The full extent of the recruitment and overstretch crisis facing Britain's forces is laid bare in a highly damaging report which the government is accused of "burying." The problem is so grave that the UK is struggling to fulfil its military commitments due to "serious manning shortfalls" in 80 key operational areas.
As the government prepares to send 3,300 troops into Afghanistan on top of its Iraq deployment, a detailed report by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body reveals that some army units are already so overstretched they "routinely breach" guidelines on the amount of tour duty considered healthy.
The findings come amid speculation that Britain could start withdrawing troops from Iraq next month, weeks earlier than previously announced. Military sources claim a "thinning" of certain units had already begun and that hun-dreds will begin leaving next month as part of the government "drawdown" from the conflict. The move will be confirmed by Defense Secretary John Reid later this month when he unveils Britain's Iraq deployment from next month to November.
Reid himself, in evidence for the report, airs concern over a series of issues. Among these is worry that the quality of housing available to service families is "way behind where it should be" and "strong concerns" over the level of pay for junior ranks on the front line.
Elsewhere, the Ministry of Defense admits the manpower crisis will continue until at least 2008, with the army predicting a shortfall of more than 12,400 recruits this year, while the Royal Navy has a staffing "black hole." Overall, the ministry admits for the first time that the army is 50 percent short of its recruitment targets, and the navy is short by 35 percent.
The report, which offers independent advice to the prime minister and Reid, was released on the final day before the parliamentary recess last month, leading to claims from the opposition Liberal Democrats that the ministry attempted to suppress it. The party's defense spokesman, Michael Moore, called on Reid on Saturday to explain how the government planned to tackle the problems the study identified.
"This scathing report is a wake-up call for ministers, and paints a damning picture of overstretch, manning shortages and recruiting problems," he said. "It is breathtaking that the report merited only a six-line parliamentary statement."
The board concedes that the Iraq conflict and the bullying scandals at Deepcut barracks in Surrey are chiefly to blame for the crisis.
Imminent deployments to Afghanistan and the presence of 8,000 troops in Iraq was creating such pressure that morale was being affected.
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