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49.
In view of the complexities of the employment of LEP/LEC within
the Garrison, which is inextricably linked with LTC, a synoposis of
the projected requirements is shown separately at Appendices 1 & 2 to
Annex B.
50. In the very last months of the withdrawal there are likely to be very few, if any, LEPs and LECS remaining. Many will have left by this stage in order to put some distance between themselves and their
service to the Garrison and/or to start on alternative careers;
entitled terminal leave and resettlement training will have been taken
by LEPS. From about January 1997 there could be a need to retain to
the end some UK-based individuals, both Service and civilians who
would otherwise have been released or even to provide small numbers
of individual reinforcements.
Accompanied Service.
51. Implicit in the logistic plan is the fact that at some point during the run-down process, the support provided for dependants in
the Garrison must cease in order that MQs, Service school buildings
etc can be returned in a timely fashion to the HKG along with other
parts of the Defence Estate. At the same time, accommodation service
units must close down and elements supporting administrative needs,
families and the infrastructure reduced to a minimum. The precise
date at which this occurs rests on a number of factors. From a point
of view of sustaining confidence, morale and Arms Plot stability, the
aim should be to retain accompanied service for as long as possible.
However, if dependants stay in Hong Kong right up to the end, it will
needlessly complicate Garrison administration at a time when all minds
will be concentrated firmly on executing a highly public operational
plan. From a security point of view, it would be prudent to plan to
concentrate all service personnel in specific barracks and the absence of families would be a blessing if, due to unforeseen circumstances,
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