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EUROPE
22 Oct 09. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. A Corporal from the Royal Military Police was killed as a result of an explosion near Gereshk District Centre on 22 Oct 09. UK deaths since the start of operations in October 2001 thus rose to 222, of whom 191 were killed as a result of hostile action. (MoD, 22 Oct 09.)
The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) went on record as saying that “we should not allow our security policy to be driven by opinion polls” and that “the Campaign [in Afghanistan] is winnable”. (MoD, 19 Oct 09.)
Gunners from the Royal Australian Artillery have been supporting British and Danish troops as well as Afghan National Security Forces. (MoD, 19 Oct 09.)
In an interview, the CGS said that it would be “about 2014” before UK troop numbers in Afghanistan could be reduced. (BBC News, 22 Oct 09.)
Soldiers from 3rd Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland fought off Taliban attackers while assisting with the recovery of a US Army Chinook helicopter. (MoD, 23 Oct 09.)
Comment: A signing ceremony was held ‘in the margins’ of the NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Bratislava (22/23 Oct 09). The Declaration of Intent covers the provision of helicopters for NATO Operations including, in particular, OP HERRICK. The leader of the HIP Helicopter Task Force programme is the Czech Republic and the other signatories are Albania, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and the UK. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/40, 26 Oct 09)
Oct 09. Territorial Army (TA): Training Curtailed. Following ‘leaks’ to newspapers, Ministers admitted that most TA training was being suspended for the remainder of the Financial Year (i.e. until 31 Mar 10). On 15 Oct 09, the Defence Secretary told the House of Commons that: “….we have cancelled some Territorial Army training that is not related to Afghanistan.”.
The Junior Defence Minister said, on 16 Oct 09, that: “….all University Officer Training Corps (UOTC) Cadet and Volunteer Instructor pay will cease until April 2010. This will generate savings of £3m [three million]”. On
20 Oct 09 the Armed Forces’ Minister confirmed that: “All TA activity not directly in support of Operations will therefore be stopped or reduced for the remainder of this Financial Year.”.
The plan to restrict TA activity for the remainder of the Financial Year was said to be “one of a number of cost saving proposals put forward by the CGS and endorsed by the Defence Secretary.”.
Comment: The suspension of TA training (which does not affect those called-up for service in Afghanistan) will reportedly ‘save £20m’. The damage done to the TA, including the UOTC, for such a piffling amount of money is likely to be enormous. This dreadful decision reflects a remarkable lack of understanding of the Volunteers. (Try turning some lights off in the Main Building overnight if pennies are to be saved!) (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/40, 26 Oct 09)
22 Oct 09. Civil Contingency Reaction Forces (CCRF): Discontinued. The Armed Forces’ Minister said (22 Oct 09) that: “….the current Civil Contingency Reaction Force structure has been discontinued as a role for regional