Is there not something fundamentally wrong when we host an elaborate sporting event that involves the forces at a time that we should be focusing on the war, and, more importantly, on those who are fighting for us?

At the games the majority of the participants will be the so-called specialist recruits who enjoy a relatively comfortable and sustained lifestyle – with no danger of frontline duty. It is a well-known fact that the forces regularly recruit sportsman and women purely for their sports skills – these lucky individuals do no combat duty whatsoever but are assigned to various camps in the proximity of sports facilities and train all day.

My question is: Can the service commanders categorically say that we are doing absolutely everything in our capacity to make the lives of those brave soldiers at the front better? The correct response would be, not really. The cost of staging such an event is staggering; with no politician having the guts to ask the question - is it justifiable under the current conditions and would not this money be better spent caring for those who have suffered on our behalf ?

If we ask them to put their lives in danger for ours, we need to make some serious sacrifices – both as a government and individuals – to ensure those who keep us safe and their loved one get the best benefits possible.