The Wales Peace Institute Initiative launched its first report, into ‘the ‘Extent of Military Presence and its Influence in Wales’, at the National Eisteddfod in Meifod. This is an important landmark for the Initiative, being the first example of the kind of quality factual research which a future peace institute will produce.
The report explores:
1. Bases, barracks and regiments in Wales
2. Armed forces personnel at 1st January 2015
3. Recruitment
4. Cadets
5. Schools, colleges and extracurricular activities
6. Military research, expenditure and industry in Wales
So what are the report’s main findings? The overall conclusion is that there has been a decrease in military presence in Wales since the publication of the ‘Khaki Dragon’ report by Cymdeithas y Cymod in 2006. However, 85% of the total area of Wales is designated as a Low Flying Area, and (in 2011 – 2012) 74% of Wales’ state secondary schools were visited by the army. 9% of soldiers in Wales are aged between 16 and 24, as compared to 5% for the UK as a whole.
However individuals and organisations feel about the information in this report, it presents a well-researched, clear, factual picture of the scale of military presence in contemporary Wales. A synopsis and a full version of the report are downloadable below.