Service families suffer as arms bills soar (UK)

The human cost for military personnel and their families of defence cost-cutting and huge overspends on new weapons systems has been revealed in leaked minutes seen by the Guardian.
The Ministry of Defence is so short of cash that it is axing investment in playground equipment for the children of service personnel. It is also scrapping orders for power showers in barracks. Meanwhile, billions of pounds are being ploughed into long-delayed projects such as the Eurofighter.

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Some of the strongest criticism is reserved for cuts to the education budget, which provides schools for overseas troops' families in Germany. Up to £2.65m is to be cut from budgets over the next two years, with the main savings on plans to refurbish school playgrounds and recruit teaching staff. The minutes record that this was a "high pain" measure.

(snip)

The MoD will not say how much it is having to pare down and cut other projects designed to improve the ordinary soldier's quality of life. A spokeswoman also declined to reveal full details of the cuts to schools.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,11816,1298020,00.html

because these are the families of the very soldiers and RAF pilots that are currently fighting in Iraq.

Why does the government feel the need to betray these soldiers? The pay is hardly fantastic to begin with (ask any TA or RAFA!)

Damian

and veterans--because they only care about their real constituents, the rich and powerful.