Retired naval officer who revealed 'Raj' mentality in parts of Defence Forces speaks out 

'If someone made a complaint it was viewed as though they were going against the grain and were disloyal to the military'

Ken Holland: "If somebody made a complaint it was viewed as though they were going against the grain and were disloyal to the military." Picture: Denis Minihane

A vastly experienced former member of the Defence Forces who once described some senior officers as acting “like they’re still living in the British Raj” era has spoken for the first time without anonymity about how a few of the so-called 'old guard' treated subordinates almost like slaves while routinely ignoring and covering up complaints of inappropriate behaviour.

Former navy senior petty officer Ken Holland, who is retired after 42 years unblemished service to the State, told a PDFOrra conference for enlisted personnel a couple of years ago that some of the older officers across the entire Defence Forces acted as though they were still living the Imperialist lifestyle of the British superior military class.