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1240/5(1814)
QUESTION TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOME AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY 18th MARCH 2003, BY SENATOR L. NORMAN
Question
- H o w manymembersof the localTerritorialArmy Unit have been called up' in the past few weeks for possible service as a result of the situation involving Iraq?;
- h o w manyofthesemembersreturnedhomebecause they wereunfitforduty?;
- w o uld the President give details of exactly whatmade them unfit for duty and indicate whytheirlack of fitness wasnotrecognisedbefore they leftfor the UnitedKingdom?;
- w h at costs wereincurred in transporting thesemembers to and from the UK and who has had to meet these abortive costs?
Answer
- 1 0 Personnel were mobilised.
- A ppeals: Two of thosewhowere called upappealed directly and did not travel to the UK.One is the sole carer for his disableddaughter,and the othershares the careofhis disabled son, whilst his wife completes her studies.
R e q u est for Postponement: One soldier applied for a two-week postponement as his partner had just given
birth to their first child. The MOD would not consider postponements for any mobilised soldiers, and consequently the mobilisation centre returned the soldier to Jersey.
M e d i cals: The following cases were found:
H e r n ia
S to m ach ulcer
C h e s t infection
C h e s t infection with possible asthma O n e m inor shoulder injury
L e a v ing two to be retained for service.
- T h ese details show these medical cases to be minor and the individuals concerned were unaware of medical problems.All five medicalcases are currently beingreviewedandit is likely that the majority will return to being medically fit in the near future. Itshould be noted that the issueof fitness refers to medical fitness and not physical fitness. Those who were mobilised had recently completed their mandatorymilitary training for this year,whichincluded a fitness assessment.
- T h e cost of transporting membersof the Territorial Armyto and from the UKwas approximately £1,500 and an approachhasbeenmade to the MOD for these coststobe reimbursed.