British Military Current Events

[daftandbarmy]

Standby, standby...

The Special Air Service Regimental Association has taken the extraordinary step of threatening legal action against the Government over its Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, as former Brexit Secretary Sir David Davis revealed in the House of Commons yesterday that the legislation is already causing serious damage to Britain’s elite forces.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir David warned that nine four-star generals have declared the bill is “doing harm to the British Army,” with the “most acute damage being felt by the Special Air Service,” affecting “their recruitment, their retention, their morale and their operational effectiveness.”

The SAS Regimental Association has sent a “letter before action” to Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, a move Sir David described as unprecedented in British military history. He pleaded with the Prime Minister to intervene personally, stating it was now “a matter of national honour” to prevent elderly veterans from being subjected to grueling legal processes for actions “which most people would consider heroic.”

SAS Takes Unprecedented Legal Action Against Government Over Troubles Bill

Sir Davdi Davis MP makes a called on the Prime Minister to involve himself personally

www.justiceforveterans.uk

 

[HavokFour]

The Russian spy ship currently poking around UK waters decided to start pointing lasers at RAF aircraft tracking it.

Russian spy ship pointed lasers at RAF pilots tracking it, says UK

John Healey says he has updated the Navy's rules for tracking the vessel after the "dangerous" move.

www.bbc.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1991101254857064568

 

[Rifleman62]

Saw a meme where they are going after two English soldier from the Battle of Hastings 1066.

‘SACRIFICED on bonfire of persecution!’ SAS Colonel accuses Starmer of failing to protect veterans - 20 Nov 25​

Former SAS Colonel Richard Williams slams Keir Starmer as the Government is threatened with legal action over the Troubles Bill.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Better double check your traces...

Army officer jailed for training exercise death​

An Army officer has been jailed for 18 months after a soldier from the Republic of Ireland was killed during a live firing exercise.

Captain Jonathan Price, 32, was also dismissed from the Army after being found guilty last month of manslaughter by gross negligence.
The verdict came after a seven-week court martial at Bulford, Wiltshire.

Ranger Michael Maguire, who was 21 and from County Cork, was shot during a training exercise.

He was one of several soldiers who came under machine gun fire during an exercise at the Castlemartin Training Area in Pembrokeshire in May 2012.

He died after being hit in the forehead by a stray bullet.

Army officer jailed for training exercise death

Ranger Michael Maguire from Ireland was one of several soldiers who came under machine gun fire during a training exercise.

www.bbc.com

 

[daftandbarmy]

In a recent survey, public shows it has more confidence in the military than any other institution...


Exploring public attitudes towards the British Armed Forces

Forces for Change

This year’s Forces for Change report reveals support from two thirds of the UK public for strengthening the armed forces and the industrial base that supports them, in the face of changing threats.

Concern has intensified around the UK’s ability to defend itself against cyber-attacks and sustain modern conflict, our research shows. The public is largely behind defence spending plans and prioritise increasing the size of the Army, bolstering missile defence capabilities, cyber and the UK’s ability to support sustained conflict.

Our survey, of 3,000 members of the UK public aged 16+, reveals public backing for strengthening the nation’s industrial base to support the forces’ agility and capability. Plus, a strong desire to know more about defence spending, and an awareness that it could do more to drive economic and industrial growth while safeguarding our security.

Our research shows 14% of 16-17-year-olds would be willing to enlist, and most young people are open to contributing to defence efforts, whether in military or civilian capabilities. But it raises questions around the forces’ ability to convert this interest into full-time military roles, reservist, or civilian jobs.

It highlights the need for an improved recruitment process and a greater focus on career pathways – that is better communicated by the forces. The research further points to the importance of building our resilience as a society, and what people’s role in that might be.

For UK society to pull together effectively in response to major disruptions, such as attacks, disasters, health crises, or infrastructure failures, there is a need for a comprehensive approach to national resilience and defence, that is led by greater cross-sector collaboration.

https://www.pwc.co.uk/industries/defence/insights/uk-armed-forces-public-survey.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

Hear, hear...

Exclusive: Soldiers facing medical discharge over Ajax injuries despite minister's safety claims​

Three members of the Household Cavalry Regiment are facing medical discharge due to injuries sustained since the introduction of Ajax at the unit, BFBS Forces News understands.

