Hundreds of paratroopers have reportedly been banned from deploying NATO annually in the Balkans after videos of an orgy at a military barracks surfaced.
In a letter to generals and commanding officers, the new head of the army, General Sir Patrick Sanders, said he did not want to “risk the mission or reputation of the British army” by sending them abroad.
This month, it became clear that eight paratroopers from the 16th Airborne Brigade had been placed under police investigation after being filmed having an orgy by mutual consent with a civilian woman at Merville Barracks in Colchester, Essex, while dozens more were watching.
Although military police found no crime, Sanders said the activity could be interpreted as “defaming women” and contradicting military values and standards, the Times reported, seeing the letter.
The newspaper reports that the woman is believed to have been smuggled into the barracks 31 times in five months. It says the incident followed a series of other cases of misconduct during an exercise in northern Macedonia in May, when it was revealed that 3 Para members had been accused of “unprofessional conduct” during the exercise, along with soldiers from other battalions.
Sanders wrote: “My message to the military is clear – our license to work is based on trust and confidence and we must adhere to the highest standards,” the Times quoted him as saying.
He added that “such behavior is unacceptable, corrosive and damages the army’s reputation.”
In another excerpt quoted, Sanders added: “Recent events have shown that 3 Para did not show the levels of discipline and respect for others expected by one of our battalions.
“I am not ready to risk the NATO mission or the reputation of the British army by deploying 3 pairs at the moment.
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The annual deployment in the Balkans is for a 10-day exercise with NATO allies, although troops usually stay more than a month. More than 400 paratroopers travel to both Bosnia and Kosovo and will lose the medal and extra pay they normally receive for sending abroad.
Instead, they are asked to use the month to “think about where they have not done what we all expect from our army.” It is said that options for changing the battalion with another for the exercise are being discussed.
Soldiers directly involved in the sex tape will also be removed from the battalion’s next battle group as an air maneuver battle group, ready to deploy in response to global crises.
A contact with the Ministry of Defense was sought for comment.
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