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Hi there, i have only been alive for 18 years so i might be a little young to comment on this. Now theres been alot of talk of recruitment shortages in the Parachute Regiment but i seem to remember a few years ago that the Paras were the bees knees and very popular with eveyone. Now around that time i remember watching a documentary on the Royal Marines and because of the Paras publicity they were having trouble recruiting. Now at the end of the documentry a Royal Marine of some sort said something like, '' We need another war to get the Royal Marines popular again'' Now they got in the public eye again due to Iraq, so i was wondering wether the Paras and the Marines are always trading places every few years as the publics main interest? or do the Paras need to be involved in another high profile operation?

malarkry.......It is not so much a recruitment problem, but is a retention problem. Many of the lads are leaving to join the Private contractors in Iraq were they can earn each day what the Army pays them per week and it is tax free.

Oh ok, so private contracters is basically going to work for wealthy business types in Iraq and bodyguarding them? In that case there aint much the Parachute Regiment can do unless they decide to pay them more.

malarky.....Spot on...Look at it this way for every year they spend out there doing private work they will have the equivalent of four years pay in their hand.

Does it not make yourself tempted?

Oh yes, Tab would be up for a spot of that.

As I have said before that when I was last with the Battalion last year six of the seven men at the table I was having a drink with were leaving to go private.

Tab, you can`t beat BUPA mate

Harry....What part of the Army is BUPA