What makes a good serviceman? According to the Royal Navy, the core values are Courage, Commitment, Discipline, Respect, Integrity, and Loyalty. These principles were drilled into me over 15 years of service, and I continue to uphold them to this day. Yet these values are not merely aspirational but critical to the survival and success of one of the world’s most respected fighting forces.
Why Values Matter
Sailors, soldiers, and airmen are part of a team, not isolated individuals. No warship sails with a one-man crew; no army is built on solitary fighters. Trust in each other’s competence and courage is the bedrock of survival. If I were trapped in a burning compartment or stranded on the battlefield, my life would depend on the bravery and strength of my comrades, as theirs would rely on mine.
The Purpose of Training and Standards
The military transforms untrained civilians into exemplary servicemen through rigorous training. Every physical test, academic exam, and inspection is a necessary filter to uphold the basic standards. Those who do not meet the bar are not accepted. This is not cruelty. It is a necessity. Lowering standards risks lives — not just those who fall short, but the entire unit.
Political Interference and “Paper Passes”
Recently, concerns have been raised about the erosion of these standards under political pressure. A Royal Marine Commando raised the alarm over “paper passes” — recruits being marked as competent despite not meeting the required standard. The reason? A political drive to accelerate the integration of women into the Corps.
The Royal Marines’ training standard has not been lowered, and rightly so. Yet after seven years, no woman has completed the Commando course, and none should unless they truly earn it. Biological realities play a role—a fact acknowledged quietly but often denied publicly.
This is not misogyny. It is recognised that in life-or-death situations, competence cannot be compromised for ideology.
The Bootneck Petition
In response, a petition called “The Bootneck Petition” circulated among active and former Royal Marines. Within 24 hours, 1,000 Marines signed in support — a quarter of the entire Corps. The petition called for an end to “paper passes” and reaffirmed that every Marine has to uphold standards, even against political pressure.
The response from the chain of command was not to listen but to suppress. The petition was shut down and dismissed as “Russian disinformation.” Marines were hauled into interrogation rooms. Solidarity held — until the petition’s author, guilt-ridden over the pressure on his comrades, came forward voluntarily. He was dragged before the Ministry of Defence for his courage; his career and family were threatened.
On returning from a holiday, he was detained under Section 7 of the Terrorism Act. His electronics were confiscated; his right to silence was denied. No legal representation. No presumption of innocence. Treated not as a loyal Marine but as a criminal.
The Betrayal of our Servicemen
This is how we now treat our servicemen: young men willing to risk their lives for our country are branded as threats for defending the standards that protect us all—forced to serve alongside individuals who may not be fit for duty and punished for raising the alarm.
The Armed Forces are not about “representation.” They are about winning battles. They are about defending the nation. If you have ever seen a Royal Marine’s beret badge, you will know the name “Gibraltar” inscribed on it — a tribute to resilience, skill, and success. It would be a disservice to that proud history to allow ideological experiments to place lives at risk.
A Time of Trial
We live in a time of great uncertainty, with conflicts flaring worldwide. To send our forces into battle weakened from within is to betray them before a single shot is fired.
Those who wish to weaken the Armed Forces must not win this fight. If they do, we will lose the war that truly matters: the defence of our nation, our people, and our future.
We must stand with our servicemen. We must stand for standards. And we must stand against those who would trade lives for political fashion.
Defend the Corps. Defend the Country.
