic video inadvertently filmed by one of the Marines on a helmet-mounted camera.


Three Marines, who have been granted anonymity to protect them from terrorist attack, are facing court martial for murder in the first case of its kind for British troops involved in the Afghan campaign.


Prosecutors told a seven-strong military board that Marine A had killed the wounded man after the insurgent was captured on September 15, 2011. Two of his comrades, Marines B and C, had “encouraged and assisted”. All have pleaded not guilty.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10399107/Royal-Marine-executed-captured-Afghan-court-martial-hears.html

 

[x_para76]

Unfortunately people don't tend to learn from the mistakes of others. After what happened to the Canadian Airborne Regiment you would hope that we would have learned that whatever you do don't take pictures/video.

 

[GR66]

Unfortunately people don't tend to learn from the mistakes of others. After what happened to the Canadian Airborne Regiment you would hope that we would have learned that whatever you do don't take pictures/video.

The appropriate lesson from this is don't get caught doing illegal things???

I'd like to think there is another, more important lesson here.

 

[OldSolduer]

Unfortunately people don't tend to learn from the mistakes of others. After what happened to the Canadian Airborne Regiment you would hope that we would have learned that whatever you do don't take pictures/video.

You've missed the point, the point being we need to be moral and ethical in everything we do.
:facepalm:

 

[Towards_the_gap]

Unfortunately people don't tend to learn from the mistakes of others. After what happened to the Canadian Airborne Regiment you would hope that we would have learned that whatever you do don't take pictures/video.

I'd rather people learn after hundreds of years of development of the laws of war, and having it drilled into you from day 1, that we don't summarily execute the bad guys. Idiotic, dangerous and reprehensible move on their part.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Is body-building bad for soldiers' health?

'Op Massive', a dangerous culture of obsessive body-building combined with taking muscle-building supplements – some contraband – has taken root in the British Army

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10404822/Is-body-building-bad-for-soldiers-health.html

 

[x_para76]

And as far as I know steroids are not tested for as a part of H.M Forces compulsory drug testing program.

 

[Towards_the_gap]

And as far as I know steroids are not tested for as a part of H.M Forces compulsory drug testing program.

Umm... yeah they were, at least as of 2007.

 

[x_para76]

Umm... yeah they were, at least as of 2007.

I stand corrected. I'm sure they do test for them as part of the CDT but I don't recall anyone being caught for steroids from my unit while I was there. It certainly didn't seem as if it was a priority and there were definitely guys in battalion who weren't just taking protein powder.

 

[Towards_the_gap]

You might just have missed anyone getting caught for them. The way it was explained to me once upon a time is that as part of the routine CDT, a percentage of a unit is tested. Out of those test samples, a smaller test group is then sent forward to the lab for testing for class A drugs. Of those, only a few are sent for further class b/c testing. So your actualy odds of testing positive for class b/c drugs is very small.

It's different for a special mandate CDT's (pre/post tour, high number of DUI's or possession charges, discipline problems, training regiments). Then, every bottle of pee goes for testing.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Shameful: UK soldiers under investigation after they were photographed performing Nazi salute in Helmand
MPs' anger that gesture could be dismissed as 'Loyalist tribute'

In an image which will cause widespread outrage, two serving British soldiers appear to give Nazi-style salutes while standing to attention in front of the Union Flag.

Apparently taken at an Army base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, the photograph will provoke international disgust as Remembrance Day approaches.

Last night the Ministry of Defence told The Mail on Sunday that both soldiers have been investigated by Army chiefs. A spokesman said: ‘The two people doing the salute in the photo have been spoken to.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2477639/SHAMEFUL-Fury-UK-soldiers-investigated-performing-Nazi-style-salute-Helmand.html#ixzz2iw162Vcx

 

[daftandbarmy]

Sir Malcolm Rifkind warns army reservist plans may not be 'deliverable'

Conservative plans to cut the size of the regular army by 20,000 while boosting the numbers of part time soldiers will be "very challenging" and may not be "deliverable", Sir Malcolm Rifkind has said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10407430/Sir-Malcolm-Rifkind-warns-army-reservist-plans-may-not-be-deliverable.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

16 year olds are not deployed on ops, of course.  :

Britain is one of just 19 countries that still recruit 16-year-olds to the armed forces. A new report claims that younger recruits are more likely to suffer from PTSD, alcohol problems and suicide than those who join as adults. This video tells the story of David Buck who joined the army at 17 but now feels he was conned by misleading recruitment marketing

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2013/oct/28/british-army-young-recruit-video

 

[daftandbarmy]

British sailors blast Britney Spears’ ‘Oops! I Did It Again’ to deter Somali pirates


Britney Spears is being used by British security companies off the horn of Africa as a secret weapon against Western-hating Somali pirates.

The singer’s top hits, like “Oops! I Did It Again” and “Baby One More Time,” when blasted at approaching Somali raiders, have proved to be the most effective at deterring kidnap attacks, merchant navy officer Rachel Owens revealed, according to the U.K.’s Metro.


Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/29/royal-navy-blasts-britney-spears-oops-i-did-it-aga/#ixzz2jS35Ujif
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

 

[OldSolduer]

British sailors blast Britney Spears’ ‘Oops! I Did It Again’ to deter Somali pirates


Britney Spears is being used by British security companies off the horn of Africa as a secret weapon against Western-hating Somali pirates.

The singer’s top hits, like “Oops! I Did It Again” and “Baby One More Time,” when blasted at approaching Somali raiders, have proved to be the most effective at deterring kidnap attacks, merchant navy officer Rachel Owens revealed, according to the U.K.’s Metro.


Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/29/royal-navy-blasts-britney-spears-oops-i-did-it-aga/#ixzz2jS35Ujif
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

Maybe they should play some Justin Bieber for good measure