How many to be made redundant
 

http://news.sky.com/story/1060076/br...o-shut-by-2019

I am just waiting for the news of how many of this great lads and lasses will get letters saying they are no longer needed.

It was said on Sky News today that the Government dont know what its doing, and that the Armed forces are already trimmed down to the bone.

How much further can they go.

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

Who knows? Who cares.?

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

Arthur, the bases are closing because the Warsaw Pact, and the Cold War, doesn't exist any more - so why should we have troops in Germany? (speaking as some who served three years in West Berlin in the 70s/80s).

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

Still, to give Arthur credit - he did actually post a link this time

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

I was actually born in Germany due to my Dad being stationed there in the RAF at that time. So I have that to thank for an interesting start to life but they have been closing these forces bases down steadily for years now. I believe that where I was born is now actually American Army.

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

To be fair, we don't need so many troops in Germany now. Hugh`s comments are correct, during the cold war in the late 60`s our life expectancy was 24 hours, 48 hours at the most. My unit in the 1st BR Corps had a life expectancy of about 12 hours. That threat has gone now. We can utilise these men more efficiently in the UK.

Arthur is right in one respect, our forces are trimmed to the bone.

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

I can't actually believe we had troops in Germany for so long after the cold war ended ,or was it because they doubted it would last ?

---------- Post added at 08:31 ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 ----------

The threat of war/invasion to this country is the lowest it has ever been in history so why do we need a big standing army ?.

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

Is anyone really expecting any answers? :)

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

Nope not all. I served in Germany and enjoyed every bit of it, but as has been pointed out we don't need troops in BAOR anymore.

Re: How many to be made redundant
 

It'll be Cyprus next I reckon, with the Soverign Base Area returned to the (Greek) Cypriots.

But I doubt Gibraltar will ever close as a miltary base.