British Chief of General Staff Gen Sir Mike Jackson inspects the AFG at Russell Offices. Photo by Pte John Wellfare Army newspaper

Brits on the ball bring Op Telic success
Exclusive interview with Army





By Lt Simone Heyer

The British Army’s recent history had been great preparation for its operations in Iraq, according to its Chief of General Staff (CGS), Gen Sir Mike Jackson.

During a visit to AHQ in Canberra last week, as part of his tour of Australia and New Zealand, the CGS said Op Telic, the United Kingdom’s contribution to the Coalition, based in Basrah, the chief city in southern Iraq, faced all sorts of dangers.

Gen Jackson said the British Army’s peace-keeping success in the area was due to prior operations.

“Sadly we’ve been operating in Northern Ireland for nearly 35 years,” he said.

“It does give us a great experience base, an understanding of the right and wrong way of going about this very difficult business of using military forces in aid of the civpol in difficult and sometimes dangerous situations.

“There’s no doubt the British Army’s involvement in Iraq has helped with experience in Northern Ireland.

And Gen Jackson is quite familiar with operations in Northern Ireland, having done two tours of the area as well as being Commander 39 Inf Bde.

He said the Army has also benefited from experience gained in the Balkans and Afghanistan. About 400 British soldiers are still on operation in Afghanistan.

Gen Jackson discussed other issues, such as illicit drug use, topical in the ADF, saying it was something the British Army had been long aware of.

“We’re a zero tolerance organisation,” he said.

“We have random drug testing, which I instituted in the early ’90s. Units get descended upon on a Monday morning, and they don’t know about it.

“If a soldier tests positive, the default setting is that he receives an administrative discharge.”
In some circumstances that’s not necessarily the end of the line.

“If it’s a first offence and if they are otherwise of good character, the CO can keep the soldier in the service,” Gen Jackson said.

Other topical issues, such as retention and recruiting, were not a burden on the British Army.

Gen Jackson said that although his Army was under strength by 5000 people on their target figure of about 105,000, in the past few years progress had been made.

“Retention is good – and holding,” he said.

“For recruiting, we’re almost victims of our own success. The Army has recruited more people than we funded for.”
Gen Jackson said historical links between the Australian and British armies ensured a continued close working relationship.

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