Troop welfare being neglected

I was very concerned though hardly surprised to read this morning’s Daily Telegraph report on troop over-stretch in the British Army.

According to Ministry of Defence figures, one in 14 soldiers is currently unfit to deploy because of illness or injury.

It has also been confirmed that the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, currently in Afghanistan, recently had to leave 50 long-term sick troops behind and many other battalions are in exactly the same position.

The simple fact is that out troops are over-committed, under resourced and, as these figures prove, massively under-rested.

The Military Covenant is not being kept and, for that, Gordon Brown, Des Browne and every Labour Minister should hang their heads in shame.