Wargame Articles

My last article on the SAS speculated on them being in trouble due to recruitment and retention issues. This is more of my idle speculation.

To combat the problem of experienced troopers leaving, the SAS CO issued a letter asking soldiers not to leave for better paid jobs in the private sector on the grounds on loyalty to the Regiment. Upon consideration, alerting anyone who could read and their wives to job opportunities in the private sector was not the best retention strategy in the world as 120 of the 300 or so in the Regiment left for jobs in the private sector.

The MOD are now considering bonuses of £80,000 to encourage soldiers to stay on. Rumours have it that the Americans special forces are happy to pay the huge bonuses they are offering their own troops to SAS soldiers who have been on attachment to the American SF. (Remember 1 SAS and 1 SBS are with the Americans are all times).

The ex-soldiers are heading for security firms, primarily Kroll, Olive Security, Control Risks Group and Armor Group. Working for one of these can earn £1,000 per day while working on the 'circuit' (circuit private security firm contracts). However, there are risks as 12, yes 12 ex-SAS have been killed in Iraq in the last 12 months. Boring but dangerous.

Due the demand for ex American and British SF (no-one else is really in the market place) exceeding supply, the security firms are now recruiting British Paratroopers. The Parachute Regiment is contemplating loosing 30-40% of its NCOs in 12 months…

The British Special Forces group (SAS, SBS, HAC, SF Helicopters) is going to have its own Ranger battalion (re-badged Parachute Battalion) as they now recognise sometimes special forces need the manpower (firepower) that comes with a regular unit.

Some charities are being questioned about why they are buying military hardware (for their security staff) on their annual accounts. It would be interesting to seek the views of the Charity Commission (UK Regulatory body for charities) on money raised for charity being used to fund flak jackets, machine guns and assorted grenades for the new breed of security guards armed as well as a British Army infantry section.