I have long been an advocate of a much higher profile for the armed forces. The wearing of uniform in public would go a long way to normalising the image of the forces, some people have a negative view of soldiers because the only images that they see of them is at war.
War fighting is a unique and unpleasant activity and does not reflect the wide range of work that the forces do. Soldiers are real people too and should be allowed to be seen as such.
I have to disagree with Liam Fox on this, he said:
“Of course the commander on the ground must make the final decision but I regret that the circumstances exist where a decision like this had to be made. I think the majority of our public would be appalled to hear there are no-go areas for our Armed Forces, even in their own country.”
In the armed forces commanders follow orders and the only way to ensure that "no go areas" do not exist is to go there and be seen to be going there.
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Withdrawn from Bazra only to find that they are not safe in Peterborough. It would be funny if it were not such pathetic over reaction but the military authorities.
Some people have to go out in public every day without being able to hide their identity from a small number of narrow minded idiots. What makes the Air Force personnel more sensitive to this type of infrequent abuse than many members of ethnic minorities who choose to dress differently or just have different coloured skin?
The not so great British public can be nasty at times but I want an air force that can take it on the chin and move on, not go crying to their commander. Previously on this blog we have been told that abuse is a standard part of military training and that racist abuse is just par for the course.
James:all soldiers are rude to all other soldiers all the time
Liam:It's a blunt and brutal environment and I wouldn't be surprised if some soldiers thought a little racial teasing wasn't really any different from the general teasing that goes on every day and to which everyone is a victim
But it appears that when they go out in public they expect better.
This is another symptom of British self-hatred.
Recently we heard of people shouting at badly maimed veterans in a swimming pool being shouted at by members of the public.
If you're reading this and you think you might be the kind of idiot who'd shout at armed forces personel, please don't, you're like a child.
When I was at RNH Haslar towards the tail-end of the IRA threat in the UK, my Department declined to accept the instruction to only wear civilian clothes off-base.
Led by the example of our Department's Surgeon Captain, Naval uniforms were worn with pride, even if we were only going out for lunch or something. There was a huge pride in that team to wear the uniform and serve our country.
Shame on a tiny group of fools in Cambridge.
And what about the University College London Students' Union voting to ban the military from freshers' fairs?
I wanted to wera my uniform in public last week but it's a bit tatty as it's been to several operational tours, and the shirts were issued in 1996!!
I wen to the Q stores to get some more, and guess what ??
"Sorry sir, operations take priority, we'v no T shirts in for at least a month!!"
So who's to blame?
James,
am I alone in now thinking that this story might just have a whiff of spin about it?
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