Main points of ALI armed forces training report

Observations and recommendations from the Adult Learning Inspectorate report released today following an independent inspection of armed forces training establishments in May 2004.

Bullying and harrassment



· According to the armed forces' own data, one in 10 military personnel, 20,000 people across the three services, have suffered bullying and harassment. Much of this is condoned as "traditional", even though it is forbidden and new recruits, women and ethnic minority groups are particularly vulnerable.


· There needs to be a genuine zero tolerance approach to bullying, including clearly defined and appropriate disciplinary measures.



· An approach should be taken across the services to reviewing discipline and punishment which strikes a consistent balance between standards common in civilian life and military necessity.


Firearms



· Inspectors found a "laxity in safely storing weapons and accounting for ammunition, which poses an unnecessary risk to the safety of recruits".



· According to the armed services' own figures, the likelihood of suicide among men under 20 in the army is 1.7 times that of their civilian peers and several times that found in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Despite a downward trend in suicide rates, all three services must better manage the risks.


· There must be more secure storage away from firing ranges and greater use of simulators.



· Uniform practice should be adopted across all three services on deployment of recruits as armed guards at night.


· Night guard duties for recruits should be avoided when they fall between training days.



Accomodation



· Differences in standards meant some recruits enjoyed good accommodation and facilities while others live in barracks "little better than slums". The number and size of training establishments is no longer suitable for the relatively few entrants joining today's small, specialist armed forces.


· The number of training establishments should be significantly reduced in order to ensure they are of a uniformly high standard, adequately resourced and properly staffed.


· Training establishments should hold their own budgets for minor repairs and maintenance and should be encouraged to achieve high standards.


· The style of accommodation should be "as close as is practicable to decent circumstances in civilian life".



Leadership and management


· There is a "disconnection between strategy and practice" which may be hampering efforts to prevent bullying and harassment.


· The armed forces should consider management techniques normally found in civilian training, including the creation of data-rich management practices and giving personal responsibility to commanding officers for achieving measurable goals.


· Commanding officers should have longer postings to training establishments.



· All three forces should try to learn lessons from each other to improve services through more initiatives.


· Active steps must be taken to raise the status of training through the use of rewards, such as promotion.