WHO would be a British soldier in this age of post-colonial guilt, blame culture and a  very nasty, anti-military sentiment?
Well, until quite recently, lots of young men and women still wanted to sign up.
They wanted the top quality skills training that the British Army gives.
They also possessed that impressive but old-fashioned virtue - a belief in service to our nation.

I think now, after all the negative reporting and commentary about the war in Iraq, and after prosecutions of soldiers on what look suspiciously like politically-motivated grounds, a career in the military is fast losing its appeal.
That is a shame. Because soldiering is, without doubt, an honourable profession and one of the most important in the world.
And at a time when British services personnel are deployed around so many of the world's violent troublespots, there ought to be widespread public support and affection for our armed services, but there isn't.
Well, for what it is worth, here is one tiny voice - mine - prepared to say a big "thank you" to our military lads and lasses who are working so hard just now in the heat, sweat and violence of foreign lands.
No people are more worthy of our support. 
I've never borne arms for my country but I owe and give great respect and gratitude to past and present generations who did, including my late grandfather, Jimmy Brady of Wigan.
Because of their self-sacrifice, because they did their duty, we enjoy our freedom today, even if so many people now misuse that freedom to sneer and belittle the armed forces.
I raise this subject here following the court martial of three British servicemen accused of the manslaughter of a 15-year-old Iraqi boy, who was said to have drowned after being forced into canal water in Iraq.
The three men were cleared after suffering three years with unjust charges and threats of punishment hanging over them.
I thank God that these three men - one of whom comes from Liverpool - were cleared of what was clearly a tragic accident.
The charges related to incidents whereby young soldiers were told to "wet" looters in post-invasion Iraq in a canal - i.e. to make them uncomfortable so that they would disperse and go home.
The situation the British soldiers operated in was very tense. Thousands of Iraqis went looting after the fall of Saddam. It was up to the Coalition forces to bring the looting under control in the most humane way possible.
Many foreign armies, with ethics and discipline far below those of the British, would simply have ordered the looters to be shot dead.
British soldiers have so far done a brilliant job in Iraq, and have behaved with unbelievable restraint in the face of hostility and terror strikes on them.
There is now very strong suspicion that pressure is being applied by the Government to bring unjustified prosecutions against good and just men for reasons of political correctness and public relations.
This was the second prosecution against British military personnel to have resulted in acquittals in under a year.
As one of those cleared of the canal manslaughter, Guardsman Joseph McCleary, 24,  of Liverpool, said: "I have had the worst three years of my life... When the verdict came in, I felt as though the whole world had lifted off my shoulders."
Guardsman McCleary is to leave the Army after his ordeal. He simply cannot understand why he was prosecuted and neither can I.
He said: "There was no evidence. I don't know why the Army went ahead with the prosecution.
"It was when there were reports about British soldiers mistreating Iraqis and they wanted to look like they were doing something. We were scapegoats."
Now I don't know Mr McCleary at all, but I would like to welcome him home to Merseyside and I hope he goes on to build a fine life for himself.
He has certainly been through hell.
Here's what Jerry Hayes, a lawyer involved in the case, said: "If ever there was a trial which should have been strangled at birth it was this one.
"These were three brave, decent young men doing their best to help people in a faraway land and the gratitude shown to them was simply to hang them out to dry."
Mr Hayes is quite right and he has hit on a trend in our modern British society to think of our own soldiers as dodgy, somehow brutal, belonging to the past, and not worthy of honour and rewards.
That is a hateful attitude but it is widespread in the liberal media and in the political establishment.
It is part of the reason why our soldiers, when they leave the Army, feel undervalued.
They struggle to be allocated council and social housing, for instance, and there is a perception that illegal migrants find it easier to get housing than ex-servicemen.
Also, both military pensions in the UK and the formal recognition of active service through the awarding of medals, is so very modest compared to, for instance, the USA.
That is not right. Our servicemen and women are the best in the world. They deserve respect and a decent pension when they go back into civvy street.
And while they are still serving, they need to feel they can carry out their duties without the threat of unfair prosecution. 

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