A noble calling?
This morning we're broadcasting from Sandhurst, the world-renowned military academy where gentlemen have been trained to become officers since the Napoleonic Wars. We've come here to find out how the army trains its leaders, and whether others can learn from the way the Academy does its job.
We're be broadcasting from The Indian Army Memorial Room, a former chapel that faces out onto the main parade ground and whose beautiful stained glass windows commemorate the British Indian Army and the Gurkha Regiment.
At the same time 5 live's also launching a questionnaire to find out what you think the future holds for the British Armed Forces. Your views will help make a special day of programmes on 5 live in March.
Take part in the "What do you think about the role of the British armed forces in the 21st Century?" questionnaire
Our reporter Stephen Chittenden has been out on a training exercise with officer cadets in the Brecon Beacons as part of Operation Longreach and recorded this diary with Officer Cadet Clark.
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One of the surprises when we arrived on Sunday afternoon was a meeting with cadets from the Professionally Qualified Officers course. They included lawyers, nurses and even a female padre, all of whom have chosen to pursue their profession in the army.
We've also talked to the more traditional officer cadets and will be hearing what life is like for them during their time at Sandhurst. Upwards of 80% are graduates, so how do they adapt to a lifestyle that includes having to fold your clothes according to a wallchart?
We'll be adding more images and audio from our broadcast throughout the day so please check back for the latest updates.
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Why do you have to trivialise a visit to Sandhurst? Jokes about the loo the Queen uses and cadets calling you sir.
Every show, including today's, has jokes, doubles entendres and wordplay about something. Why can't you just do straight reporting? You turn what could be informative and interesting in to the Nicky and Shelagh show. It is so predictable.
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the british army has lost a huge amount of credibility after the mess in iraq and afghanistan i cant think of a bigger disaster in the 21st century i do have a lot of sympathy for the young lads who sign up to the army who come from deprived communities with little life and social skills knowing there are little job opportunities in the area the live in and they join the army
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This country needs protecting. This means that we need to be in Afghanistan. Firstly, we need to stabilize this country and prevent the conditions which bred the terrorism of 9/11 and 7/7. The fight against this terrorism will be a long haul and mistakes will be made. The biggest mistake of all (both for the UK and the general populace of Afghanistan) will be to turn our backs. We have an insidious enemy who will seek to exploit the cracks in our liberal democracy without moral indemnity. Such an enemy requires our utmost care, but try as we might, their will be innocent casualties on both sides. The training and quality of our armed forces will stand us in better stead. For that I am immensely proud.
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WHAT IS CONSCIENCE
I heard just the last few minutes of your discussion about the rights of members of the armed forces to decide whether or not to engage the enemy on grounds of conscience. Those who advocate a right to choose are simply hypocrites or hypocritically simple to believe that there should be a choice.
When I was conscripted into the Royal East Kent Regiment in 1955 the nation was fighting colonial wars in Malaya, Cyprus, Kenya, Aden and the Suez Canal Zone. By the standards of today’s ‘nay-sayers’ all these would count as war crimes as we were going about beating up foreigners in pursuit of a colonialist foreign policy which had had its day.
This was of little concern to your average conscript whose priorities were somewhat different and who at the same time would not dream of using ‘conscience’ as an excuse to avoid a posting to one of these ‘trouble spots’
The reason was quite simple. To leave ‘the line’ for any reason including ill health meant that a comrade would be ordered to step forward to take your place which in turn meant that the bullet with your name on it would take him down rather than you. In other words it would have been the massaging your conscience which was the direct cause of his death. To have this on your conscience for the rest of your life is what conscience is really all about rather than feeling good about putting two fingers up to the politicians who have taken decisions with which you disagree.
It was this realisation that any act of indiscipline or rebellion which could take you out of the line of fire could have disastrous consequences for your comrades which provided the self discipline which today’s hangers and floggers believe could be achieved again by the re-introduction of national service.
With best wishes
23193837 Cpl Holmans B - The Buffs
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