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"Developed Nations have a Responsibility to Defend the Civilized World" by Vexen Crabtree (2006) Tags: arms industry, army, britain, civilisation, culture, defence, democracy, europe, germany, military, scandinavia, uk, violence, war, western
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Technically the British Army does not have compulsory Church Parades. They were abolished. I have to point this out at the beginning of this page, because it is a surprise to many soldiers within the British Army. This page is about the reality of compulsory, or pseudo-compulsory, Church Parades and communal Christian events in the British Army. We also discuss the frequently-repeated notion that atheists should have to do work duties over Christmas and Easter holidays 'because they don't believe'. We conclude that Memorial Services should be secular, enforced Christianity should be abolished, and religious beliefs should be respected just like it says they should in Army literature such as the British Army Values and Standards booklet. [Click any of the text to go to http://www.vexen.co.uk/military/church_parades.html</a> Contents:- Beliefs Are Important and Personal
- Memorial Events Should be Secular and Inclusive
- Christmas, Easter, and other Religious Events
- The Army Ethos and the Padre's Mission
- Conclusion
Tags: army, church parades, religion, tolerance
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I've been moving around for a week, doing security assessments and site surveys in North West Afghanistan... I've got some awesome photos from the back of the helicopters and of the mountains. The most amazing thing is that there are always people... we can be flying over mountains for 30 minutes, and *still* see, in the middle of nowhere, a man and a camel walking down an endless road, apparently going nowhere. There are cultivated fields on mountainsides that are hundreds of miles from any town or village. People live in huts randomly distributed across the wild. And then, suddenly, in a basis or on a plateux, is another military camp with thick walls, barbed wire, lights, business and proto-civilisation, normally with a tent-camp of migrant worker Afghans nearby, and an airstrip. Is a very beautiful country. I'm back at the camp where I'm temporarily staying, now, and have written up my reports (which are eventually going to the SACEUR - Supreme Allied Commander EURope (Nato's 2nd biggest wiggyest big wig). Never has a computer geek had so much rank trying their best to help him! Tags: afghanistan, army, desert, nato, work
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I am finishing the main Communications Equipment training at work this month. Then, I am being paid to learn to drive including a Trailor license, and will be doing survival type things in some fields somewhere suitably cold, before I finally get to join a "working" location, meaning somewhere where I'm actually doing stuff. This means I'll be moving to mainland Europe for three or four years. I'll be back frequently though, but in all honesty a lot of that will be pretty much purely to see my girlfriend. Mobile reception: I still have next-to-none and am mostly unavailable at work or during evenings. If I'm out of work (i.e., in London) on the weekend I have reception. Internet: Still offline. Self: Things have got tedious, but are progressing. I've taken up Judo again, and am doing good. Tags: army, army training, offline, telecommunications
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I was rumaging through some drawers the other day... and found a collection of Orange and BT bills dating back a cool three years! Wow! It DID enable me to make a chart of my Orange Text Message usage and Call Times across 6 months. Cool. Geek. I then threw them all away. I've been doing boxing training. So far it's just basic fitness (no skills) in order to find out who really wants to do it. As such, the training sessions are three times a week, at 5am and 6am. Which means up, dressed, watered & shaved by then. Very early. Have been doing runs and outdoor training. I do very well. After some running we done situps, pressups and squat thrusts. I done 85 squat thrusts in 2 minutes, the highest out of everyone there! That's my best achievement... in other areas, I'm just a good runner. I doubt I'll be a good boxer... but the training is good. This weekend I am going to Salisbury plain to a training village for a fun weekend of urban assualt courses, climbing through sewers, being taught how to make and throw molotov cocktails and clear a house with grenades and rifles, military style. Fun fun fun... all paid for by my work! On the downside it's also been described as physically demanding (which sounds like hard work, ick!), and as a sleep deprivation exercise. Hmmm. I will have news, soon, about where I will be spending the next four years! Although IN that four years I will be going on extended periods abroad, doing my actual work rather than just training and doing repair work. I've spent this week fixing VERY OLD telegraph machines. They're like a combination typewriter and morse code device. Very old, very stubborn and clunky. But very satisfying! Based on old 8080 processors, circa 1985! Tags: army, army training, boxing, finance, fitness, salisbury plain
Current Mood:  happy
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I'm in London for a week as of Friday! Yay, rar! Have got a fair few things and am spending time with my girlfriend, but hopefully will get to catch up with people and get some proper shopping done! Got a week off as I've completed a major part of training. Basically, electronical engineering theory and practicals is done, along with computers & networking and stuff like that, and next few months I'll be playing with lots and lots of exclusive kit, breaking it and fixing it, yay! Tags: army, army training, london, sam
Current Mood: happy
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GeneralIn my line of work sometimes I meet interesting people... The other day, I was talking to a General and a Brigadier in the Army, in their full kit... I was well nervous when they came over... after some formalities, we chatted amicably like normal human beings... and got on to FOOTBALL. I faked knowledge and held my own... kind-of thinking that the General was faking it too. You don't get to talk to many Generals... it's good to know they're still human! HolidayI am going on holiday for a week with my girlfriend... I'm always excited and nervous everytime I meet her! Our work is both of our prime lives... so we sometimes are apart for weeks. Fame!I keep getting reporters (BBC, Radio, etc!) trying to interview me... argh... I seem to be getting in-demand the longer I stay inactive! FitnessWe had ANOTHER of those marathon style runs... everyone runs, all 1000 of us. This time it was 5 miles long, with an extra hill sneaked in at the end. Ouch. But, I came 87th !! Last time I was 95th, before that was 100th... I'm getting better and faster! Occassionally I make it to nights at the Electric Ballroom... never seem to make Slimelight... so I do meet some of my cherished friends... and I do keep saying... in the future I'll be back and more sociable! Tags: army, brigadier, electric ballroom, fame, fitness, football, general, holiday, marathon, running, slimelight, tag
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