Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

What austerity looks like?: The British army is told to take the month off

"The British Army has been ordered to take an extended 25-day Christmas holiday or ‘work from home’ in an attempt to cut its gas and electricity bills," reports a British newspaper.  This reminds me of George Marshall as a Depression-era garrison commander encouraging his married troops to take time to plant vegetables. Not so, Joe, ...

Wikimedia
Wikimedia
Wikimedia

"The British Army has been ordered to take an extended 25-day Christmas holiday or ‘work from home' in an attempt to cut its gas and electricity bills," reports a British newspaper.  This reminds me of George Marshall as a Depression-era garrison commander encouraging his married troops to take time to plant vegetables.

"The British Army has been ordered to take an extended 25-day Christmas holiday or ‘work from home’ in an attempt to cut its gas and electricity bills," reports a British newspaper.  This reminds me of George Marshall as a Depression-era garrison commander encouraging his married troops to take time to plant vegetables.

Not so, Joe, responds the Ministry of Defence’s blog. "To suggest the Christmas leave plan is a cost-cutting measure is not true. In recognition of the exceptionally busy year the Army has had, both on operations and at home — including vital support to the London 2012 Olympics, fuel tanker drivers’ strike and the Diamond Jubilee — the usual Christmas leave period has been extended. Personnel who are essential to supporting operations will remain on task regardless of this leave period and there will be no impact on the mission in Afghanistan."

From that blog, I also learned that the Welsh regiment has a "goat major." That is different, apparently, from aging majors who are old goats.

Also, if you believe the Daily Mail (and you may well not) someone stole a pony from the British armed forces.

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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