British Army reduces number of generals by 40%

The total number of starred officers — brigadiers and generals — had been reduced by nearly 40 per cent, from 141 to 85, during the past five years

Surprisingly, the head of the armed forces General Sir Nick Carter said that Britain’s army is getting stronger because it has nearly halved the number of generals.

General Carter also said that over the same period the proportion of generals to troops had improved to about 1 to 2,400, and the number of two-star headquarters staff had fallen from nine to five.

Hear the Chief of the General Staff:
“I entirely support the sentiment that armed forces must focus on talent. Maximising talent has been the guiding principle for the British Army as it strives to become a modern employer that provides opportunity for anyone with talent regardless of background.”

The general described how “the present nature of warfare places a premium on the quality of junior leadership.” He added, “It follows that the armed forces must achieve the right numeric balance between senior and junior leadership — not least to create the most propitious conditions for the latter to succeed.”

The puzzling aspect of the whole saga is that these reductions are happening at a period when terrorists seem to be perfecting new ways of attacking urban populations.   There are also increased threats of wars around the globe.