All Aboard!

The Outrage Bus. We've all been on one, usually when reading a Daily Mail, or some uninformed drivel from a red-top aimed solely at getting your blood pumping.

The British Armed Forces, in spite of the supposed public media support for "our boys and girls", apparently make good targets for such reporting. The Ministry Of Defence, with no public (or indeed political) support, get even more of a kicking in the press. Given the nature of the business in which they work, these organisations are often unable to defend themselves. They also manage to generate a kind of rhetorical smoke-screen, with a language and culture that really doesn't lend itself to outside understanding.

All this combines to give the press seemingly free reign to publish what they like, backed up by "military experts" (i.e. another journalist who once did a two-week embed in Bosnia), claiming opinion as fact, and utter bullshit as opinion.

This blog aims to provide you, the reader, with a simple translation of the military world into something resembling the language of normal people. It will provide my own no-nonsense interpretation of the situation as guided by my own knowledge working alongside all three Services, although I should point out that I have never actually served. It will also call on the combined opinion and expertise of the British Army Rumour Service and its vast array of current and former Service members.

While I may work in a military-focused environment, I have no desire to portray the MOD as anything other than what they are. Some bias may be expected in my own opinion, but I certainly don't wear rose-tinted glasses around the office and will call the MOD on its faults and failings as necessary. I aim simply to give you a more balanced view than the usual vitriol I see in the papers. Similarly, while I have the utmost respect for all of those who serve, or have served, for their country, I am under no illusions that no-one is perfect and will pull up the Forces as necessary.

I hope that my blog will help you understand the world of the military and its impact on you, the UK, and the world. I hope that it will educate you on issues that you may not have realised existed. Most of all, I hope it doesn't get me fired.

Enjoy.

Bruno