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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| General condemns forces housing | General condemns forces housing |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Army's personnel chief has pledged to fight for better housing for soldiers and their families. | The Army's personnel chief has pledged to fight for better housing for soldiers and their families. |
| The adjutant-general, Lt Gen Freddie Viggers, told BBC News the Army must now "fight our corner, in defence, to get our families what they deserve". | The adjutant-general, Lt Gen Freddie Viggers, told BBC News the Army must now "fight our corner, in defence, to get our families what they deserve". |
| He spoke after BBC News received photos of barracks and shower blocks with cracked walls, mildew and broken pipes. | He spoke after BBC News received photos of barracks and shower blocks with cracked walls, mildew and broken pipes. |
| The government said it accepted accommodation was "not perfect, and that we need to improve it". | The government said it accepted accommodation was "not perfect, and that we need to improve it". |
| Last month, outgoing Army head Gen Sir Mike Jackson said some forces accommodation was "frankly shaming". | Last month, outgoing Army head Gen Sir Mike Jackson said some forces accommodation was "frankly shaming". |
| It's a key issue in what we call the military covenant - giving our soldiers and their families what they deserve in return for that they do for us Lt-Gen Freddie Viggers Send us your experiences | It's a key issue in what we call the military covenant - giving our soldiers and their families what they deserve in return for that they do for us Lt-Gen Freddie Viggers Send us your experiences |
| "The issue we have is that there is still too much accommodation which is of a poor standard, which is old, and which is not modern in the way it's fitted for families," Lt-Gen Viggers said. | "The issue we have is that there is still too much accommodation which is of a poor standard, which is old, and which is not modern in the way it's fitted for families," Lt-Gen Viggers said. |
| "It's a key issue in what we call the military covenant - giving our soldiers and their families what they deserve in return for that they do for us." | "It's a key issue in what we call the military covenant - giving our soldiers and their families what they deserve in return for that they do for us." |
| People "must understand how poor some of this accommodation is", he added. | People "must understand how poor some of this accommodation is", he added. |
| "Our duty now is to fight our corner, in defence, to get for our families what they deserve." | "Our duty now is to fight our corner, in defence, to get for our families what they deserve." |
| 'Depressed and demoralised' | 'Depressed and demoralised' |
| Jennifer James, the mother of a young soldier who e-mailed pictures of his "shocking" barracks said: "We treat prisoners better than our soldiers." | |
| Jennifer James said her son wished he could leave his barracks | Jennifer James said her son wished he could leave his barracks |
| Her son said many soldiers were left "depressed and demoralised" because of the poor state of their housing, she added. | Her son said many soldiers were left "depressed and demoralised" because of the poor state of their housing, she added. |
| "He complains about the smell, the puddles and water on the floor from the leaking toilets. | "He complains about the smell, the puddles and water on the floor from the leaking toilets. |
| "He just wishes he could get out of there." | "He just wishes he could get out of there." |
| Defence Minister Derek Twigg said the government had "a sustained programme of investment in accommodation". | Defence Minister Derek Twigg said the government had "a sustained programme of investment in accommodation". |
| £1bn is being spent over a decade to improve barracks | |
| "We've spent £700m last year in improving service accommodation," he added. | "We've spent £700m last year in improving service accommodation," he added. |
| "We recognise there is a challenge, we recognise that the accommodation is not perfect and that we need to improve it." | "We recognise there is a challenge, we recognise that the accommodation is not perfect and that we need to improve it." |
| Speaking last month, Sir Mike Jackson hit out at a "Kafka-esque situation whereby the MoD congratulates itself on achieving an accommodation improvement plan defined by itself on what it calls affordability, but which is far from what is defined by the needs of soldiers and their families". | Speaking last month, Sir Mike Jackson hit out at a "Kafka-esque situation whereby the MoD congratulates itself on achieving an accommodation improvement plan defined by itself on what it calls affordability, but which is far from what is defined by the needs of soldiers and their families". |