War and Peace (not from Tolstoi)
(This article is not translated-the other countries involved don't have the same attitudes) **********************************
British Soldiers patrol Helmand Province. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If you've got to have war (and that seems to be the case) then you've got to have soldiers to fight it!
In cases of war, then the peace can only be celebrated through the actions of the said soldiers.
Now - those soldiers, some of whom will unfortunately leave their lives in obtaining that peace, have no need of
G20 2012 heads of government - Caricatures (Photo credit: DonkeyHotey)
unhelpful criticism, or lack of backup, from home or other politicians.
Goes really without saying that a good team (soldiers or otherwise) needs a solid base to fight from. It also needs the knowledge, in the background, that the employers have, or will, take the necessary action to ensure that in case of death or injury, they (and their families) will not be left high and dry, or in a foreign field..........
Killed British soldiers lying in trenches after the Battle of Spioenkop, near Ladysmith, Natal, South Africa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
After all the interviews done and publicized, with the employer of the British soldiers killed over the years (ie The British Government, and therefore, DIRECTLY, the British people) this would seem NOT to have been, nor is it still, the case.
Parents and close family having to travel hundreds of miles to receive the corpse of the defunct, having to arrange transport of the corpse to its place of burial, the same people having to pay hundreds of pounds to have access to the information held by fungicided Civil Servants, probably having to pay for expensive death certificates, and so on ... and so on...
Some of you will say "Job risk", and not without a certain amount of reason, but you all like to wake up in your warm beds, knowing that your little world is being protected somewhere, by someone!
"Job risk" it is indeed, for a soldier, to be killed in action, but what is it when his Employers profit from the fact?
In private life, the Employer would be hounded from pillar to post, and excluded from Social life!
Everything - yes, EVERYTHING - involved in costs for the deceased's direct family should be accepted, paid - with no whining!
Land Rovers from 16 Air Assault Brigade preparing for an evening raid near Basra, Iraq. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I know, from personal experience, that no faith can be placed in the Politician's words and promises, thousands of ex-Regulars are living on a very low bread-line. Those of us who thought about it at all (soldiers tend to be of the younger breed) had a tendency to beleive what we were told. After all, what civilised nation would simply "throw away" old Soldiers, and what Society would look on, without a word?
We were wrong. 'For Queen and Country' - well the Queen never gave me anything except pomp and the country even less!
They say that "old soldiers never die-they only fade away" - Well, this one isn't fading away, not just now, and not without making his protest.
Whilst I'm about it - "British Legion" - so respected Association.
War and Peace (Photo credit: Jayel Aheram)
Ex-soldier? Need help? Just contact the British Legion.
BALONEY - They didn't even have the politeness to acknowledge my letters!
Well - I've bought my last poppy - I'm not paying for some fellows to have a comfortable existence for nothing!
(iwmpop) mr le Marquis.
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