The news comes just two weeks after Defence Readiness & Industry Minister Luke Pollard insisted issues surrounding noise and vibration had now been fixed.

Ajax – the British Army's new £5.5bn armoured fighting vehicle – achieved its initial operating capability (IOC) status earlier this month, a milestone given the years of well-documented problems that marred its introduction into service.

Exclusive: Soldiers facing medical discharge over Ajax injuries despite minister's safety claims

Three soldiers face losing their jobs two weeks after Defence Minister Luke Pollard said noise and vibration issues with Ajax had been fixed

www.forcesnews.com

 

[FJAG]

Three members of the Household Cavalry Regiment are facing medical discharge due to injuries sustained since the introduction of Ajax at the unit, BFBS Forces News understands.

Nothing relating the "injuries" to Ajax. As the last line of the article states (after rehashing years-old issues):

"Medical discharges are not attributed to individual vehicles or pieces of equipment."

But it was a slow day and the writer had to write about something.

 

[medicineman]

Better double check your traces...

Army officer jailed for training exercise death​

An Army officer has been jailed for 18 months after a soldier from the Republic of Ireland was killed during a live firing exercise.

Captain Jonathan Price, 32, was also dismissed from the Army after being found guilty last month of manslaughter by gross negligence.
The verdict came after a seven-week court martial at Bulford, Wiltshire.

Ranger Michael Maguire, who was 21 and from County Cork, was shot during a training exercise.

He was one of several soldiers who came under machine gun fire during an exercise at the Castlemartin Training Area in Pembrokeshire in May 2012.

He died after being hit in the forehead by a stray bullet.

Army officer jailed for training exercise death

Ranger Michael Maguire from Ireland was one of several soldiers who came under machine gun fire during a training exercise.

www.bbc.com

This is happening 13 years after the fact??!! Someone dragging ass on the investigation or what?

 

[daftandbarmy]

This is happening 13 years after the fact??!! Someone dragging ass on the investigation or what?

Looks like I posted an article from 2018...

 

[GR66]

Looks like I posted an article from 2018...

 

[daftandbarmy]

But... but... that movie is timeless!

 

[medicineman]

Looks like I posted an article from 2018...

Yeah - failed to see that...however 6 years post incident is still a long time...

 

[daftandbarmy]

Dan Jarvis, ex-PARA: this would be a seriously big deal if they were able to pull it off... with uncertain consequences of course.

Families of IRA victims in England told new Troubles bill could revive path to justice​

Security minister Dan Jarvis says scrapping immunity scheme would give relatives a renewed chance for answers

The families of more than 70 people killed by the IRA and other paramilitaries in unsolved attacks on English soil can once again hope for justice under the new Northern Ireland Troubles bill, the UK government has claimed.

As MPs in the House of Commons prepared to debate the bill for the first time on Tuesday, the Home Office said there remained 77 unsolved killings, including 39 British armed forces personnel in English towns and cities, from the time of the Troubles. It said more than 1,000 people were injured in the attacks.

Until now much of the focus of discussion about the bill has been the possible impact it may have on former and current British service personnel who could face legal proceedings over incidents that happened decades ago.

But the UK government is keen to stress that if its new bill becomes law, it opens up the possibility of justice – or at least answers – for families who lost loved ones dating back half a century.

The security minister, Dan Jarvis, said: “The last government’s Legacy Act shut down police investigations and proposed immunity for terrorists. This left many families feeling they had nowhere to go to continue their search for justice, or simply for answers about what happened to their loved ones.”

Jarvis, a former member of the Parachute regiment who served in Northern Ireland, continued: “This government’s legislation will put that right. It guarantees no terrorist will be able to claim immunity from prosecution, while ensuring there is an effective and wholly independent legacy commission to conduct investigations that families right across the United Kingdom can have confidence in.”

The UK government says that if measures in its new Troubles bill become law, a reformed legacy commission would have enhanced powers enabling it to conduct full police investigations, where there is evidence of criminality. The immunity scheme would also be scrapped.

The Home Office said unsolved Troubles-related attacks on English soil ranged from the 1974 M62 coach bombing when 12 people were killed and 38 injured to the 1996 Manchester bombing in which more than 200 people were hurt.

Families of IRA victims in England told new Troubles bill could revive path to justice

Security minister Dan Jarvis says scrapping immunity scheme would give relatives a renewed chance for answers

www.theguardian.com