Article for North Devon Journal
3rd November 2009
As Remembrance Day approaches, our thoughts are naturally drawn to the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces.
As Remembrance Day approaches, our thoughts are naturally drawn to the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces. Yet it is easy to overlook the massive contribution made by our nation's reservists in deployments overseas, most notably members of the Territorial Army.
For just over a hundred years now, the Territorial Army has provided the regular Army with vital support. Since 2002, some 20,000 reservists have left their normal jobs and contributed to operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans, most of them from the Territorial Army. Fourteen Territorials have died on those operations.
Today there are approximately 550 Territorials serving on the frontline in Afghanistan and dozens more serve in the Balkans and other places across the globe.
We rely on the Territorial Army more than ever, but over the last decade the force has been severely neglected. In 1997 there were approximately 57,000 members of the Territorial Army. Twelve years later there are only 34,000. On 15 October the Government announced that weekly and monthly Territorial Army training would be cut by £20m, ending training for tens of thousands of Territorials. This proposed cut was on top of cuts of £23m already taken earlier in the current financial year.
To me, this seems like appalling negligence. How can we expect a Territorial who has not trained with his comrades or driven an armoured vehicle for six months to be ready to go to Afghanistan after a few weeks of emergency training? It is grossly irresponsible- and unfair- to treat our reservists in this way.
Everyone knows that the nation needs to live within its means and that tough decisions are needed, but we should not make false economies and gamble with the safety of those who serve our country.
David Cameron has led the charge in forcing the Government to reserve these shameful cuts. However, even with the Prime Minister's embarrassing u-turn, long term damage to morale and trust has been done.
This year, we should make a special effort to appreciate the sacrifices that our reservists make on our behalf. Across Devon, men and women in all sorts of workplaces will be awaiting the call from the Royal Devon Yeomanry, our local unit. They deserve the utmost in our respect and admiration.
