Book details

There is nothing new about the military covenant, a freshly minted term for something that's been around for as long as soldiering itself. 'Tommy' may have to make the ultimate sacrifice for his country. But what will his country do for him?  Over centuries the covenant has been variously honoured and ignored. Confronted daily with flag-draped coffins, shameful stories of inadequate kit and shocking images of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan: what exactly are we doing to honour those who sacrifice all in the service of their country? In Tommy This an' Tommy That Andrew Murrison uses his perspective as a senior Service doctor and frontline  politician to set the events of the past ten years in historical context. He charts the ways in which societal and political changes have impacted on the wellbeing of uniformed men and women, and the nation's changing sense of obligation towards the military. Crucially he asks what the future holds for the military covenant.

Andrew Murrison served for twenty years as a Medical Officer in the Royal Navy leaving as a Surgeon Commander in 2000 to stand for Parliament. He was elected for the Wiltshire constituency of Westbury in June 2001. Opposing the Iraq war, he was recalled to serve as a battle group medical officer in southeast Iraq in 2003. Serving as a shadow health and then defence minister he was returned as MP for South West Wiltshire with a five-figure majority in May 2010. Dr Murrison set up David Cameron's Military Covenant Commission in 2008, the Leader of the Opposition's military mental healthcare summit in 2009 and from May 2010 headed up a review ordered by the Prime Minister into the mental healthcare of servicemen and veterans. He lives near Warminster with Jenny, five daughters and a variety of farm animals.