BBC ONLINE 30.7.08
Military staff shortages warning
MPs say retaining experienced personnel must be a priority
The armed forces' capability is being threatened by missed
recruitment and staff retention targets, MPs warn.
The demands of deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and inadequate
breaks between tours of duty, were blamed for increased numbers
leaving the forces.
The Defence Select Committee report warns the military's ability to
react to unexpected needs could be affected.
The government said recruitment was up on a year ago, and it was
acting to improve areas such as troops' housing.
The committee report warned that the armed forces were operating at
an "unprecedented" tempo, with commitments outstripping resources and
servicemen and their families under "intense pressure".
The main reason for experienced personnel quitting the forces was the
impact of service on personal and family lives, it said.
More departures meant "increased pressure on those who remain", said
committee chairman James Arbuthnot.
The report highlighted worsening staff shortages in key trades
including submariners, aircrew, mechanics and medical staff.
The number of "pinchpoint" trades - areas where there is not enough
trained staff to carry out operations without cutting breaks between
deployments - is up from 54 in 2004 to 86.
Chief of staff Rear Admiral Charles Montgomery told the committee:
"What keeps me awake at night is the key pinchpoints where we are
short."
Mr Arbuthnot said: "The MoD must take action to address this vicious
circle before it becomes irreversible.
"Retaining highly-skilled and experienced service personnel must be a
key priority."
He called for the MoD to advance plans to improve accommodation,
saying that was a key reason many service personnel left.
He added that the MoD needed to act "with sufficient flexibility and
imagination if it is to recruit the number of new service personnel
required to enable our armed forces to continue to operate effectively".
Defence Minister Derek Twigg said that recruitment was up on a year
earlier and he also claimed improvements in breaks between deployments.
He said: "I accept that there is more to do. But the issues raised by
the committee are not new to us and are being addressed."
The minister highlighted new initiatives including moves to improve
health, housing and education for service personnel and their families.
Mr Twigg added: "Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are challenging,
but the morale of our people is high.
"Commanders assure me that operational effectiveness has not been
compromised and units deploy fully manned for the tasks they will be
expected to undertake." [But only by cannibalising other units to
make up the shortfall in numbers -cs]
Forces 'exodus'
But shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said: "This report validates
what the Conservative Party has been saying all along - our armed
forces are not structured to carry out the tasks being asked of them
by this government."
He said the problems in the military were "compromising our ability
to react to the unexpected", and accused the government of "inaction"
on the issue.
Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Nick Harvey said: "The exodus from
the armed forces is now so grave as to be an issue of national
security."
He urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown to set a timetable for the
withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
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