Civil Servants Complain about Tributes
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Civil Servants Complain about Tributes
Any thoughts on this Times report from the weekend? Made my blood boil. 
Civil servants at the Ministry of Defence have complained about the “prevalence” of tributes to dead soldiers on the ministry’s internal internet.
Their comments have led to reports of soldiers’ deaths, and eulogies to them, being dropped from the top of the news pages within a few hours.
Liam Fox, the defence secretary, was furious about the complaints after being told of them by The Sunday Times.
He said: “We should never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our nation’s security. The least we can do is honour the fallen in a proper and dignified manner.”
Last week a report on the MoD intranet about the death of a Gurkha was swiftly replaced by news of a visit by General David Petraeus, the US commander in Afghanistan, to Gurkhas in central Helmand. Other reports of soldiers’ deaths have been replaced by news of civil servants being shortlisted for awards.
In a letter to this month’s Soldier magazine, an army major working at the MoD questioned why the news of soldiers’ deaths was being dropped from the top of the news service so quickly.
Major J Barry pointed out that he and other servicemen and women criticised the national media for paying more attention to the sex lives of pop stars than the deaths of British soldiers serving in Afghanistan. “So why do we allow a similar practice on our own web pages?” Barry asked.
“There needs to be a better way of conducting business . . one that pays a bit more respect than currently shown.”
The MoD told Soldier that civil servants had complained in a survey about the time such reports stayed at the top of the news pages. Research had shown that visitors to the site “would prefer different news”.
Fox joined relatives of those killed in denouncing the civil servants’ views. He said he was ordering the MoD to change the rules so that reports of deaths and eulogies remained at the top of the news pages for at least 24 hours.
Graham Knight, whose son Ben was one of 14 servicemen killed when an RAF Nimrod spy plane exploded over Afghanistan in September 2006, said the ministry was over-eager to present “positive” news. Even a recent internal history of his son’s death had dismissed the crash in just a few lines, as though it had been a minor event, he said.
Civil servants at the Ministry of Defence have complained about the “prevalence” of tributes to dead soldiers on the ministry’s internal internet.
Their comments have led to reports of soldiers’ deaths, and eulogies to them, being dropped from the top of the news pages within a few hours.
Liam Fox, the defence secretary, was furious about the complaints after being told of them by The Sunday Times.
He said: “We should never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our nation’s security. The least we can do is honour the fallen in a proper and dignified manner.”
Last week a report on the MoD intranet about the death of a Gurkha was swiftly replaced by news of a visit by General David Petraeus, the US commander in Afghanistan, to Gurkhas in central Helmand. Other reports of soldiers’ deaths have been replaced by news of civil servants being shortlisted for awards.
In a letter to this month’s Soldier magazine, an army major working at the MoD questioned why the news of soldiers’ deaths was being dropped from the top of the news service so quickly.
Major J Barry pointed out that he and other servicemen and women criticised the national media for paying more attention to the sex lives of pop stars than the deaths of British soldiers serving in Afghanistan. “So why do we allow a similar practice on our own web pages?” Barry asked.
“There needs to be a better way of conducting business . . one that pays a bit more respect than currently shown.”
The MoD told Soldier that civil servants had complained in a survey about the time such reports stayed at the top of the news pages. Research had shown that visitors to the site “would prefer different news”.
Fox joined relatives of those killed in denouncing the civil servants’ views. He said he was ordering the MoD to change the rules so that reports of deaths and eulogies remained at the top of the news pages for at least 24 hours.
Graham Knight, whose son Ben was one of 14 servicemen killed when an RAF Nimrod spy plane exploded over Afghanistan in September 2006, said the ministry was over-eager to present “positive” news. Even a recent internal history of his son’s death had dismissed the crash in just a few lines, as though it had been a minor event, he said.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
JJ, two things.
Every time I logged on there was yet another sad announcement. It was indeed very depressing.
The other was that it was a near constant event and actually lost impact as the page didn't appear to have changed from one death to the next.
In the US I believe they handle the initial repatriation in a low key manner and only pay tribute in the soldiers home State.
It is a very sensitive matter and very difficult to handle.
Every time I logged on there was yet another sad announcement. It was indeed very depressing.
The other was that it was a near constant event and actually lost impact as the page didn't appear to have changed from one death to the next.
In the US I believe they handle the initial repatriation in a low key manner and only pay tribute in the soldiers home State.
It is a very sensitive matter and very difficult to handle.
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Good to see Dr. Fox jumping to the defence of those that have paid the ultimate price but it shouldn't have been allowed to happen in the first place.
There needs to be a good balance between the soldiers deaths and the MODs other news.
There needs to be a good balance between the soldiers deaths and the MODs other news.
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Are you trying to launch another 'righteous indignation at full throttle, civvy bashing, outrage bus'?
This will be the view of a tiny minority.
A very large proportion of MOD civil servants are ex-military and wouldn't dream of such tosh,.and it would be grossly unfair to be tar all the 'civvy' cs with the same brush. Not that many have time to faff around with trivial surveys which change nothing.
