<P> While recognition of a special bond of mutual obligations between the state and its Armed Forces dates back more than 400 years, it was not until 2000 that the Army published' Soldiering--the Military Covenant' setting out the obligations on the soldier to make personal sacrifices in the service of the nation, and stated that the armed forces must be sustained by the nation . The code had been drafted over the course of three years by senior officers led by a Brigadier . The main author was Major - General Sebastian Roberts . </P> <P> The term' Military Covenant' was heavily promoted by General Sir Richard Dannatt, who was Chief of the General Staff from 2006 . The existence of government obligations to the armed forces was accepted by the Prime Minister Tony Blair during a keynote lecture on Defence given on 12 January 2007 when he stated that the covenant needed to be renewed, and that "it will mean increased expenditure on equipment, personnel and the conditions of our armed forces, not in the short run but for the long term ." </P> <P> In September 2007 The Royal British Legion launched a campaign which accused the Government of failing to meet its commitments under the Covenant . The Legion highlighted the case of a 23 - year - old paratrooper, injured in battle, who was awarded £ 152,150 despite injuries requiring care for the rest of his life . It also criticised the practice of treating soldiers in wards alongside civilian patients . In his conference speech that October, Conservative Party leader David Cameron referred to the Covenant and said "Mr. Brown, I believe your government has broken it ." </P> <P> Responding to the Royal British Legion's campaign, the Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson announced in November 2007 that armed forces veterans would get priority treatment on the National Health Service, and those injured would be treated immediately in hospital rather than go through waiting lists . Prescription charges would also be waived . A tight budget settlement for the Ministry of Defence in 2007 saw five former Chiefs of the Defence Staff launch personal criticism of Prime Minister Gordon Brown in a simultaneous House of Lords debate . </P>

Rights of a soldier in the british army