Military Covenant

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The Military Covenant is a recognition of a special bond of mutual obligations between a Nation and its Armed Forces. The introduction to the UK military covenant reads:

"Soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices - including the ultimate sacrifice - in the service of the Nation. In putting the needs of the Nation and the Army before their own, they forego some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the Armed Forces. In return, British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service. In the same way the unique nature of military land operations means that the Army differs from all other institutions, and must be sustained and provided for accordingly by the Nation. This mutual obligation forms the Military Covenant between the Nation, the Army and each individual soldier; an unbreakable common bond of identity, loyalty and responsibility which has sustained the Army throughout its history. It has perhaps its greatest manifestation in the annual commemoration of Armistice Day, when the Nation keeps covenant with those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives in action."^[1]

[edit] History of the Military Covenant

Recognition of a special bond of mutual obligations between the Nation and its Armed Forces dates back more than 400 years.

Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII there was no longer any provision for the care of sick and elderly soldiers.

Parliament responded to this need, under the reign of Elizabeth I in 1593, with an Act for the Relief of Soldiers.

This legislation provided for a weekly tax on parishes not to exceed 6d on the pound. In the words of the Act, the tax was levied so that veterans:

“Such as have adventured their lives and lost their limbs or disabled their bodies, in defence and service of Her Majesty and the State, should at their return be relieved and rewarded to the end that they may reap the fruit of their good deservings, and others may be encouraged to perform the like endeavours.”

Parliament modified this legislation during the English Civil War in 1645, when it decreed that pensions to disabled soldiers would be paid from national funds, not local taxation.

Charles II extended these obligations in 1682, with the passage of a Royal Warrant allowing for the establishment of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, “for the care and succour of soldiers broken by age and war.”

And the Duke of Marlborough, addressing the House of Lords following his victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, declared that the best way to celebrate the victory was:

“…to do right by the soldiers who fought so bravely with me.”

The bonds of mutual obligation between the Nation and its Armed Forces have been reaffirmed by Governments to this day. As Lord Morris of Manchester told the House of Lords in 2005:

“Of all the duties it falls to parliamentarians to discharge, none is of more compelling priority than to act justly to citizens who are prepared to lay down their lives for their country and the dependants of those who do so.”

The Military Covenant was expressly reaffirmed by Prime Minister Tony Blair during a keynote lecture on Defence given on 12 January 2007:

“The Covenant between Armed Forces, Government and people has to be renewed. For our part, in Government, it will mean increased expenditure on equipment, personnel and the conditions of our Armed Forces; not in the short run but for the long term.”

The Military Covenant is a living tradition, as contemporary in its application as it is ancient in its origins.

[edit] Criticism in the UK

As of late November 2007 British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been accused of disregarding the Military Covenant, the British Legion and several former Chiefs of Defence Staff have stated that not enough support is being given to the military and their families. Issues such as pay and poor, substandard, housing, lack of equipment for troops and closure of military hospitals and lack of health care for troops have been highlighted. Criticism has also been made of the fact that since the last cabinet reshuffle, Des Browne has held the dual roles of Secretary of State for Defence and Secretary of State for Scotland. The Conservatives and a former Chief of Defence staff have called for this to be ended and for the role of Secretary of State for Defence to be a "full time" position ^[2].

A petition on the Downing Street website calling for the Prime Minister to honour the Covenant can be found here ^[3].