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Armed Forces Day celebrated across UK Cameron pledges Afghanistan memorial in Staffordshire
(34 minutes later)
A volley of celebratory gun blasts will start Armed Forces Day in honour of service personnel. A permanent memorial to British service personnel who died in Afghanistan is to be built at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The fifth national event starts with an artillery regiment firing weapons at Nottingham Castle. Prime Minister David Cameron made the announcement as he visited UK troops in Camp Bastion on Armed Forces Day.
Hundreds of further celebrations are planned from the Orkney Islands to Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The memorial will be paid for from fines imposed on banks that rigged inter-bank interest rates, he said.
Prime Minister David Cameron hailed the "extraordinary men and women" of the British armed forces and urged the public to show their pride in them. Hundreds of celebrations are planned across the UK to celebrate the fifth national Armed Forces Day.
These will start with a volley of gun blasts at Nottingham Castle.
Armed Forces Day recognises the contribution made by service personnel past and present. Members of all three services take part.Armed Forces Day recognises the contribution made by service personnel past and present. Members of all three services take part.
About 60,000 people attended the main Armed Forces Day national event in Plymouth in 2012. The Earl of Wessex, representing the Queen and the Royal Family, took the salute as a parade of more then 1,200 Forces personnel, veterans and cadets marched through the city streets and on to Plymouth Hoe. Speaking from Britain's main base in Afghanistan, Mr Cameron said: "I think Armed Forces Day is an opportunity for the whole nation to say a very big thank you, but also to say how proud we are of our armed forces and everything they do for us.
This year's event will feature a tri-service parade from Nottingham's castle to the Old Market Square for a drumhead service attended by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Taliban talks
Speaking ahead of the day, Mr Cameron said: "Armed Forces Day is about reminding the British people that everyday, as we go about our business, there are extraordinary men and women all over the world, and indeed right here at home, who risk their lives for our safety and security. "I can announce today we will be taking more money off the Libor fines and putting it into the military charities - including building a permanent memorial at the Staffordshire arboretum, so that we can always remember, and future generations can remember, those that fell and died here in Afghanistan."
"Let us show everyone in our armed forces just how proud we are of everything that they do." The National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield, hosts more than 250 different memorials, including a number to the armed forces.
'Recognising varied work' During his visit Mr Cameron had breakfast with British troops and visited the Camp Bastion memorial to those who have lost their lives in the conflict.
Asked about comments from Gen Nick Carter, the UK's top commander in Afghanistan, that the West should have tried talking to the Taliban earlier, the prime minister said he wanted a political solution - as well as a security solution - in Afghanistan.
"The encouraging thing, although there is a long way to go, is that the Taliban, through their statement, said they no longer wanted Afghanistan to pose a threat to other countries," he said.
"There's a long way to go but alongside our security process, of a big and secure Afghan army and police force, a political process makes sense too."
In the UK, this year's main Armed Forces Day event will feature a tri-service parade from Nottingham's castle to the Old Market Square for a drumhead service attended by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Parachute display
The Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, will fly over and, at the service's conclusion, current and historic craft from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will also fly past - including the RAF's latest multi-role fast jet, the Typhoon.The Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, will fly over and, at the service's conclusion, current and historic craft from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will also fly past - including the RAF's latest multi-role fast jet, the Typhoon.
There will be Royal Navy and Royal Marines displays on the River Trent, and members of the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team will land on Victoria Embankment.There will be Royal Navy and Royal Marines displays on the River Trent, and members of the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team will land on Victoria Embankment.
The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery will close the day in Nottingham.The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery will close the day in Nottingham.
An Armed Forces spokesman said the day was "an opportunity... to recognise the sheer variety of work our armed forces do, both at home and abroad". The government has said it will transfer £35m from fines levied on banks for attempting to manipulate the Libor interest rate to the Ministry of Defence for use in supporting the armed forces community.
So far, it has funded a number of projects, including help to tackle combat stress, holidays for the children of service personnel with special needs and providing free tickets for troops to music sport and entertainment events.
Further support has come from Defence Minister Mark Francois who launched the Corporate Covenant, giving businesses and charities the opportunity to sign an official commitment to help improve the lives of the Armed Forces, their families and veterans.Further support has come from Defence Minister Mark Francois who launched the Corporate Covenant, giving businesses and charities the opportunity to sign an official commitment to help improve the lives of the Armed Forces, their families and veterans.
Meanwhile, Labour leader Ed Miliband said the party would give military veterans guaranteed "special provision" in the NHS and would amend the health service constitution to formally enshrine those rights. Meanwhile, Labour leader Ed Miliband said the party would give military veterans guaranteed "special provision" in the health service and change the NHS constitution to enshrine those rights.
He tweeted: "Armed Forces Day is a day when we rightly commemorate the sacrifices, past & present, that our servicemen & women make to protect us."
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