Build a bridge....
R
This will be the view of a tiny minority.
A very large proportion of MOD civil servants are ex-military and wouldn't dream of such tosh,.and it would be grossly unfair to be tar all the 'civvy' cs with the same brush. Not that many have time to faff around with trivial surveys which change nothing.
Build a bridge....
R
Probably some Civil Servants whose greatest exposure to danger is slopping hot tea on their wrist. Mind you, having had some experience of public servivce trades unions.....
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Maybe they can all whack off with the excitement a lot of them will be getting laid off in the near future. That will give them something to whine about on their bollox feedback survey.
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Riskman - Can you produce statistics to back up your claim that a significant number of MOD civil servants are ex-military? I've spent a bit of time in The Building and I can't think of a single one in the mainstream civil service. Granted out in the Shires things are different but if there has been a moan I'd wager a pint that it has come from within the big white box.
On a slightly different note, I once suggested the flags on Main Building be flown at half mast each day a member of the Services died on operations. It was suggested that this might be an all too common event and it might demoralise folk. I responded that as MOD can be viewed by our democratically elected representatives as they drove (or more likely were driven) down Whitehall to the Palace of Westminster it might help them to ponder on the outcomes of their decisions. Just a suggestion.
On a slightly different note, I once suggested the flags on Main Building be flown at half mast each day a member of the Services died on operations. It was suggested that this might be an all too common event and it might demoralise folk. I responded that as MOD can be viewed by our democratically elected representatives as they drove (or more likely were driven) down Whitehall to the Palace of Westminster it might help them to ponder on the outcomes of their decisions. Just a suggestion.
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Civil servants at the Ministry of Defence
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and again, how many is enough? 1 or 1000? Yet another attack on the Civil Service to soften the country up for the cuts, and you guys buy it hook, line and sinker?
Grimweasel, are you looking forward to having to do the jobs of all those MoD civil servants who will be out of theirs? Because by the rule of averages, at least half of them will be doing something useful / critical that still needs to be done, and the only people left to do it will be those in uniform... So I'm guessing you sit on your backside all day doing nothing when not on ops, and can just as easily pick up one or more of these full time jobs?
Grimweasel, are you looking forward to having to do the jobs of all those MoD civil servants who will be out of theirs? Because by the rule of averages, at least half of them will be doing something useful / critical that still needs to be done, and the only people left to do it will be those in uniform... So I'm guessing you sit on your backside all day doing nothing when not on ops, and can just as easily pick up one or more of these full time jobs?
I'm a Civil Servant.
If I heard any of my colleagues make such a complaint I think I'd nut them.
Yes, it depressing, but it is also a daily reminder of what is important.
There is a simple answer. If someone complains, you tell them it is Government policy to notify such deaths in this manner. If a Civil Servant can't tolerate working under such a policy, he/she is required to resign. Now put up or ******* shut up.
If I heard any of my colleagues make such a complaint I think I'd nut them.
Yes, it depressing, but it is also a daily reminder of what is important.
There is a simple answer. If someone complains, you tell them it is Government policy to notify such deaths in this manner. If a Civil Servant can't tolerate working under such a policy, he/she is required to resign. Now put up or ******* shut up.
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The report was in the Sunday Times!!
Liam Fox was furious after being told by……… THE SUNDAY TIMES!!!
The so called complaints were actually in a survey????
Fox joined relatives of those killed in denouncing the civil servants’ views. – Well what else is he going to do!!!!!
How obvious is it that this is such an orchestrated story. In the words of Postman Plod:
My wife works for the MOD and she works bloody hard for a crap wage!!!! I assure you, she wont be getting a gold plated pension that will give us a life of luxury in our retirement.
Mark my words, she, also, would not tolerate “real” complaints of this nature and if she did hear them from her colleague’s I’m sure she would also “nut them”.
Some of you here make the job of politicians so easy with your naivety and gullibility to believe stories such as this.
Liam Fox was furious after being told by……… THE SUNDAY TIMES!!!
The so called complaints were actually in a survey????
Fox joined relatives of those killed in denouncing the civil servants’ views. – Well what else is he going to do!!!!!
How obvious is it that this is such an orchestrated story. In the words of Postman Plod:
Yet another attack on the Civil Service to soften the country up for the cuts, and you guys buy it hook, line and sinker?
Mark my words, she, also, would not tolerate “real” complaints of this nature and if she did hear them from her colleague’s I’m sure she would also “nut them”.
Some of you here make the job of politicians so easy with your naivety and gullibility to believe stories such as this.
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The original report is a letter/reply in 'Soldier' magazine. Any of you who are young enough to still get a copy might like to read the actual question and answer. You know the one from a Major, answered by Directorate of Media and Comms, that does not say the CS are complaining. Rather than continuing the politicaly motivated sound bite fest.
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Impiger
No. My claim was based on personal observation
.
R
Can you produce statistics to back up your claim that a significant number of MOD civil servants are ex-military?
out in the Shires
R
