According to the Sunday Telegraph, millions of pounds in bonus payments to military bands have been axed as the Ministry of Defence desperately attempts to save more money:

Badly wounded soldiers are subjected to a “postcode lottery” of care on the NHS when they leave the Services, charity chiefs have told MPs.From the Daily Telegraph:

External links have been removed from this archived 2011 article.

The Howard League for Penal Reform’s Inquiry into Former Armed Service Personnel in Prison published its final report recently in the run up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday 25th June:

A report in the Daily Telegraph says that as part of the new military covenant, the Prime Minister is to change the law (in England) "in an attempt to show he is recognising the sacrifices of those who risk their lives for their country". This follows initiatives by a number of local authorities. The Telegraph story continues:

According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, RAF chiefs fear that the “cream” of the air force is leaving after a dozen group captains resigned or asked for voluntary redundancy in the past month:

The Armed Forces Bill has now completed its consideration in the House of Commons. It is due to be debated on the House of Lords on 6 July.

This article from June 2011 is of renewed topical interest. An investigation by BBC News has revealed that the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) - which was announced in March 2010 and began work at the beginning of November - has so far managed to interview only ONE of the Iraqi civilian complainants. Some individuals have reportedly refused to cooperate on the advice of their lawyers, but IHAT dispute that such advice is justified.

 British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF) spokesman Adrian Weale, who served on Operation Telic, was interviewed on Radio 4's Today programme and other BBC media. He said:

NATO has agreed plans for a new land, air and maritime command structure which will reduce command and staff personnel by 30 per cent. The maritime component command in Northwood, cited in a recent NATO study as one of the most efficient headquarters within the entire NATO command structure. is being retained. Aviation Week reports:

According to the Daily Telegraph, the Armed Forces should recruit more part-time soldiers to help Britain prepare for conflict and natural disasters, the FR20 review has concluded:

Investigations into leaks at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are likely to result in "a number" of prosecutions, Liam Fox has told Sky News.

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) is operating off the Libyan coast as part of the Nato operation in support of UNSCR 1973. BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale got exclusive access on board the pride of the French navy:

British Forces News reported in 2011 that a new gardening project has been launched at Headley Court to provide occupational therapy for personnel recovering at the Ministry of Defence Rehabilitation Centre. Update 18 June 2017: The Sunday Times reported that the MoD wanted the charity to continue treating its troops, even when Headley Court closes next year and is replaced by Stanford Hall, a new £300m rehabilitation centre in Nottinghamshire, but had declined to help fund the £350,000 needed to finance another three years of the programme and said the charity would have to find the money itself.

A Ministry of Defence study found that 44.9 per cent were overweight and another 12.1 per cent were classed as obese or even heavier. According to The Daily Telegraph:

The Guardian is reporting that Lord Levene's plans for root and branch reform of the military are likely to cause consternation among senior officers:

Armed forces veterans are being fast-tracked for council housing, according to some council leaders in England. LocalGov.co.uk reports that:

Service children who face regular moves from home and school can suffer high levels of anxiety and stress, especially when their parents deploy to armed conflicts overseas, according to a report by Oftsed, the the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills in England.

In its recent evidence to the Armed Forces Bill Committee, the British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF) praised the educational opportunities provided to suitable 16 and 17 year olds through the two Army apprentice colleges, and said we did not support calls from elsewhere for the raising of the minimum joining age to 18. BAFF also submitted, however, that "There is an issue about 16 and 17 year olds entering into binding commitments, enforceable by criminal sanctions under Service law, to continue serving for at least four years in adult service." We therefore welcome the announcement by Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans Andrew Robathan that:

The Bolton News reports that new research is being carried out in Bolton to find out why (according to some sources) there are "so many" Armed Forces veterans in prison. It is a controversial subject, on which serious fact-based research is to be warmly welcomed.

A BBC Democracy Live report of Dr Fox's statement on 16 May includes video of the announcement:

The Daily Telegraph reports that servicemen who have been seriously injured while on duty will be given free bus passes for life under a series of measures designed to enshrine the Military Covenant in law: