DailyDits

If you have served in the military, then there is a high probability that when you go out for a beer, then you will want to be surrounded by ‘stuff’ that reminds you of your military service.

For some armed forces personnel, going to a bar that has various regimental badges plastered over the walls is ‘homely’ enough.

But for others, and for veterans like myself, more emphasis on the military ‘hardware’ is required before feeling truly ‘at home’ while sat in a bar drinking with your oppos.

So when I saw a picture of a set of ceiling fangs which resembled the well-known Hercules aircraft, I just knew that my former military comrades would love to see it.

I have no idea as to where this bar is, but I am sure that one of our followers will know.

So if you do recognise this bar, let us know where it is in the comments below.

A military wife has kicked off after she was told that she had to pay for her drinks, even though her husband serves in the military.  

The total bill for the two drinks came to $24, but when it came to the tip, the customer put a big fat zero and shared her displeasure at having to pay for the alcohol. 

Instead of a monetary tip, the military wife wrote: “I’m a military spouse it should be free – next time thank a military spouse.”

A picture of the receipt was then uploaded to social media with the caption:

“When I became a military spouse I thought I would get free stuff WTF.

“Military spouses deserve drinks for free OMG F__K THIS PLACE We serve our asses off way more than anyone”. 

During my own stint in the military, I heard about and saw women trying to capture themselves a military man in the hope of getting free accommodation (married quarters). 

But I have never heard of a woman wanting to marry a military man so that they can get free glasses of Chardonnay…

Let us know what you think in the comments below. 

The unique breed of professional whingers, whiners and windbags have struck again. This time, they aimed their sights at the ‘silent service’—the elite breed of matelots who keep our country safe from under the deep blue sea.

The nuclear powered submarine, HMS Trenchant, had just come back into her secure port after a stint under the sea. If you want to talk about self-isolation, then being on a submarine with your oppos is the ultimate definition of ‘self-isolation’. It is the same as you ‘self-isolating’ at home with your family.

Whereas you have to say indoors with your family during the lockdown, but you can still nip outside for some fresh air, submariners don’t get to see any sunlight for the duration of their 3-month deployments.

So when this uber-isolated crew came back to base for some much-needed supplies, the top brass on board decided to give their crew some much-needed downtime (and sun) by letting them have a crew-only BBQ next to their boat. How else are they supposed to get their vitamin D?

It’s a bit like you and your family, who live under the same roof, going into your garden for a BBQ having stayed indoors for three months with no natural light and with all of the doors and windows shut.

What’s the problem!?

This crew had just finished a stint at sea with only each other for company and wanted to stand outside, in the fresh air, and eat!?

But no. The unique breed of professionals whingers, moaners and whinge bags decided that this was not on, even though these professional whingers will probably be enjoying a BBQ this weekend with the people who live under their roof.

Yet again, we are seeing professional whingers moaning about something despite having zero idea about what it is they are actually crying about.

This crew didn’t just beach themselves on Brighton’s seafront and set up a BBQ. They had been isolated for a long time, under the sea, and decided to have a BBQ next to their boat, on their own, in a secure military base.

I really feel sorry for the professional whingers, moaners and windbags out there. Life is tough enough without constantly looking for things to moan about.

When asked by the prying mainstream media, the Royal Navy told journalists that an ‘investigation’ is underway. Let’s just hope that the ‘investigation’ is put in the IDGAF bin.

If the lads and lasses who risk their lives protecting our country want to have a frigging BBQ, then let them have a frigging BBQ!

Would you like it if a bunch of professional whingers told you that you could not have a BBQ in your back garden with your family members who live under the same roof as you!? (and no, that’s not what our brave lads and lasses on the thin blue line have been doing, despite the best efforts of some sections of the mainstream media to convince you otherwise).

Remember; these lads and lasses would not have mingled with anyone during their deployment (because they were under the sea) and they had only popped back to their base for a few days before heading back out to sea again.

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) has announced the first wave of £4 million funding to help develop the technology needed for the Royal Navy’s next generation of A.I. ships.

The funding aims to revolutionise the way warships make decisions and process thousands of strands of intelligence and data by using Artificial Intelligence (A.I.).

Nine projects will share an initial £1 million to develop technology and innovative solutions to overcome increasing ‘information overload’ faced by crews as part of DASA’s Intelligent Ship – The Next Generation competition.

“The astonishing pace at which global threats are evolving requires new approaches and fresh-thinking to the way we develop our ideas and technology.

“The funding will research pioneering projects into how A.I and automation can support our armed forces in their essential day-to-day work.

Intelligent Ship is focused on inventive approaches for Human-AI and AI-AI teaming for defence platforms – such as warships, aircraft, and land vehicles – in 2040 and beyond.

DASA, on behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), is looking at how future defence platforms can be designed and optimised to exploit current and future advances in:

• Automation
• Autonomy
• Machine learning
• Artificial Intelligence

These key areas of research will look to address the complex and constantly evolving threats to national security.

This work will inform requirements then develop applications essential to the future force in an increasingly complex and A.I. driven environment.

Although titled Intelligent Ship, a warship is just the prototype demonstrator for this competition – the project will inform development relevant to all defence equipment and military services.

Julia Tagg, technical lead from Dstl, said:

“This DASA competition has the potential to lead the transformation of our defence platforms, leading to a sea change in the relationships between AI and human teams. This will ensure UK defence remains an effective, capable force for good in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

“Crews are already facing information overload with thousands of sources of data, intelligence, and information. By harnessing automation, autonomy, machine learning and artificial intelligence with the real-life skill and experience of our men and women, we can revolutionise the way future fleets are put together and operate to keep the UK safe”.

The competition, currently backed by a total of £4 million over two phases, has the potential to transform the way the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force equipment platforms are designed, work together, operated and manned by the 2040s.

Innovations developed in phase 1 of the competition could later help determine the different platform types, size and role of future platforms as well potentially being adapted and integrated into the existing fleet.

DASA Delivery Manager Adam Moore said:

“DASA brings together the brightest minds in science, industry and academia to turbocharge innovations to keep the UK, as well as those who protect us, safe from emerging and evolving threats to our way of life.

“This project will ensure the Royal Navy and all our Armed Forces stays one step ahead of our adversaries”.

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For many people who are lucky enough, knowing that they will one day inherit a vast fortune is enough to make them sit on their backsides, uploading heavily filtered selfies to social media. 

But not so for one of Gordon Ramsey’s boys, Jack.  

Over the weekend, The Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed that Jack Ramsey, eldest son of Gordon Ramsey, has decided to ditch his privileged lifestyle and instead join one of the most elite fighting forces in the world. 

That’s right: Jack has decided to join the Royal Marines. 

A part of the Royal Navy that immediately implores a decent amount of respect from anyone who has served in the armed forces; myself included. 

Without announcing it to the world in an egotistical post to his 242,000 Instagram followers, Jack began the gruelling 32-week basic training course late in 2019. 

If Jack manages to pass the training, then he will be awarded with the highly coveted green beret in Autumn of this year. 

I feel humbled to say that both an uncle and a cousin of mine have served in the Royal Marines.

My uncle saw active service in the Falklands war while my cousin carved out two tours in Afghanistan (You can only call it ‘Afghan’ if you have served a tour of duty out there). 

Despite gaining some impressive qualifications during his public school education, Jack Ramsey has decided to enlist as a marine rather than going down the officer route. 

A source at the Royal Marines’ Commando Training Centre at Lympstone, Devon, told reporters from The Mail on Sunday that Jack had made a great start and was popular. 

The source added: ‘First and foremost, he is just another marine recruit to us, a ‘bod’. There’s no nepotism here and no favouritism.

‘He’s getting his head down and delivering the goods so far. He seems fit and is well-liked. 

‘Not surprisingly, there’s a lot of good-natured banter when Jack and his mates sit down to eat and when they’re on a field exercise about who should prepare the rations.’

I have never met Jack, but he sounds like a ‘good egg’ (no pun intended). 

Let’s hope that he manages to get his green beret and that even more young lads are inspired to join what is one of the closest brotherhoods in the world. 

The friendships you make in the armed forces stay with you for life. 

I left just under 20 years ago and still like to engage in some friendly banter with my old oppos. 

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A US Navy sailor serving aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has died after contracting COVID-19 while aboard the 4000-crew vessel. 

A spokesperson for the US Navy confirmed that the male had ‘died of complications related to COVID-19’. 

On the 30th March, the sailor was tested for coronavirus and was taken ashore before being placed in ‘isolation housing’ on the island of Guam along with four other crew members who had also tested positive. 

On the 9th April, US Navy personnel found the male unresponsive. He was taken into critical care but died on 13th April. 

The sailor has become the US’ first active-duty military member to die after contracting COVID-19. The USN has not released the name of the sailor. 

Two weeks ago, the Captain of the aircraft carrier was fired after he raised concerns about the enough had not done enough to protect his 4000-strong crew from the deadly virus. 

Talking about the death, Admiral Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, said: 

“My deepest sympathy goes out to the family and we pledge our full support to the ship and crew as they continue their fight against the coronavirus.”

James McPherson, Acting Secretary of the Navy, said his “thoughts, prayers, and eternal gratitude” were with the sailor’s family.

Over the weekend, another four crew members were admitted to shoreside hospitals after their condition deteriorated. 

As of Monday, just under 600 crew members have tested positive for COVID-19.

Most of the ship’s company have now been moved off of the ship with just a skeleton crew left on board to monitor and maintain the ships vital systems – including its nuclear reactor. 

On 2nd April, Thomas Modly, who was Acting Navy Secretary at the time, caused widespread controversy in the military community after he fired the ship’s caption after he wrote an email calling for help and assistance.

Captain Brett Crozier could see the potential outcome from the crisis as it unfolded aboard his ship as more crew members started to fall ill. 

Trying to justify his decision to fire the decorated Captain, Mr Modly said that Capt Brett Crozier ‘had copied too many people into the email’ and that ‘he should have gone directly to his immediate commanders’. 

Five days after firing Captain Crozier, in a bizarre move, Mr Modly flew to the ship to address the crew. In a haphazard speech, Modly said that Capt Crozier was either “too naive or too stupid” to be in charge of the vessel. 

Modely later apologised for his comments directed at the highly respected Captain and he resigned from his position having only been in office for five months.

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Are you starting to get a bit tired of having to stay indoors and could do with some inspiration? Do you need a role-model to look up to when trying to keep yourself motivated as you prepare to spend yet more time indoors? 

Well, our team recently stumbled across an interview that the Royal Navy did with one of its elite underwater sailors; a submariner. 

The men and women who serve in the submariner service are experts when it comes to having to spend a considerable amount of time ‘indoors’. 

But these guys and girls don’t get the ‘luxury’ of natural light and many of the other ‘perks’ which, even in lockdown, we take for granted. 

So the Royal Navy spoke with Sub Lieutenant Andrew Rose, a qualified Submariner who recently patrolled with HMS Artful, to find out how the Silent Service does it:

Can you tell us a bit about the training a Royal Navy Submariner goes through and how it prepares you for being on patrol, cut-off from the surface?

SLt Rose: “No amount of classroom training can prepare you for what it’s like at sea. You must learn on the job and learn quick.

“The first course we do at the Submarine School is the Submarine Officers Training Course where we learn about the basic construction of a submarine and how it functions. We also undertake Submarine Escape Tank Training and practice survival skills.

“When you get to step on board you’re known as a ‘non-qual’ until you learn your Basic Sea Qualification which means understanding how the submarine operates, how the systems onboard work, and how to keep the vessel safe in an emergency.

“It can take many weeks to learn what you need and prove your knowledge to the specialists onboard. It ends in an oral board to prove your knowledge and if you pass your presented with your dolphins – the mark of a qualified Submariner.”

Once you are on patrol what is the daily routine?

SLt Rose: “The submarine keeps a watch system, so for me that’s six-hours on, six-hours off. During my six-hours on I’m busy doing jobs such as keeping lookout on Optronics (the modern-day periscope) or for my department it could mean managing defects or just general rounds of all the kit such as weapons, explosives, sensors or computer systems.

“During the six-hours off is when you get a chance to wash, exercise, catch-up on any admin, relax and sleep – or study if you’re not yet qualified. You tend to lose track of the days quickly as you end up going to bed and waking twice a day. I was second watch so worked 1am to 7am and 1pm to 7pm. It was very strange having breakfast just before going to bed and waking-up for lunch!”

Patrols can last a long time. How do you maintain morale?

SLt Rose: “I was very lucky to have a good crew with some excellent people I could have a laugh with. If I ever did feel down, I know I could talk to them about it. It helps to keep busy too because it keeps your mind focused.”

What about the importance of exercise? How do you keep fit in a confined space?

SLt Rose: “On board we have a few weights, some mats and an exercise bike. It’s impressive how creative some people can be with such little space. There’s plenty of exercises that you can do without moving from your mat – sit-ups, press-ups and squats just to name a few. 

“Exercise was massively important for keeping healthy and being able to exercise really helped morale for a lot of people.”

You may not see loved-ones for many weeks when you are on patrol. How do you cope with the separation?

SLt Rose: “It sounds odd, but I found it easier knowing that I would have no contact with home rather than maybe sometimes having contact. No contact meant that I could focus solely on my job. Again, it really helped having a routine that I had to stick to and keeping busy.”

Could you summarise your advice on isolating? What do you do to get through?

SLt Rose: “Get a routine and stick to it. There’s plenty we could do in the house such as cleaning, exercising, contacting family or friends, learn a new skill etc.

“Also, remember that, just like being at sea, isolation won’t last forever. Have something to look forward to and try not to get too downhearted. Think of the things you and your friends will be able to do once it’s all over!”

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