glojo
You ask " Is it time for our Armed Services to develop a back bone and speak out for those they represent?"
I think you will find that they do and regularly - in the right places. They are not Trade Union Leaders who (legitimately) engage in open political debate. They take an oath that binds them to carry out the (legitimate) orders of our democratically elected representatives.
If there is an issue, it is that we have punched way above our weight for so many years that the "can do" attitude of the Armed Forces is too often abused by our politicians.