It is indeed a sad day when we are considering such measures, but I have seen the increasing politicisation of a service I am proud to be a part of. A long time ago when I joined, senior officers would happily stand up for their troops whereas now they worry about reaching the next rung and the ones that do stand out are singled out as mavericks. The Armed Forces boasts how its people are its strongest asset, and it's true they are, but it is fact that has been forgotten by many. It will be a fine balance however, since we also run the risk of becoming too 'cuddly' and our business is war - not politics.