The 15 servicemen have let us down

As I have said before I am glad that the 15 sailors and Marines are home safely. However, they haven't exactly covered themselves in glory since their return. By selling their stories they have demeaned their uniform.

My colleague Toby Harnden writes an excellent article about this on his blog. He says: "Lasting damage has been done to Britain's reputation, never mind that of the RN and Royal Marines...Servicemen and women should be held to a higher standard than civilians, though listening to the six of the 15 who spoke on their return it was hard to believe these were military personnel...Why did many of the 15 believe it was appropriate to greet the news of their release with giddy excitement, grins, waves, back-slapping and grovelling gratitude to President Ahmadinejad?...Why were the 15 apparently unprepared for what was mild mistreatment and some fairly basic mind games?"

Toby is absolutely right.

Finally, I had always assumed I would never suit a military career: I am too fat for a start. Having seen the pictures of Leading Seaman Faye Turney, I am not so sure. Fit is not the word...

In the Navy

Thankfully, the 15 sailors and Marines captured in "Iranian" waters are home safely.

As the media debated on the rights and wrongs of a married mother of a small child on the frontline, what did amuse me was Faye Turney's rank. Even in these feminised, PC days she is still Leading SeaMAN Turney - oh, how that must have stuck in The Guardian's craw.