I was struck by General Sr Richard Dannatt's comments that the British public are treating servicemen with indifference. As it happens, I live in an area that has a lot of US military families; two of my immediate neighbours serve in the army. My 6-year old daughter says, "Thank you for keeping us safe," whenever she sees a man or woman in uniform. That is a manifestation of the military covenant Sir Richard tells us about.
It seems to me important that military personnel should wear their uniforms around and about the places where they live. It reinforces the idea that soldiers and sailors, marines and airmen alike are part of the local community, men and women just like the rest of us. When you see a person in combat fatigues standing in a queue at the supermarket (or "in line at a grocery store" as we say over here), there can be no animosity, no resentment of the job they do, unless you are a very twisted individual.
You don't see that in the UK, of course. From what I recall, UK servicemen were forbidden to wear uniforms in public during the height of the IRA terror campaign, on the grounds that it identified them as legitimate targets.
If Sir Richard is serious, one thing he could do is to ask the MOD to revisit those rules. The current terrorist enemy we face cares not for any distinction between military and civilian target, as they have shown on many occasions. It would strengthen the position of servicemen in British society if people saw them around more. If they wear the Queen's uniform with pride, it should also enable the public to take pride when they see it.
Iain Murray
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