BPS – you do raise some good points. I don’t expect the average Tom to understand what the CS does, or why it does it. If Pte Bloggs could tell me that sort of thing, then, frankly, I’d be very worried!

The problem is two-fold – firstly it’s a lack of education for the Armed Forces about what the MOD CS does. There is no point that I know until reasonably far up the staff college world that we actually sit down and explain to Officers what it is that the random MOD CS is there to do. Secondly, I think it is wrong that ICSC(L) will not allow any places to serving MOD CS – the best way for the army to understand why CS think the way they do, and more importantly for MOD CS to get the army way of thinking, is to work together at the junior staff level.

Despite what people think, the MOD is focused on delivering to the front line – its just that sometimes this message isn’t sold very well. For instance, UORs are a great example of that sort of work, but so is the unsung work done by all the admin guys in ammo depots, or storage areas ensuring that spares are loaded on and got out to theatre. Having worked in this world, I can assure you that things go wrong, not because a CS can’t be arrsed, but usually for major reasons far beyond the ability of a CS to influence. The problem is, that its easier to sit there and blame the CS for all the worlds failings, rather than look deeper into the problem (thinking here about the classic case of UOR vehicle spares, when delays in getting spares, attributed in the press to “pen pushers” were actually a result of pressures on the manufacturers in the USA).

I think deploying MOD CS on Ops has been absolutely brilliant – I’ve done a tour as a deployed CS and loved it. Its helped many CS understand the pressures that the forces are under, and more importantly for the future, because completing an Op Tour is now seen as a pre-requisite for promotion to senior levels, we are slowly ensuring that future MOD decision makers are likely to have got real, and often multiple periods, of operational experience. Of course being in Theatre isn’t the same as being on the pointy end facing Terry down a bayonet, but every CS I know who has deployed has been through their fair share of mortaring and other unpleasant experiences. This means that we’re not sitting here in an ivory tower of ignorance – we’ve been out there, we know (to a point) what life is like, and believe it or not, we’re on your side. It may seem hard to believe at times, but trust me when I say that the average CS (stand fast the genuine PITAs) wants to do all they can to support the front line, but we find it just as frustrating to deal with shortages and budget cuts as you do. Ultimately though, we are all bound by the decisions of our political masters.