Danielle Sheridan
Fri, 5 January 2024
Defence sources told The Telegraph they hoped to attract a retired officer who commanded a submarine during their naval career - DFID/Alamy Stock Photo
The Royal Navy has been forced to use LinkedIn to advertise for a Rear-Admiral to be responsible for the nation’s nuclear deterrent amid a growing recruitment crisis.
No serving sailors are suitable to replace Rear-Admiral Simon Asquith, the current Director of Submarines, and the Navy has turned to the professional networking site to find his successor.
Defence sources told The Telegraph they hoped to attract a retired officer who commanded a submarine during their naval career to the £150,000-a-year, two-star position.
The advertisement says candidates must be a member of the reserves or have previously served in the regular forces and, if chosen, will be responsible for “highly classified stealth, elite operations and Trident, our nuclear deterrent”.
It comes a day after The Telegraph revealed that the Navy has so few sailors that it has to decommission two warships to man its its new class of frigates.
HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll will be decommissioned this year so crews can be transferred to new Type 26 frigates expected to come into service from 2028.
Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, has also put forward plans to scale back the use of two amphibious assault ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, so that they remain at a state of extended readiness. The Telegraph understands that neither assault ship will be decommissioned and that crew will remain on board.
While it is not unusual for the Navy to recruit through Linkedin, the role is its highest ranking position to have been advertised on the platform.
The Rear-Admiral position is the sixth promotion an officer can reach – two away from being made Admiral, the highest rank in the Navy.
“It’s an initiative we are introducing across all ranks,” a source said of the advert, which was first reported by The Times. “It gives people the flexibility and allows us to take advantage of skills acquired in the civilian sector.”
Last year, Rishi Sunak announced plans to make it easier for military personnel to “zigzag” between the Armed Forces and the Civil Service in order to retain top talent.
It comes as the Armed Forces experience a significant recruitment crisis, with the Navy having suffered a collapse in the flow of new recruits into the service.
In the 12 months to March, MoD figures showed that the Navy, which has 29,000 full-time recruits, performed the worst out of the three services for recruitment.
Tom Sharpe, a former Navy commander, said: “In an ideal world, the Royal Navy would select from within – but we’re not in one, so throwing the net a little wider for this role makes some sense to me.”
A Royal Navy spokesman said: “It would be inappropriate to comment ahead of any appointment being made.”
Asked about plans to mothball HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, a Royal Navy spokesman said: “The Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring that the Navy has the capabilities it needs to meet current and future operational requirements.”
Calling all guitar heroes, The Smashing Pumpkins are hiring
AFP
Fri, 5 January 2024
Billy Corgan and James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins perform at Irving Plaza in September 2022 in New York (Theo Wargo)
Could you be the next member of The Smashing Pumpkins?
The influential alt rockers who achieved 1990s fame with hits including "Cherub Rock" and "Tonight, Tonight" are seeking an additional guitarist -- and welcoming resumes.
"The application process is open to anyone who might be interested," the band wrote on X Friday, inviting potential candidates to send their CVs and "related material."
Jeff Schroeder had played with the band's most recent iteration from 2007 until 2023, when he announced his departure.
Originally formed in the late 1980s in Chicago, The Smashing Pumpkins gained acclaim for their brand of metal fused with dreamier pop sounds, catapulting to commercial success and becoming a Gen X touchstone band until their breakup in 2000.
Founding member, primary songwriter and front man Billy Corgan rebooted the band in 2006.
Along with Corgan two of the original members, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, rejoined over the past decade.
And now, with the departure of Schroeder, the rockers are looking to round out their sound with a fourth ahead of a European tour with Weezer set to launch June 7 in Birmingham, England.
Later in the summer they -- and you? -- will join the Saviors stadium tour with Green Day, Rancid and Linda Lindas, which is slated to begin July 29.
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