Dannatt on soldier's pay

I am not sure whether using the Sun is the right platform for the head of the British army to air his concerns about the state of the forces,although General Sir Richard Dannatt has never been one to hold back.

In an exclusive interview with the paper,he claims that

pay for his men and women was the most important Army issue that needed to be tackled. and that

Troops were given a pay rise this year of just 2.6 per cent – widely derided as nowhere near enough to stop a mass exodus

Perhaps though the most damning comments and those getting the headlines were the comparison with the lowly traffic warden

If you compare a police constable on overtime, I think you will find that an individual serviceman gets quite a lot less.”
A soldier’s starting salary is £12,572 a year, rising to £15,677 as a Level 1 private. A traffic warden’s basic pay is £17,000.

This is a touchy subject for the government.It is not the first time tat tis has flaired up,there have been issues over accomodation,medical treatment,payments and compensation for injuries and recently over the suitablity of equipment.

It is not a good idea for the public to beleive that the services covemant has been broken and Brown and Co need to keep a watch on this.