8 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think I can speak for most that if the lords and masters asked me to join up as they expected massive numbers of soldiers to be dead in short order, I'd tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine.

 

As it was I did join up during my generation's war, but there was no expectation of large numbers of dead, and in fact the total number was very small, as we did not have the same combat doctrine as the US. They didn't even need to conscript, unlike Australia. Plenty of volunteers.

Nam ?

7 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

I'm guessing DEI quotas would be dropped pretty quickly when it came to fighting a war.

The recruitment posters talking of patriotic duty will show only white young men, but the head of the family in every ad on TV still won't be white.

13 hours ago, Social Media said:

The British Army could face depletion within six months to a year in the event of a large-scale war

 

Gotta love the way they sanitize it.  Depletion.  What they really mean is "mostly dead and out of ammo".

 

 

6 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Always a grievance.

 
 

 

Always a defence... 🤔

9 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The sensible soldier also never ever ever volunteers for anything at all except working in the cookhouse

A volunteer is usually someone who didn't understand the question.

The biggest gap or lack is political will to work on the "regeneration". As the OP mentioned there is quite simply no system to to track or manage the reservists. I was on the Regular Army Reserve of Officers for 5 years after I retired, when I retired I received a letter telling me I was transferred to RARO, but my details were never taken, let alone updated. I assume I am not longer on it (I am now 66) but have never been notified!.

 

Kit is not an insurmountable problem, it can be manufactured, nor is the rapid if "no frills" training of recruits - the Army has learnt a lot from the programmes it ran to train Ukrainians, as have our NATO allies, but political will is the problem.

I expect the biggest problem the British Army would have is dealing with the flood of proud flag waving patriots rushing to engage in some of that defending Britain and British values they so often beat their chest over.

 

14 hours ago, The Cyclist said:

 

As was said in Parliament

 

" Why do we have more Illegal Immigrants in hotels, than we have Soldiers in Barracks "

 

Sums up the sorry state of the UK.

No, sums up the sorry state of the military that so few want to join it. The military was a great start to my adult life, but sadly once Vietnam ended it was ignored by the government and allowed to become the failed organisation I was eager to leave. It evolved to a refuge for bullies and the incompetent.

13 hours ago, freedomnow said:

Nam ?

Yes. I was a bit old for Iraq.

I was actually about to go there, but our involvement ended before I left home shores so I got a posting to Singapore instead, a highlight of my life.

13 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I expect the biggest problem the British Army would have is dealing with the flood of proud flag waving patriots rushing to engage in some of that defending Britain and British values they so often beat their chest over.

 

You underestimate them. People are wising up. They are unlikely to volunteer to fight another countries proxy war or for globalism.

37 minutes ago, mokwit said:

You underestimate them. People are wising up. They are unlikely to volunteer to fight another countries proxy war or for globalism.

I don’t, difficult and it is, underestimate them at all.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No, sums up the sorry state of the military that so few want to join it.

 

There is more in more in play  than the sorry state of the Military. Too long a list to go into, so I will just give you a few examples from the modern day era.

 

1. Societal changes.

 

2. Unfit to join through, medical issues including obesity, prior convictions, habitual drug use.

 

3. Capita.

 

The loss of places like Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany and a few others can hardly be blamed on the Military either.

 

3 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The military was a great start to my adult life,

 

And it still can be, for anyone who is willing to invest the time and effort, rather than being glued to a mobile phone or playstation.

 

From 1970 to 1990 the British Army strength only reduced by around 20,000

 

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the breakup of the USSR had the Kumbaya singers rubbing their hands together and thinking about the monetary savings. The slashing and burning started in earnest from 1992 / 3

 

And I'll also echo what @mokwit says above

 

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

They are unlikely to volunteer to fight another countries proxy war or for globalism.

 

Another issue is that the Welfare Budget, is now equal to the combined budgets of the Armed Forces , Education and Policing.

 

Another major issue right there.

 

Red Ken had the right idea, abolish the army and fund terrorist cells, proven to be unbearable 

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I don’t, difficult and it is, underestimate them at all.

 

 

 

Where are you getting this idea that everybody is stupid except you?

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Yes. I was a bit old for Iraq.

I was actually about to go there, but our involvement ended before I left home shores so I got a posting to Singapore instead, a highlight of my life.

Raffles comes to mind. I just made Iraq.

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

Where are you getting this idea that everybody is stupid except you?

Erm…

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Erm…

Perhaps you can elaborate on this for the benefit of the board so they can make a judgement for themselves.

20 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I expect the biggest problem the British Army would have is dealing with the flood of proud flag waving patriots rushing to engage in some of that defending Britain and British values they so often beat their chest over.

 

Let's not forget, you are anti-British military, in fact, anti-British.........

1 hour ago, transam said:

Let's not forget, you are anti-British military, in fact, anti-British.........

An accusation you frequently make without every producing any evidence beyond your own fragile sensitivity.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

An accusation you frequently make without every producing any evidence beyond your own fragile sensitivity.

You slagged off UK military special forces, and you know it.............

Who in their right mind would fight for the UK now?

 

Veterans sleeping on the streets while illegal immigrants stay in free hotels.

 

OAPs who fought for the country freezing in their own homes so Labour can save a few quid towards overseas climate aid. 

 

A PM who hates the country and insults it's working class people. If he despises it so much why does he think other people's children should fight for it? 

 

People can't even fly the flag without being branded racist or mocked by Labour politicians like Emily Thornberry on X so why would anyone die for it? 

 

It's not worth fighting for at this point.

6 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Who in their right mind would fight for the UK now?

 

Veterans sleeping on the streets while illegal immigrants stay in free hotels.

 

OAPs who fought for the country freezing in their own homes so Labour can save a few quid towards overseas climate aid. 

 

A PM who hates the country and insults it's working class people. If he despises it so much why does he think other people's children should fight for it? 

 

People can't even fly the flag without being branded racist or mocked by Labour politicians like Emily Thornberry on X so why would anyone die for it? 

 

It's not worth fighting for at this point.

Don’t worry Jonny, Labour have put an end to austerity, house building is now about ‘affordable homes’, not gated communities, nobody is freezing in their homes, the generous ‘triple lock’ is still in place, immigrants with no right to be in the UK are being deported ( and it’s not costing hundreds of millions to do so )

 

Your thing about Starmer is irrational nonsense, he clearly does not hate the country nor does he ‘insult the working class’.

 

Racists wrapping themselves in the flag is a thing.

 

Cheer up Jonny, the UK is a fabulous place, and it’s getting better.

 

 

On 12/6/2024 at 3:41 PM, 3NUMBAS said:

U.K. desperately needs an iron dome or 2 in case Putin goes bonkers with his missiles

 

A Chrome Dome might be best.....

 

22 hours ago, norfolkandchance said:

Raffles comes to mind. I just made Iraq.

I did go there once just for the reputation, and that is IMO the only way it survives. I preferred the Hilton or the Shangri La ( for the coffee shops, actually staying in one of those 5 star places was a bit above my income level.

 

I was in the Territorials when Iraq happened and only regulars went. I saw them running around camp in gas suits in the sunshine to aclimatise, and I was really, really glad I wasn't one of them.