Page 1 of Army Accomodation....

Just saw that the top news story on ITN was about the poor state of Army accomodation. I just recently completed a filming project around several camps covering accomodation for soldiers and officers and have to say that it all looked of a very high quality....and all set in nice woodland areas too. The story implied that all Army accomodation needed massive investment (billions) which seems a bit rich...life on camp looked pretty good and all the accomodation is subsidised. There`s no doubt that
many in the Army are having a tough old time of it in the middle east and Afghanistan but that`s an entirely seperate issue. There`ll be many (like me) who reflect on the battle to get decent accomodation in civilian life and feel less sympathetic to this report than perhaps the Army PR intend.

Any thoughts - or anyone actually living in crappy accomodation that can confirm that this report has some substance beyond a very few exceptions rather than the general rule that they are implying?

Army accomodation has always been a bit hit and miss. When I was still serving (came out in `94), most single soldiers I knew were still sharing rooms with up to six people. Very few had their own rooms, those that did had box-type rooms. In Germany the quarters were always pretty good because, oddly enough, they had been built by Germans and were spacious and well-heated.

In England though, the quarters have never been that great. Last quarters I moved into with two kids was tiny, with paper thin walls, vents in the frankly ancient windows and no heating upstairs at all. It wasn`t terrible, but not what I expected from an organisation that should be looking after the people it can call on at any time day or night.

Back then, and before, the Army had a massive civilian `army` of workers behind them who looked after the accomodation and repairs, etc, etc. I suspect most of the problem is that successive squeezing of the MOD budget has meant that most of this support organisation has gone.

Bear in mind that soldiers do not get a choice of accommodation, they are allocated somewhere to live in the area they are posted to and that`s that. There used to be really stringent handover inspections so that the next family in had nothing to do other than unpack. Not sure if that happens now either.

I understand your viewpoint, Stuart, but I can`t help thinking that you`re looking at this from the wrong perspective. Comparing Army and Civilian life is skewed and completely wrong. You have a choice in where you live (as I do now) and what you do in your spare time. A soldier stays where he is told and is paid 24/7 and can therefore be sent away for days, weeks or months at very short notice (exercises, courses, tours of duty - the Army is extremely undermanned and therefore gaps between these things are ever shorter). I don`t think it`s too much to expect decent accomodation standards to make up for that. It`s not as if they`re expecting Hilton standards or anything...

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Quote:
You have a choice in where you live (as I do now) and what you do in your spare time. A soldier stays where he is told and is paid 24/7 and can therefore be sent away for days, weeks or months at very short notice


Fair point Si ....I hadn`t thought of it that way.

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My Collection

yeah ....saw these images. My point was that these (based on my anecdotal experience) are very much at odds with any of the accomodation I saw which was based on whatever properties were empty at the time. I guess the point I was trying to make was the medias implication that this was pretty much the case throughout the army which now needed a massive investment...Si`s point is a good one though. If you were unlucky enough to be at the depicted Barracks (which looked positively unclean as well as damp....what happened to inspections?) then you would feel hard done by.

Rent a house off camp. As my mate did when he was in the RAF. He got paid enough to do it. His digs on camp were small but in good condition. Stayed there on many a night. Oh, and no one forced him to sign up.

Dr 42%er


It`s not easy being different. It`s not easy being cool....but somehow I manage....

Ok, just looked at the pics.

Pic 1: Clean it. Even if they were in a top notch house you still have to clean.

Pic 2: Ok, it looks a mess.

Pic 3: Ohhh no curtains. I take it they never used showers at school or at a publick swimming bath. Club together and buy a curtain. What, 50p each to much. Of course you need that for you subsidised food and beer.

Pic 4: Stop throwing your fag ends and chud down there. P*** by it`s self will not block it. Oh and judging by the colour of the p*** these guys need to drink more water.

Pic 5: Toilet seats don`t break them selves. When i was renting if i broke something I would replace it or it would come out of my deposit.

Pic 6: I`m sorry but I thought in the army you do spend some time in barracks. Room inspection in 5 lads. Best get cleaning up.

Pic 7: Fair point.

Pic 8: Ok, it`s leaking. Try a mop in the mean time untill it gets fixed. Lazy bastards.

Pic 9: Half the stuff there did not need to be thrown on the pile. The cardboard for instance. Like anyone else it should have been taken to the local recycling depot and kept in your house until you can take it. The fridge. My bin men wont take them. Why should they for you. Take responsibility for your own waste. If I was in charge then all of the people in the block would be up on a charge. What on I don`t know, but I would find one.

Dr 42%er.


It`s not easy being different. It`s not easy being cool....but somehow I manage....

This item was edited on Friday, 5th January 2007, 12:04

Quote:
Try a mop in the mean time untill it gets fixed. Lazy bastards.
You`re kidding, right?!

If you had a leak at home would you just let it flood until the plumber could get there? That type of build up happens over time. If it was moped on a regular basis it would not get like that. Just pure lazyness on the squadies part. The floor has blatantly never been cleaned. I thought the "best armed force in the world" used to have standards.

Dr 42%er


It`s not easy being different. It`s not easy being cool....but somehow I manage....

Oh, and if my list does not match any more it`s because they have changed the pics.

Dr 42%er


It`s not easy being different. It`s not easy being cool....but somehow I manage....