BBC report, here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6923342.stm"The British army's operation in Northern Ireland will come to an end at midnight on Tuesday after 38 years."
"Operation Banner - the Army's support role for the police - has been its longest continuous campaign, with more than 300,000 personnel taking part".
Only 5000 soldiers will remain involved in training and foreign troubles, not in local matters.
Operation Banner was planned as "a few weeks" operation. It lasted 38 years, though the last ones relatively calm.
"A total of 763 military personnel were killed during the campaign."
General Nick Parker holds that the Army and its operations contributed to the political solution of the conflict.
"Republicans and many nationalists have a very different view. In their eyes, the army was part of the problem, not the solution. Critics point to the army's so-called secret war, the highly controversial use of agents and informers which led to allegations of collusion."
The latter is a good and evidenced point.
But now let's enjoy the official end of a military operation. Which is always good.