ON SUNDAY, those of us who take the trouble will spend a few moments remembering, or more accurately, paying tribute.

This past week has seen a flurry of publicity in the build up to Remembrance Sunday.

This has been good in one sense because it will hopefully encourage more people to join in.

Some of the stories, though, perhaps give a more accurate but unpalatable snapshot of society's general attitude towards the armed forces, those who have died in battle and those who have returned home injured, their lives changed forever.

On Tuesday, the Archbishop to the Armed Forces described the state of much of the UK's service quarters as "appalling."

He was supported by North Dorset MP Bob Walter, whose constituency includes Blandford.

Much military accommodation is of poor standard and beyond repair, he says.

On Wednesday morning, Bournemouth's graffiti team was at the town's war memorial (again) cleaning up the scrawl left by young vandals.

On the same day, the army was criticised by a coroner for failing to bombproof a Land Rover in time to stop 19-year-old soldier Gordon Gentle being killed in an explosion in Iraq. The army's supply chain there was, she said, "chaotic."

So there we have it. For a multitude of reasons, we are failing properly to look after, protect or honour our soldiers, past and present.

Collectively we have an increasing duty of care but are being found wanting. That is something we would all do well to remember.