Top Armed Forces medical officer faces 'Nazi' jibes after trying to stop his soldiers smoking in uniform

Slapped down: Vice Admiral Alasdair Walker

The Armed Forces' most senior medical officer has been slapped down by army attorneys after attempting to implement a smoking ban on troops.

Vice Admiral Alasdair Walker issued written orders stopping workers from smoking in uniform. The Falklands veteran additionally known as for troopers to be banned from smoking at work, even in designated areas outdoors their places of work.

He informed workers that they had till March to stub out their cigarettes when the army's first smoking ban would start.

However following a backlash – together with claims the 'Nazi Social gathering' could be happy with the coverage – army attorneys have blocked the ban as a result of it has no foundation in legislation. 

Final night time, former Royal Navy chief Lord West, who served with Vice Admiral Walker within the 1982 Falklands Struggle, stated: 'I'm stunned by this try and ban smoking.

'It was at all times going to fail. You may't be ordering your workers to stop, despite the fact that it's dangerous for his or her well being. Should you go down that street you'll must ban skydiving and mountain-climbing too, in case someone breaks their ankle.'

Vice Admiral Walker was appointed Surgeon Basic in 2015, a job which makes him liable for the well being of Britain's 190,000 troopers, sailors and airmen.

His smoking ban would have utilized to lots of of Defence Medical Companies (DMS) personnel at their headquarters at Whittington Barracks, Shropshire.

In a letter to workers, Vice Admiral Walker wrote: 'The Defence Medical Companies have an ethical crucial to steer by instance and promote the no-smoking message throughout defence.

'The implementation of this coverage will present a powerful message per our mission to advertise, defend and restore the well being and well-being of the Armed Forces.

'Whereas everybody has the selection whether or not or to not smoke of their non-public lives, it has been determined it isn't applicable to smoke in work time or for Service personnel to smoke on the premises.

'The smoke-free coverage will prohibit personnel from smoking wherever on website. Moreover, a ban will probably be imposed on smoking whereas in uniform.' 

Medical workers had been shocked by the meant ban, which was additionally mentioned on web boards in style with serving and retired troops.

Altering instances: A First World Struggle postcard of a smoking British soldier

One ex-soldier on the Fb web page Fill Your Boots wrote: 'I don't smoke, however the Nazi Social gathering could be happy with this.'

One other of the 250 on-line feedback learn: 'Want I used to be primarily based there, it is a declare and a half. I'd be straight on the cellphone to my solicitor making myself a pleasant buck for breach of human rights.'

The protests led to Ministry of Defence attorneys getting concerned. They reported again to prime brass that the ban had 'authorized points'.

Smoking charges have fallen within the UK for a number of years. Just one in six adults now smokes, it's believed, with greater than 500,000 individuals quitting within the earlier 12 months.

An MoD spokesman stated that they had no figures for smoking charges within the Armed Forces, including: 'A ban just isn't in place, however we encourage wholesome life. So the Surgeon Basic plans to pilot methods to scale back smoking on the website to advertise the smoke-free agenda which exists throughout defence and the nation.' 

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