More cuts coming?

[Biggus]

Alex Y,

I suspect a fair percentage of those posting on this thread are still serving, as for morale:

BBC News - Armed forces morale falls, MoD survey suggests

I think you will find it has been destroyed from the top down, not the bottom up!

[Alexander.Yakovlev]

If you are that pessimistic about the future then bang out. We can do without you. Leave the rest of us who actually approach our jobs professionally with a degree of positivity to stag on.

[Tiger_mate]

There is a difference between pessimistic and realistic. Optimism would be refreshing but needs to be built upon an equally realistic outlook. One cannot see at first hand the recent penny pinching events such as individuals AIP being investigated, and all three services imploding through economic restraint and remain positive about future direction.

[Biggus]

Alex,

On the basis of your last arguement, if the survey quoted on the BBC link is to be believed, you are asking, for example, 63% of Army Officers to "leave".


You don't know my personal circumstances. If your last statement was meant for me personally, rather than as a general one, then I find your comment little short of insulting. What gives you the right to say that either I, or indeed anyone who you consider to be pessimistic about the future of the military, isn't still doing their job professionally? One doesn't follow on from the other! Indeed, one can have a "degree of positivity" and still be unprofessional in the way one approaches one's job (NOT that I am accusing you of that!).

Personally I will attempt to do my job to the best of my ability until my last working day in uniform, out of a sense of professional pride if nothing else, whatever my other feelings may be.


Tiger mate's comment is very valid, one man's pessimism is simply another man's realism. It's all a matter of perspective...

[Alexander.Yakovlev]

I would just argue that it isn't all doom and gloom. We have been through a difficult period but as you say optimism must be built, and it starts by having some positivity yourselves. All three services are doing some tremendous good, both on an individual and collective basis. All too often we focus on the negative, which is not healthy when our main business is unpleasant enough at times. The constant whinging i encounter is from people who won't leave and try something else to better their personal situation.

But that is just my experience.

[Donna K Babbs]

Alexander,

I am assuming that your experience is limited. The cuts, changes and erosion of trust leaves many of us with little optimism. This is based on significant military service.

Biggus has more experience than most, on a range or platforms, and in many diverse roles.

[MSOCS]

He said any change was bound to create uncertainty but "morale on operations remained high".

"The resilience of our personnel should not be underestimated. We are nearing the end of a very difficult period in defence and hope to see morale slowly recovering over the next couple of years.

Of course one could reasonably expect fighting spirit to be high on operations. For many who serve it is exactly what they were trained to do and it is resourced better than most areas of Defence. Morale, as opposed to one's spirit, is more pervasive and it will be interesting to see where UK Forces' morale is after Afghanistan. I hope it recovers for the sake our fine men and women who serve but the 'end of a difficult period' has just been extended by the Exchequer.

[Kitbag]

Have to wonder whether Alex has completed his professional training yet?

[Alexander.Yakovlev]

Yeah I guess you are all right. What would I know after all...

My apologies for displaying an opinion.

[lj101]

Alex

Us 'oldies' were once 'bright young things' and maybe some of us should stop whinging and leave if we hate it that much but when you have families to support and your T & C's are ripped away, it's worrying.
Personally I have had a fab time and the only reason I wouldn't join now, is that the RAF probably wouldn't select me as they can afford to be choosey. I am not being modest in that statement either.

Out of interest, what branch are you?

[Alexander.Yakovlev]

I hoping for a place on officer training one day, but we will have to see what happens. There aren't many vacancies at the moment.

[Squirrel 41]

Back to the Topic....

More cuts coming?

And the short answer after the 2012 Autumn Statement is "Yes." The longer answer from the Guardian is this:

The need to extend the point at which austerity ends to 2017-18 has required Osborne to set out further spending cuts worth over £31bn between 2014 and 2018 or a real-terms cut of 19% if health, schools and international development continue to be protected.

The size of the MoD budget means that if you were to protect it, you'd have to find £6bn or so from another Departmental budget, making the whole thing undoable.

So yes, I'd say that a "good" result would be limiting the next round of cuts to say £4bn p.a. - which is going to force some very tough choices. Trident replacement is likely to be at the top of the list given the costs and the bespoke capability that it represents, I would suggest.

S41

[Squirrel 41]

And some other thoughts

From the FT: Hammond faces defence budgets fight - FT.com

And Conservative Home also have a view: Autumn Statement means less funding for Defence - and potential Budget rebellions from Tory MPs The Tory Diary

It's going to be messy. Very, very messy.

S41

[minigundiplomat]

I hoping for a place on officer training one day, but we will have to see what happens. There aren't many vacancies at the moment.

The lack of vacancies is the tangible aspect of cuts and inability to manage manpower without surge and stall.

Fear not, with blind obedience and inability to see the plain facts when laid out in front of you - you will fit right in.

You just need to work on risk adversity and decision avoidance and you'll be in like Flynn.