MILITARY DRIVERS
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I read with interest the articles on army drivers training to man tankers if another blockade takes place. It is not army drivers, it is the armed forces as a whole that are being prepared to take part in this ridiculous show of government ineptitude.
The many "experts" interviewed on this matter certainly do not know or have not researched the subject. Your ex-police motorcyclist and HGV trainer interviewed in CM (26 October-lNovember) was talking on a subject he knows nothing about.
I served in the Royal Air Force for 35 years in the Transport Branch and I would like to highlight the tanker "expertise" in this particular branch of the armed forces.
All military aircraft have to be refuelled and this is usually carried out by a professional full-time military driver with full ADR. Considering the number of airfields we have, this amounts to quite a bank of expertise.
When I served in the Falkland's all my service drivers were professional operators, with some tanker drivers from major oil companies!
I realise that there are concerns about inexperienced drivers delivering fuel but I know the army will only licence a competent person.
I doubt very much that any serviceman will want to take part in this operation but please do not doubt the considerable experience that is available. Rod Devenish,
Peterborough.