Some of Britain's most senior military figures reacted angrily yesterday to the revelations in the report, criticising the Government's treatment of its fighting forces.
The disturbing findings outlined in the briefing team report written for Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff, include an admission that many junior officers are being forced to leave the Army because they simply cannot afford to stay on.
Pressure from an undermanned army is "having a serious impact on retention in infantry battalions", with nearly half of all soldiers unable to take all their annual leave as they try to cover the gaps.
The analysis, described by General Dannatt as "a comprehensive and accurate portrayal of the views and concerns of the Army at large", states: "More and more single-income soldiers in the UK are now close to the UK government definition of poverty." It reveals that "a number of soldiers were not eating properly because they had run out of money by the end of the month". Commanders are attempting to tackle the problem through "Hungry Soldier" schemes, under which destitute soldiers are given loans to enable them to eat.
The scheme symbolises a change from the tradition of soldiers getting three square meals a day for free. Now hard-up soldiers have to fill out a form which entitles them to a voucher. The cost is deducted from their future wages, adding to the problems of soldiers on low pay.
The controversial Pay as You Dine (PAYD) regime, which requires soldiers not on active duty to pay for their meals, has seen commanding officers inundated with complaints from soldiers unhappy at the quality of food that they get and the amount of paperwork involved.
Senior officers warn in the report that "there is a duty of care issue" and add that the "core meal" provided to soldiers on duty "is often not the healthy option". The confusion of which soldiers even qualify for free meals while on duty is revealed in the admission that "in some areas the soldier has to pay and then claim back and in others the duty meal is included in the contract".
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Many people are concerned that our country does not adequately recognise the courage and sacrifice of members of the armed services, except on special occasions such as Remembrance Day. We should be proud of the members of the armed services for their role in protecting us and their courage should be recognised on a daily basis. Business can help here. At our Shropshire pub we offer a 10% discount on food and accommodation for all serving members of HM Forces and we wish to encourage other businesses to do the same. But it is nigh impossible for military personnel to identify which outlets give discounts. We urgently need a nationally recognised symbol for businesses that offer a discount to the armed forces. We are currently petitioning the Prime Minister to establish such a symbol and we invite everyone concerned at the way we are treating our troops to sign the petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/forcesdiscount/
Fiona and Graham Didlick
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