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(From The Telegraph)
Regiments return to regional roots for families‘ sake
By Michael Smith, Defence Correspondent
County links strong despite march of change
THE Army is to move its infantry regiments back to their traditional recruitment areas in an attempt to stop soldiers leaving because they never see their families.
Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, told The Telegraph he believed that this would give the families of married soldiers in particular more stability allowing them to put down roots and live a normal life.
Mr Hoon said: "It will be good for people in the Army that they are able to go back to family and friends in the areas from which they were recruited At the same time there is a great civic pride across the country in the Armed Forces and I want to build on the regional connections between the Army and the various parts of the country."
The number of serving regular soldiers is now smaller than at any time since the creation of the modern Army by the Duke of Marlborough in the 17th century. Manning levels are set at 108,000 but there are only 100,000 serving soldiers and Gen Sir Charles Guthrie, the Chief of Defence Staff, has said it will take up to five years to make up the shortfall.
The infantry in particular is suffering from acute overstretch due to the increasing numbers of tours spent abroad. Exercises in Canada or Poland are followed by tours of duty to the Balkans or Northern Ireland and many soldiers leave because they never see their families.
Mr Hoon said. "What we have been asking of them as they have been rotated around the world has been very disruptive to family life. There are very considerable consequences for the family in terms of jobs, medical services, schools, and I think a lot of the pressure has understandably come from home."
Many spouses now had jobs and were reluctant to give them up, Mr Hoon said. The difficulty of ensuring children were educated in a stable environment was also critical. "There is a strong recognition in the Army that the lack of stability is one of the reasons why they are losing people sooner than they would want to."
Moving the infantry regiments back to their traditional recruiting areas would allow soldiers to buy a house and settle down. Although they would still have to go wherever their regiment went their families would have a stable life and the local community would be able to have pride in its own regiment.
Under Mr Hoon‘s plans, the Royal Anglians, currently based in Gwent, would move back to Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk; the Highlanders, now at Catterick, would return to Inverness; and the Green Howards, who originate from Yorkshire would move from Warminster, Wilts, to Richmond, N Yorks.
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Regiments return to regional roots for families‘ sake
By Michael Smith, Defence Correspondent
County links strong despite march of change
THE Army is to move its infantry regiments back to their traditional recruitment areas in an attempt to stop soldiers leaving because they never see their families.
Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, told The Telegraph he believed that this would give the families of married soldiers in particular more stability allowing them to put down roots and live a normal life.
Mr Hoon said: "It will be good for people in the Army that they are able to go back to family and friends in the areas from which they were recruited At the same time there is a great civic pride across the country in the Armed Forces and I want to build on the regional connections between the Army and the various parts of the country."
The number of serving regular soldiers is now smaller than at any time since the creation of the modern Army by the Duke of Marlborough in the 17th century. Manning levels are set at 108,000 but there are only 100,000 serving soldiers and Gen Sir Charles Guthrie, the Chief of Defence Staff, has said it will take up to five years to make up the shortfall.
The infantry in particular is suffering from acute overstretch due to the increasing numbers of tours spent abroad. Exercises in Canada or Poland are followed by tours of duty to the Balkans or Northern Ireland and many soldiers leave because they never see their families.
Mr Hoon said. "What we have been asking of them as they have been rotated around the world has been very disruptive to family life. There are very considerable consequences for the family in terms of jobs, medical services, schools, and I think a lot of the pressure has understandably come from home."
Many spouses now had jobs and were reluctant to give them up, Mr Hoon said. The difficulty of ensuring children were educated in a stable environment was also critical. "There is a strong recognition in the Army that the lack of stability is one of the reasons why they are losing people sooner than they would want to."
Moving the infantry regiments back to their traditional recruiting areas would allow soldiers to buy a house and settle down. Although they would still have to go wherever their regiment went their families would have a stable life and the local community would be able to have pride in its own regiment.
Under Mr Hoon‘s plans, the Royal Anglians, currently based in Gwent, would move back to Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk; the Highlanders, now at Catterick, would return to Inverness; and the Green Howards, who originate from Yorkshire would move from Warminster, Wilts, to Richmond, N Yorks.
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