UK EOD Chief Resigns After Frank - but controversial - Remarks

Yep, you can't speak your mind in the British Army, even if you're just trying to help draw attention to serious problems on behalf of the soldiers.

Colonel Bob Seddon stood down as principal ammunition technical officer of the Royal Logistics Corps after telling the BBC's Panorama programme he needed more people on the ground and raising fears over the job's psychological impact.

In the programme, to be broadcast tonight, he said the army was looking to bring more people into disposal teams to tackle improvised explosive devices, but the measures would take "some time".

He added: "It means the existing cohort are going to be under pressure. I'm very concerned that in the longer term some of my people who have done phenomenally difficult and dangerous work in Afghanistan may pay a deeper psychological price for the work that they've conducted."

In his interview for the programme, Seddon said the army was looking to launch a detailed study into the psychological impact of bomb disposal on its operatives.

An army spokesman said in a brief statement that Seddon would be leaving the service in January. "He remains a serving officer and will not be commenting. The army remains committed to the counter-IED effort, which is the number one priority in Afghanistan."

By: Brant