Difficult question...
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 154
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From: Lincs
............ With a nice smile!
People keep telling me he is sharp as well
Does that make him a smiling knife?
Edited such that it doesn't appear as though I actually fancy him.................... although if it means he brings back FRI1!!!!!
People keep telling me he is sharp as well
Does that make him a smiling knife?
Edited such that it doesn't appear as though I actually fancy him.................... although if it means he brings back FRI1!!!!!
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: UK
Having actually worked with him on many projects I can certainly say that he is:-
Focused
determined
aggresive
hard working
caring
sensitive
sharp as a pin
memory of an elephant
recognises bull!!!! from 200 yards
and has been the longest serving SofS for many years...if he wasn't any good at his job then he wouldnt be there would he...
Focused
determined
aggresive
hard working
caring
sensitive
sharp as a pin
memory of an elephant
recognises bull!!!! from 200 yards
and has been the longest serving SofS for many years...if he wasn't any good at his job then he wouldnt be there would he...
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Nowhere Interesting
Having actually worked with him on many projects I can certainly say that he is:-
Focused
determined
aggresive
hard working
caring
sensitive
sharp as a pin
memory of an elephant
recognises bull!!!! from 200 yards
-
Focused
determined
aggresive
hard working
caring
sensitive
sharp as a pin
memory of an elephant
recognises bull!!!! from 200 yards
-
Red On, Green On
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,490
Likes: 2
From: Between the woods and the water
My dad had to brief Heseltine a couple of times, and was impressed with his grasp of the facts, the amount of prepartion he'd done and his attention to detail.
In a non-defence matter I met him once, and he was better than the few others I've dealt with.
In a non-defence matter I met him once, and he was better than the few others I've dealt with.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Totalwar, you've just dropped (or climbed) into the Crossbow league. I would hope that any senior cabinet minister would have the attributes which you have stated but none of them neccesarily make for a good Defence Minister judged by military standards. However you have worked with him (whatever that means) and most of us have not so my comments are only formed from what I read and see reference the Armed Forces, and little of it is positive.
If he is only part of what you say why is he still refusing to overturn the appallingly wrong decision in the Mull of Kintyre Chinook accident?
If he is only part of what you say why is he still refusing to overturn the appallingly wrong decision in the Mull of Kintyre Chinook accident?
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 801
Likes: 0
From: Up North
Having actually worked with him on many projects I can certainly say that he is:-
Focused
determined
aggresive
hard working
caring
sensitive
sharp as a pin
memory of an elephant
recognises bull!!!! from 200 yards
and has been the longest serving SofS for many years...if he wasn't any good at his job then he wouldnt be there would he...
Focused
determined
aggresive
hard working
caring
sensitive
sharp as a pin
memory of an elephant
recognises bull!!!! from 200 yards
and has been the longest serving SofS for many years...if he wasn't any good at his job then he wouldnt be there would he...
.....For fans of Little Britain!
On a serious note, has anyone ever seen him squirm in fromt of the House of Commons Defence Committee?
Pathetic!
HCDC are a highly effective bunch who genuinely care about the Armed Forces on a nonpartisan basis; unfortunately they can do little other than criticise, which they do on a frequent basis.
Inter Arma Enim Silentius Lex Legis
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 733
Likes: 1
From: England
Navaleye
Sleepy Fred Mulley gets my vote! He fell asleep not very far from where I was at the time!! Cracking, oh and he did indicate originally that he had no objections to the Armed Forces having a Federation or Association to put forward their views. This was swiftly changed when the error of his ways was pointed out by CDS at the time.. just a few days after the TUC tried to force his hand!
TG
Sleepy Fred Mulley gets my vote! He fell asleep not very far from where I was at the time!! Cracking, oh and he did indicate originally that he had no objections to the Armed Forces having a Federation or Association to put forward their views. This was swiftly changed when the error of his ways was pointed out by CDS at the time.. just a few days after the TUC tried to force his hand!
TG
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
From: Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
I too have seen the SofS working at first hand and can confirm all of the things totalwar says (I must know you TW but as you're probably a naval aviator I shall pretend I don't). I would add that he is also decisive and insists on evidence not conjecture to support his decisions (that'll be the lawyer then).
That leaves the very fair question of why doesn't he come across as the man he clearly is? I find his performance in the House to invariably be self satisfied to the point of smuggness and in front of the HCDC well I'm glad he's not my brief. The root cause I think is that he is a genuinely nice bloke but he doesn't particularly like the limelight and when reading statements prepared by his civil servants he goes all flat and lifeless. Much rather he had a few points on a fag packet and spoke from the heart.
As to a replacement in the near future well there is a bottomless pit of Cronies out there not one of whom fills me with joy. What is really needed is not a Tony Crony but a Gordon's Gopher - money is the key and a if a mate of the Chancellor could ever be a Defence Secretary then that's the one to back.
That leaves the very fair question of why doesn't he come across as the man he clearly is? I find his performance in the House to invariably be self satisfied to the point of smuggness and in front of the HCDC well I'm glad he's not my brief. The root cause I think is that he is a genuinely nice bloke but he doesn't particularly like the limelight and when reading statements prepared by his civil servants he goes all flat and lifeless. Much rather he had a few points on a fag packet and spoke from the heart.
As to a replacement in the near future well there is a bottomless pit of Cronies out there not one of whom fills me with joy. What is really needed is not a Tony Crony but a Gordon's Gopher - money is the key and a if a mate of the Chancellor could ever be a Defence Secretary then that's the one to back.