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:

The Defence Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, sets out in The Sunday Telegraph why he believes the Coalition is right to radically reform UK defences. "The vision we've set out – Future Force 2020 – ensures that by the end of the decade we have coherent, efficient and cutting-edge Armed Forces prepared for the challenges of the future."

A Welsh Territorial Army soldier who shot dead an Afghan he believed to be in the act of laying an IED could become the first British soldier to be charged with murder in that theatre. While any charges under military law would be a decision for the independent Service Prosecuting Authority, BAFF has commented on an aspect of the case.

Injured Armed Forces veterans will be guaranteed priority NHS care for life under new plans unveiled by ministers.

By Aislinn Laing

Published: 4:00PM GMT 11 Jan 2010

The initiative will start with a tailored healthcare plan drawn up before each serviceman or woman leaves the forces.

GPs and hospital staff will be reminded of their duty to provide priority care to those veterans and health authorities will be expected each to nominate a director to ensure they do.

Six pilot projects which saw NHS clinical psychologists appointed to work exclusively with veterans will be rolled out across the country, and six new mental health nurses from the military charity Combat Stress will be appointed in selected NHS trusts to link veterans with the right medical help.

The NHS will also match Defence Medical Services spending on prosthetic limbs for those veterans who need replacements in later life.

Full article at Telegraph.co.uk

BAFF is quoted in a report by the Sunday Telegraph defence correspondent, about the Army facing "huge cuts" after withdrawal from Afghanistan. The reductions would make the Army the smallest since the reign of George IV, who reigned 1820-1830. Quotes in the article:

According to a report in The Guardian, the armed forces have been warned that they cannot be spared from the government's spending cuts as pressure mounts on ministers to reconsider changes that could cost families thousands of pounds in pensions and allowances.

Independent on Sunday: "A serving British soldier in Afghanistan, enraged by last week's news of Army sackings-by email, believes our forces are being taken for granted. He decided to tell The IoS of his feelings":

Following recent confirmation that an independent review will be conducted into the 1994 crash of RAF Chinook ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre, the names of the members of the review have now been announced.

The Daily Telegraph's Defence Correspondent writes that there are fears that the 3,500 strong MoD Police force that protects nuclear missiles, special forces bases and vital energy sites could be slashed by as much as a third:

(Update 02 Nov: MoD response below). Various media have carried the story that apparently for the first time since the Falklands War in 1982, defence cuts have left the "stretched" Royal Navy unable to provide an emergency standby ship to protect British waters for a month. The Daily Telegraph reported that:

The Daily Telegraph's Defence Correspondent writes that the Army is set to lose its ability to fight large scale tanks battles under radical plans being drawn up to slash its fleet of armoured vehicles:

Erskine, the famous Scottish veterans' charity, is reportedly having to cut back on part of its commercial operation which provides valuable wotk for veterans. The Daily Record reports that:

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:

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:

This is a transcript of the 'essay' by an anonymous serving officer which was read by an actor on The World This Weekend on Sunday 10 Oct 2010:

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:

The Westminster Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) has published its report on the Armed Forces Bill, which raises "several significant human rights issues":

Chapter 24 of the Nimrod Review report identifies a number of current weaknesses in the area of personnel in the MOD which have an impact on the effectiveness of the MOD Airworthiness regime.

“Safety is delivered by people, not paper” (Andrew Macfarlane, Nuclear Regulator, 2008)

“It takes a whole community to ensure that we get [Operational Safety, Suitability and

Effectiveness].” (A Fleet Chief Engineer, US Air Force, 2008)

Haddon-Cave makes Recommendations for a New Personnel Strategy. From page 560 of the report:

Summary

1. People deliver Airworthiness.

2. There are currently weaknesses in the area of personnel in the MOD, namely:

(1) Undervaluing and dilution of engineers and engineering skills.

(2) Engineers are not required to have professional status.

(3) Decline in the ability of the MOD to act as an “intelligent customer”.

(4) Turf wars and inter-service rivalries for jobs and roles.

(5) Short term two-year postings.

(6) Constant re-naming of posts.

(7) ‘Double-hatting’ and ‘gapping’.

(8) Lack of trained Safety Engineers.

(9) Selfishness, rewards and promotion for ‘change’.

(10) Shortage of manpower and skills fade.

3. There should be a New Personnel Strategy to address each of these weaknesses.

Army 44 - RN 10

Royal Navy scored first in a rivetting first half at Twickenham before the Army got into gear and scored seven tries winning back a year's bragging rights from the Royal Navy. Bola Boladua was Man of the Match.

'Social Housing Discrimination' update 23 Jun 2010: The Housing (Scotland) Bill has passed its first stage in the Scottish Parliament. Opening the debate for the Scottish Government, Alex Neil MSP said that the bill will, amongst other things, "remove the absurd anomaly under which our servicemen and women are unable to form a local connection in the areas in which they were based during their service in the armed forces to enable them to get on the housing list."  BAFF strongly supports this reform, which follows a similar change south of the border.

BBC News Defence Correspondent Caroline Wyatt says that amphibious forces have played a major role in British military operations for centuries. Now there are fears the Royal Navy could lose much of that capability, as the National Security Council meets to review the country's defence strategy.

Wyatt visited assault ship HMS Albion returning from an exercise in Scotland with young Royal Marine commandos aboard. She also interviewed the Commandant General of the Royal Marines and Commander Amphibious Forces, Maj Gen Buster Howes, as 40 Commando RM returned to the UK from Afghanistan on Wednesday.

The Sun reports that the premier rugby event of the year will take place at Twickenham this Saturday:

Several members have been in touch with BAFF about the case of ex-Lance Corporal Bale Baleiwai, who after serving honourably in the British Army for 13 years, and despite having a British family, was  given three weeks to leave the country. The original deadline expired on 9 August. Please sign the petition on his behalf.

Update: Mr Baleiwai has now been given leave to appeal against the Army summary disciplinary finding upon which the UK Border Agency based its decision to refuse him settlement in the UK. The date for the appeal was to be announced later.

Thousands of troops should be forced into the reserves and hundreds of weapons mothballed for Britain to make defence savings, according to a think tank study by a professor of defence engineering. The Daily Telegraph reports that:

The Sun reports that "the Royal Air Force is running a course to help staff beat their fear of FLYING":

From a Times article by Professor Michael Clarke, Director of the Royal United Services Insititute: