Maybe your government has realized that the UK no longer needs a large military estabishment. Most Canadians are happy with the size and structure of our military. (We have purchased 80 Locheed F35 fighters, and this will allow us perform our NORAD duties more efficiently, but that's a 25 yr. blip.) Our regular forces, well supported by a great reserve system, are suffiecient to our needs. In Afghanistan, 44% of the soldiers who served were reservists, some of them were killed. Many governments have realized ... finally
... that "boots on the ground" doesn't mean "victory." Militarily, it's a whole new ball game.