Manning-Control

What is Manning Control

Manning control is a policy used by the army to dismiss soldiers who are considered to be 'not fit for a full army career' and to make space for new recruits. All soldiers can be reviewed after 6, 9, and 12 years in the Army and dismissed if considered surplus to requirements and a posting to another unit was not possible. [1]

Manning Control History.

Manning Control was first introduced in the late 1950's to reduce the numbers of soldiers in the British Army after conscription had ended. During the 70's and 80's it was stopped, then between 1990/91 to 1996/97 there were 34.600 redundancies in the UK Armed Forces with almost half from the army, this was a direct result of the end of the cold war. As well as the culling of regular Battalions, the Territorial Army was significantly reduced from 57.000 to around 40.000. [2]

However, the result of the redundancies was under-manning in various skill trades, as many more soldiers opted for the attractive redundancy package than was first anticipated. Weeks later, soldiers who had taken the redundancy package would be back in uniform at the request of the MOD and would sign back on but only for a short period, in order to ameliorate what was hoped to be a temporary manning shortfall. The contract used was an S/Type, this contract was used primarily for the TA soldier if he wished to serve with a regular battalion.

Soldiers who joined the Army at the time signed on for 22 years with an option to leave after three, six or nine years. At the end of their 22 years, they receive an immediate pension for life. [3] Lists of soldiers subject to the system were being sent from APC Glasgow the Army's administrative wing, on a regular basis. Soon more and more soldiers were falling victim to the "Brown envelope" as it was known. Even men who are regarded as excellent soldiers where pressured into leaving the Army "voluntarily", or signing a new "S-type engagement" contract, and giving up the prospect of an immediate pension when they left.

Forms such as the AFB130A application against the soldiers discharge were negated from the process, preventing the soldier from making a representation against the Manning Control order until it was to late.

The absence of the form also hid the real number of soldiers subject to Manning Control as most soldiers would "jump ship" rather than have it on their record of service that they forced out. This was later admitted by Geoff Hoon the then secretary of state for defence in a letter to Paul Keetch [4] the Lib Dems defence spokesman.

Where it went really wrong

A Soldier from the Parachute Regiment.Corporal Paul Biddiss was told in November 1999 by his Commanding Officer Lt Col Kennett that he would be manning controlled. He refused to sign off his old contract as it was alleged he should never have been subject to the system. It is believed he was the first soldier to refuse. He won his fight against the system and is still a serving soldier. This was the turning point for Manning Control. ^[1] [5] [6]The full story

When It Stopped

29 Apr 2002 Michael Smith [7] then defence correspondent of The Daily Telegraph, Tom Newton Dunn [8] then defence editor of the Daily Mirror and Andrew Gilligan from the Radio 4 Today Programme,[9] first publicized the case of Cpl Paul Biddiss. in a combined effort, and with the help of campaigning solicitor Thomas Reah exposed the issue and alleged abuse for the first time. Sadly Tom Reah has since died. [10]

The Liberal Democrats defence spokesman Paul Keetch called for the immediate suspension of the scheme, known as "manning control", and an inquiry into its administration. [11]

During the next few months more and more stories was being reported about alleged abuse of the system by former soldiers. During Parliamentary questions the MoD admitted that hundreds of medically unfit soldiers were thrown out of the Army rather than being given medical discharges, in an apparent contravention of its own rules.[12]

The Army admitted it had used Manning Control to throw out Soldiers who should have been Medically Discharged.[13] The admission came in a written answer from Adam Ingram, the Armed Forces minister, who said 259 soldiers who were medically downgraded to a point where they could no longer carry out their roles had been sacked since 1997.^[2] [14]

A number of the medically unfit soldiers were sacked under the "manning control" system that allowed the Army to get rid of soldiers it did not want after 12 years of service. It was used to get rid of hundreds of soldiers who had done nothing wrong, in an apparent attempt to ensure they did not serve the 22 years that would qualify them for an immediate pension.

An unnamed serving soldier told Channel 4 News he believed the Army was forcing servicemen to “jump before they are pushed” in a bid to save money.

The Army was facing a class action by hundreds of former soldiers alleging that they were sacked or forced out under the manning control system to stop them attaining the length of service that would have entitled them to an immediate pension.[15] Soon after, Manning Control was suspended. But it is expected to be reintroduced raising questions as to whether soldiers wounded in Afghanistan will find themselves "brown-enveloped".[16] [17]

2010

Armed Forces: Discharges Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers subject to manning control are (a) awaiting discharge and (b) have been discharged since 2007. [316937]

Bill Rammell: No soldiers have been discharged under Manning Control Points since 2002, and no soldiers are awaiting discharge. [18]