While it is increasingly accepted that behaviour in Britain has deteriorated, people still believe that the army remains as it was: full of brave men of exceptional discipline and character. This may be so. One hopes so. However, given the decline elsewhere, I am not surprised to get the following report. I should emphasise that this is second-hand and I do not offer it as strong evidence. I mention only as a possible lead indicating what might be happening. It comes from someone who knows a man who...

...travels round the world with the military. As a result he has acquired a great deal of insight into the changes in military culture over recent years. Apparently, soldiers now dress in a slovenly way and officers can no longer collar them in passing if their dress or behaviour is sub-standard. Due process has to be followed and this has evidently meant that officers don't bother, with obvious results. This is possibly a result of worthy anti-bullying policies but, again, has had unfortunate results.

My correspondent puts down the reduction in discipline to altered rules on how an officer may and may not tell off a soldier. Doubtless that has played an important role. But I would suspect that the change in the character of British people generally has also affected the behaviour of armed personnel.

I should add that I have no wish to knock the armed forces, for whom I have great admiration. On the other hand, I believe it would be wrong to turn a blind eye if a change such as this is taking place.

Posted by James Bartholomew • Indexed in Behaviour & Crime

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