The Heart of Defence: Men and Women of the UK Armed Forces
Dec 2005, Vol. 150, No. 6
By Michael Walker
Today, of the 5.5 million that fought for Britain in the First World War, only a few survive. Similarly, our Second World War veterans are declining in number and most of the National Service generation are now eligible for their free bus pass. And with fewer than 200,000 serving in today’s Armed Forces, those with an intimate experience of military operations make up only a small and diminishing fraction of the population of this country. But with security such a prominent feature of our lives today, those of us that lead the Armed Forces bear a special responsibility to ensure that we communicate effectively to the public, politicians and the press what we are about and the things that matter to us. In this, my last annual address to the Institute in my capacity as CDS, I intend to focus on the things that matter most to me: our people, the men and women that lie at the heart of our fighting capability. People are also at the heart of our vision for defence. Our fundamental purpose remains to defend the United Kingdom and its interests, to strengthen international peace and stability, and to act as a force for good in the world. We do this by working together to produce battle winning people and equipment that are fit for the challenge of today, ready for the tasks of tomorrow and capable of building for the future. Our strategy matches new threats and instabilities, maintains flexible force structures and seeks to reach out into the wider world. Realizing that vision is our core business. So how are we doing and where do our people fit in to all this?
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By Michael Walker
Today, of the 5.5 million that fought for Britain in the First World War, only a few survive. Similarly, our Second World War veterans are declining in number and most of the National Service generation are now eligible for their free bus pass. And with fewer than 200,000 serving in today’s Armed Forces, those with an intimate experience of military operations make up only a small and diminishing fraction of the population of this country. But with security such a prominent feature of our lives today, those of us that lead the Armed Forces bear a special responsibility to ensure that we communicate effectively to the public, politicians and the press what we are about and the things that matter to us. In this, my last annual address to the Institute in my capacity as CDS, I intend to focus on the things that matter most to me: our people, the men and women that lie at the heart of our fighting capability. People are also at the heart of our vision for defence. Our fundamental purpose remains to defend the United Kingdom and its interests, to strengthen international peace and stability, and to act as a force for good in the world. We do this by working together to produce battle winning people and equipment that are fit for the challenge of today, ready for the tasks of tomorrow and capable of building for the future. Our strategy matches new threats and instabilities, maintains flexible force structures and seeks to reach out into the wider world. Realizing that vision is our core business. So how are we doing and where do our people fit in to all this?
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