British Army still needs troops in Germany

[Pannonian]

Because we can't house them at home. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,,2168940,00.html)

Conditions rougher at some UK bases than in Afghanistan, say MPs

· 'Disgraceful' standards found at army barracks
· Forces minister accepts problem areas need work

Richard Norton-Taylor
Friday September 14, 2007
The Guardian

The state of some UK barracks means that British troops endure worse living conditions at home than on operations in Afghanistan, according to a report today by MPs. The Commons defence committee says repairs take too long, standards of service are "unacceptably poor", and the situation is exacerbated by "an alarming lack of recognition at senior levels that these problems are more than minor difficulties". Unless significant improvements are made soon, service men and women will be forced to live in sub-standard accommodation "for many years to come", the cross-party committee says.

Its report, published a day after the British Legion launched an unprecedented campaign highlighting what it calls the poor treatment of armed forces personnel, will make further uncomfortable reading for the Ministry of Defence.

Accommodation for two regiments now in Afghanistan - the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, based at Hounslow, west London, and the Royal Anglian Regiment, based at Pirbright in Surrey - is described as "disgraceful".

The MPs say that at Hounslow they found "barrack blocks with overflowing drains and repairs which had been left unattended", with non-commissioned officers sleeping "eight to a room, with minimal privacy and negligible storage". They add: "We were told that soldiers from [the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment] on deployment in Afghanistan had more comfortable accommodation than their comrades left behind in Pirbright [barracks in Surrey]."

Soldiers told the MPs that poor accommodation was having a "serious effect on morale and retention, especially among NCOs". They welcomed steps being taken to modernise single living accommodation and improve married quarters. The report adds: "However...some accommodation remains appalling. This is unacceptable."

James Arbuthnot, the committee chairman, welcomed more resources being devoted to the MoD estate. However, he added: "Service personnel and their families should not have to put up with run-down buildings...especially at a time when we are asking the armed forces to put their lives on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan. They deserve to be decently housed at home." Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, said: "It's a national scandal. The government has thrown public money around, spending over £2.3bn on MoD consultants, but hasn't been able to provide decent accommodation for those who are asked to defend this country."

Bob Ainsworth, the armed forces minister, said last night: "This is an issue we take very seriously and I recognise that good quality housing is a fundamental part of the welfare package we give to our armed forces personnel and their families. However, I acknowledge that there are problem areas of the estate which require significant work."

[rory_20_uk]

The solution is surprisingly simple:


Slash the social spending budget
Reinvest monies into housing and pay for troops


Those that are in the armed forces will get looked after ot a better standard to those that do nothing; more can join the armed forces as a larger force would be supported.

~:smoking:

[Husar]

Why do you hate Germany?:inquisitive:

[FactionHeir]

Actually I'm more surprised why foreign forces still have bases in Germany. (Or should I say I don't remember seeing a German base in the UK or the US?) Artifacts left over from the WWs possibly, but still, why have them half a decade later?

As for the actual article, its quite interesting how most spending (even in the military) goes to managers and consultants that often enact quite little but get paid exorbitant amounts which could be much better spent on troop accomodation for instance.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Actually I'm more surprised why foreign forces still have bases in Germany. (Or should I say I don't remember seeing a German base in the UK or the US?) Artifacts left over from the WWs possibly, but still, why have them half a decade later?

As for the actual article, its quite interesting how most spending (even in the military) goes to managers and consultants that often enact quite little but get paid exorbitant amounts which could be much better spent on troop accomodation for instance.

There are American bases in the UK and UK bases in America. The reason there are no more German bases in the UK is because of German forces drawdown more than anything.

[Ironside]

Actually I'm more surprised why foreign forces still have bases in Germany. (Or should I say I don't remember seeing a German base in the UK or the US?) Artifacts left over from the WWs possibly, but still, why have them half a decade later?


Well, uhm there was that power that had like a third of Germany and the rest of Eastern Europe under it's wings and was quite hostile towards the Americans and Western Europe and lasted until about 1990.

You do have a point about that being almost 20 years ago, but they're not WWII artifacts in that meaning, but had a use for almost 5 decades afterwards.

[Pannonian]

Well, uhm there was that power that had like a third of Germany and the rest of Eastern Europe under it's wings and was quite hostile towards the Americans and Western Europe and lasted until about 1990.

You do have a point about that being almost 20 years ago, but they're not WWII artifacts in that meaning, but had a use for almost 5 decades afterwards.
He probably meant half a century rather than half a decade.

[Ironside]

He probably meant half a century rather than half a decade.

Heh, I did read that as century, not decade... :oops:

Oh, btw FactionHier one lesser but more updated reason for maintaining the bases is the good old "closing down those bases will be bad for local economy" reason, that local politicians are fond of moaning about. Depending on the cicumstances, this one can be surpricingly strong sometimes.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

I think it might interest you guys to hear that there is a British base right next to Bergen Belsen. I think it's the biggest British army base in Germany or something like that, but it was really annoying to have all of that gunfire in the background as we walked around the memorials at Bergen Belsen.

[Lorenzo_H]

I have long been of the opinion that the British Army needs more funding.

[rory_20_uk]

The German economy likes all those soldiers spending their money into a their economy, and most of their supplies bought from German suppliers. certainly the UK has no place there as if the base was overrun with a foreign forces the way troop numbers and commitments are going the best response we'd have is sent a busload of football thugs or estate families over there to sort it out.

Mind you, they might win; no loss if they don't :evilgrin:

~:smoking:

[KrooK]

Its very good because as long and US Army and UK Army is there, Germans won't be nazists again.

[Ser Clegane]

Its very good because as long and US Army and UK Army is there, Germans won't be nazists again.

Yeah - these army bases sure are the one reason that keeps us from going berzerk and trying again to invade other countries :inquisitive:

[Husar]

I agree, I'm soo glad all those thousands of american soldiers around here show me every day that invading other countries is erm, bad, otherwise I'd never get the idea. They really improve my life and make me feel sooo much nicer, without them I'd probably be an alcoholic in a street gang chanting weird songs and invading other countries...

Besides that, I still think they can stay.:sweatdrop:

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Yeah - these army bases sure are the one reason that keeps us from going berzerk and trying again to invade other countries :inquisitive:

Hey Ser I noticed it too. All of those nazis at concerts were only kept in line by the British and American soldiers with M-4's and 152mm howitzers trained on them!:laugh4:

BTW I don't mean to say there are a lot of nazis in Germany, there certainly are some, but they're definitely a minority, if a troubling one.