BFBS Radio Sitrep

In today’s Sitrep with Kate Gerbeau and Christopher Lee…

Presented by Kate Gerbeau with Christopher Lee.

In today’s Sitrep with Kate Gerbeau and Christopher Lee - Is India now a super-power? How London and Moscow are trying to improve relations. Plus, why do people leave the armed forces?  And what should the Mod do to increase retention And, how one part of Brexit IS happening on time tomorrow.

This week on Sitrep with Kate Gerbeau and Christopher Lee: It's 2019 and if you're a woman, you can now apply to do every single job in the British Armed Forces. We celebrate International Women's Day by hearing from some of the top female voices in defence, including: Dr Karin Von Hippel, Director General of the Royal United Services Institute. Colonel Lucy Giles, President of the Army Selection Board. Madeleine Moon MP, a long-serving member of the House of Commons Defence Committee who says the Ministry of Defence isn't doing enough to recruit more women. Commodore Ellie Ablett MBE, who founded the Naval Servicewomen's Network. Maria Stuttaford who has been studying the impact of the unpaid work done by military wives. And Sarah Brown, Chair of Theirworld and wife of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown talks about a forgotten casualty of war; the education of girls.  

28th February This week on Sitrep with Kate Gerbeau and Christopher Lee: President Trump and Kim Jong-un have said no deal this time on nuclear warheads.  We hear from Professor Robert Kelly of Pusan University in South Korea and Professor Michael Stathis from the University of Southern Utah in the USA. Why has nobody managed to find a solution to the conflict over Kashmir?  Dr Dan Plesch from SOAS at the University of London explains. The UN's highest court says Britain should end its control of the Chagos Islands, but what about Diego Garcia where the US keeps its B-52 Bombers? Officer cadets at Sandhurst are trained by the Red Cross.  It's to teach them how to work with humanitarian agencies in conflict zones. Retired Brigadier Ian McLoed has worked for the ICRC for 20 years and explains why this is so important. And the former soldier who says his optician refused to make a note of his military service on his medical records.  We hear from Hugh Milroy the CEO of Veterans Aid about the confusion over the Armed Forces Covenant.

21st February This week on Sitrep with Tim Cooper and Christopher Lee: Putin has told Moscow's federal assembly that Russia will deploy new weapons and aim them at the west if the US deploys new short and medium-range missiles in Europe.  So what's Putin's game?  We hear from RUSI's Professor Mark Galleotti and writer on Russian affairs Mary Dejevsky. Simon Marks reports from Washington on President Trump's plans to give US nuclear powered technology to Saudi Arabia, a sworn enemy of Israel.  Professor Paul Rogers from the University of Bradford explains what this could mean. The UK's signed a new military pact with Oman which will allow Royal Navy ships and submarines to dock in a new port being built there, putting British "East of Suez" plans into action. And we mark LGBTQ History Month with a look ahead to next week's special programmes on Forces Radio BFBS including an interview with Caroline Paige, the first transgender officer to serve openly in the British Armed Forces.

This week on Sitrep with Kate Gerbeau and Christopher Lee: Professor Michael Clarke from the new counter-terrorist think tank Co-Jit UK explains why British Intelligence Officers might like to speak to the IS bride who wants to come to the UK. Forces News reporter Laura Mackin-Isherwood reports from the NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels. The London Evening Standard's Defence Editor Robert Fox gives his take on the Defence Secretary's "Paper Tiger" speech. Naval Historian Professor Eric Grove explains why the Defence Secretary wants to send HMS Queen Elizabeth to the South China Sea.  Dr Julian Lewis talks about his concerns about French involvement in the production of the Type 26 frigate. And Christopher Lee has a soppy story about Valentine's Day!