Recent data shows that 298 Armed Forces personnel are absent without leave (AWOL).
Tan Dhesi, the MP for Slough, sought clarification from the Ministry of Defence on the number of service personnel absent without official leave.
Addressing the question, Andrew Murrison, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, stated, “As at 13 September 2023, the total number of Armed Forces personnel who were absent without leave was 298.”
Murrison further detailed the various types of absence, mentioning situations ranging from unavoidable circumstances to more extended absences. “There are many types of absence ranging from unavoidable… to short term periods of up to 48 hours, and long term periods in excess of 48 hours,” Murrison added.
Dhesi probed deeper, asking about the duration of the absence for these personnel. In a clarification, Murrison affirmed, “Personnel who were classed as Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL), (i.e. all individuals listed as AWOL for more than 48 hours from their units and registered with the Service Police Crime Bureau), accounted for the entirety of the figure provided.”
The Ministry of Defence provided additional context on the types of absence within the Armed Forces, mentioning that the term ‘absentee’ is applied under Military law to a person who absents themselves from their duty location without permission.
“Under Section 16 of the Act (Advice and Assistance) you may find it helpful to note that there are many types of absence, ranging from unavoidable (being absent through factors beyond a soldier’s control, such as transport problems) to short term (periods up to 48 hours) and long term (periods in excess of 48 hours).
In more serious cases, ‘absentee’ is the term applied to a person subject to Military law who absents themself from the place at which their duty requires them to be, without leave to do so. To be guilty of the offence of AWOL a service person must knowingly and intentionally be away from their place of work or place of duty, without reasonable explanation.”
Hmmm… thought we’d had this before. Was it a 2022 report?
If I had to put up with some of the living quarters I’d probably go AWOL too!!
Under manned units resulting in extra duties, cancelled leave, postponed adventure training, poor promotion prospects, substandard equipment and unaddressed bullying. May have an impact too. I’d like to think these long standing problem have been solved but this is the real world.
298 is not a big number but still worthy of extra effort by officers and NCOs.
The complete breakdown of decency in the wider population is a catalyst.
You are right Rob. The changes in society do not lend themselves to producing citizens with soldiering potential. Too woke. Too mentally and physically weak. Too preoccupied with things that do not matter. At least that is my perception.
Spot on George
Fully agree with your assessment!
Sadly, your comments are all true, and quite correct. Todays British Army is in a shambolic state, almost a state of emergency. I’d like to think that someone, somewhere, would seriously look into this, and other issues within the Army. However… reality suggests otherwise. The British Army are set to loose hundreds of good men, over the course of the next 18 months or so. To them, and interested groups such as us here, no one really cares about the ‘People’, the Human Beings, that make up our Army. Someone needs to care. I care deeply, for the British Army,… Read more »
It makes me angry! I too care deeply about our armed forces because as always, they are the only people standing between Great Britain and those who intend to do us harm. Since the end of the Cold War, I think the world has become a far more dangerous and volatile place, especially for western democracies. Yet our politicians seem to be preoccupied with woke trivia and globalist policies. Which has driven society down the wrong path. Just my opinion. I’ve said before, how we should raise the profile of the armed forces, by investing much more money and involving… Read more »
I’m guessing this includes historic cases so the amount of current service personnel is way less. They are probably still looking for Keith who was last seen pissed in Hamburg and Dave who went in Singapore rather than go ‘up the jungle.’
Total number of full time Military personal : 152000 Total number of service personal logged as absent without leave : 298 which is less than 2/1000th of service paxs Just for the record I have been logged as AWOL twice, once when I was taken off my flight at RAF Luton (yes it actually was a place) despite been there on time, a more urgent “Officer’ was given my slot, I was given a free train warrant to visit my girl friend in Sheffield for the weekend, I spent Sunday night in some block at RAF Hendon (closed in 1987)… Read more »
Im always curious about old RAF bases, but you may be amused now to see @RAF_Luton is a spoof facebook account, and seem its humour is well enjoyed
No. It is a genuine account. Stop your fake news nonsense you Russian shill
Sock puppet again, glad you think this makes you powerful
Ah. You seem to be in need of an intervention. Let me help you get the help you need 👍 message me and I’ll help. Keep strong til I get there
Plus, you know you missed the very very obvious don’t you? 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Touche!
Rag them in. Maximum physical punishment. Welching shit bags
If you’ve welched you should be sort after
Sought…. aaaagh
In this woke age, time in Colchester with a metal bucket as your only companion. Must not be the deterrent it once was. Cuddles, custard creams and correct pronouns don’t have the same effect.
