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Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland IS STILL and Operational Theatre. The GSM and Clasp 'Northern Ireland' is still issued after 30 days in theatre.

OP Banner is still going strong after 36 years...
 
This might help

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4094818.stm

NORTHERN IRELAND
Some 11,000 British troops are still stationed in Northern Ireland, although their work is among those classed as non-operational.

According to the MoD: "The Mission of the Armed Forces in Northern Ireland is to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the defeat of terrorism and the maintenance of Public Order in order to assist Her Majesty's Government's objective of returning Northern Ireland to normality."

However as far as i am aware a medal is still issued as well as NI pay.
 
I can assure you OP BANNER is still firmly in place.

This "where are our forces by the BBC" article is factually wrong.

_40629608_british_troops4_map416.gif


OPERATIONAL
Gulf: 8,350 inc 7,500 in Iraq
Afghanistan: 1,100
Bosnia: 991
Kosovo: 187
Sierra Leone: 98
UN missions: 329
NON-OPERATIONAL
Germany: 22,500
Northern Ireland: 11,000
Cyprus: 2,761
Falkland Islands: 1,177
Gibraltar: 558
Ascension Island: 40

Someone has not read their MoD press pack properly!!
 
The information given by the BBC is probably quite correct. However it has to be interpreted properly.

For OPERATIONAL read 'This is where we have reporters'

Fon NON OPERATIONAL read 'This is where we don't have reporters'.

Hope this helps.
 
Northern Ireland is very much an Operational Deployment. I should know, I am serving here and averaging 96 hours a week still!!!!!

Some ceasefire huh?

Hopefully, come the IRA Statement (rumoured to be on July 15th), of disbandment, Op Banner will be defined as over.

Rumours are currently.....

Part Time HS RIR to be made redundant on December 22nd 2005.

Followed by the disbandment or amalgamation of the remaining Full-time Royal Irish.

Anybody know?
 
not sure i agree with your timeline for declaring end of op banner. anybody know the legalities? obviously all those in NI would lose their NI pay if it stops being an op, and start paying food & accn presumably. so would not like it to happen any time soon, its one of the few incentives for serving in the province...

how do they stand on things like OOB areas? if its non operational, presumably we will all be able to go on the piss in XMG and west belfast, because the govt has declared the op over? :? is there anything saying that if its not an op, there cant be draconian restrictions on our movements or more of a threat to our personal security than e.g. on the mainland? cos we all know the truth...

cant see why the end of op banner should be tied to an ira statement anyway. nobody in their right mind believes the f*ckers.
 
TangoZeroAlpha said:
Northern Ireland IS STILL and Operational Theatre. The GSM and Clasp 'Northern Ireland' is still issued after 30 days in theatre.
Does this apply to non combat arms? Like REME?
 
hkpete wrote:

"Does this apply to non combat arms? Like REME?"

Non combat arms? Last time I looked on the MoD site REME were still part of the 'ARMED' FORCES. I'm sure they give craftsmen rifles as well as spanners.
 
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