I take it you watched the recent documentary on the place, the staff, inmates and process ? It was interesting and a hell of a contrast to the civilian prison system.
No, but I will. Where and when was it broadcast. After all these years the mention of the name Colchester makes me shiver and I was never an inmate. Just know people who were.
Channel 5 and it’s available on demand. Court Martial:Soldiers behind bars.
I suspect you may get a bit of a surprise.The words Tough Love come to mind.
When I was on the staff at HQ Colchester Garrison, I was periodically the ‘Visiting Officer’ to MCTC, which involved a 2-hr visit/inspection.
A very professional organisation, dedicated to reforming, training and educating SUS wherever possible. Some SUS could not be turned around and they were discharged from the army after their sentence.
I have to say it was one of the most thought provoking insights into a Government institution I have seen in a long time. The bit that really struck me was the simple premise of the UK has invested X£’s in person Y so let’s genuinely make a properly funded and dedicated effort to rehabilitate Y into the services. Like most folks I see prison as a punishment or to protect society and in many cases it’s quite rightly so. But I do have to wonder if perhaps for Young 1st time offenders this sensible “bigger picture” approach would be… Read more »
Thanks mate. I really do need to see that programme on MCTC!
I think a lot of civvy prisons also like to try to rehabiliate rather than just to punish, where they can.
I do recall once or twice hearing the story that in the distant past that judges/magistrates gave some youngsters who were up before them, the choice of jail or to join the army – I often wondered if it was an urban myth.
People who experienced Colchester during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Report a vert different experience. Perhaps other members of this community will enlighten us. Please! Too clever to ever get caught being a bad lad. I never had the pleasure of the glasshouse experience and the little metal bucket. Unlike a cousin of mine who incidentally boxed for the navy in inter services comps. He struck an officer who had insulted his wife. (Soon to be ex-wife because what the officer was trying to report was actually true! The lass was on the game.) Needless to say, said Rupert knew… Read more »
What are the odds a couple are in the Ukraine?
More than a couple, one has already come home, got caught, dismissed the service by courts martial and 12 months in jail.
Wow they threw the book at him huh
So, this leaves you with what…? 700 who aren’t? 😉
Given the recent programmes about the military, first being the CH5 one about Colchester where a bloke handed himself in after 10 plus years AWOL, and the recent one on BBC about the Infantry, where a soldier sacked it half way through training and didn’t come back from their first weekend leave, I find the figures really nothing to worry about. As for tales of RAF Luton, yes I am old enough to have “air-trooped” out of there after a night in accommodation at RAF Hendon, and I seem to recall we went to the desk of something like “Smith… Read more »
My kids were at boarding school in Tavistock (from the age of 8), then Bruton (from the age of 13) – and were escorted to Luton by train for a flight to Germany to join my wife and I (when we were station in Germany of course!) at the end of every term.
The RAF movers, dressed in civvies, had a discrete desk at the airport – I had not heard the term ‘RAF Luton’ before – think thats Farouk banter!
Remember one of my old mates when I was in Germany. Asks the OC if he could go to his bank, which was approved. Several days later he turns up with a RMP escort and put on orders in front of the CO charge of AWOL. We all expected 14-21 days guardhouse. He got away with it as his bank was in Glasgow and he had permission to go to his bank.
Caused bloomin mayhem afterwards as when we needed to go to the bank we had to say where it was.
Oh the fun days.
Great story Ron. We should never forget we have an armed forces of people not robots.
As others have said, some went AWOL, years, even decades ago. 298 then is really not a very high figure. Thought it would be many more than that.
Some will also never be caught. AWOL and then an overseas move. I recall hearing of one guy who went AWOL, and came back to the UK for a family member dying. Got picked up by the RMPs at the airport after 15 years absence.
It is not the problem but the way to deal with the problem. There doesn’t seem to be a singular cause.
Interesting discussion on Talk TV. An ex RAF officer saying there are temporary shower blocks in an area of RAF Marham at present.. it opened the flood gates of service personnel making contact saying how poor their accommodation was…
Let’s face it theres many reasons why someone would go AWOL today. 1. Standard of accommodation. 2. Kit. 3. Job satisfaction. 4. Questioning how realistic it is to have a career in the forces when the government knocked the 10,000 most experienced Army soldiers on the head for redundancy. 5. Constantly understrength. I love the Royal Marines, however, the US with their numbers have a quality of its own. 6. Pay, (McDonald’s pays their management trainees £35,000 after 10 months of training), you can earn more elsewhere without the risk. 7. Long deployments due to successive governments cutting numbers meaning… Read more »