Should our ex services people be treated better?

[Nathanio]

Over the last two days I have watched two programs that struck a chord with me. 

First one was a program on Five about people on benefits and how much money they are costing the UK economy. It drove me potty that the people on there were saying they'd come off benefits if they'd be left with £500 a week in their pockets after bills! (I don't know of anyone in my life with that luxury!). It wound me up and how ungrateful they are.

 

Then tonight we watched DIY SOS. The poor ex service guy who has had to struggle after injuries whilst serving his country for 10 yrs of his life. I love how people give up their time and money to help people like the gentleman, but he is one of thousands who need the same level of help.

 

I watched it and it made me feel like why are we giving so many people of benefits an easy ride and yet people like the ex-services aren't treated with the respect an dignity they deserve. Should ex services people be given the first dib in the pot followed by the rest?

 

Discuss

 

 

[Chronicbint]

They should be treated exactly the same as everyone else.

[@Lee]

They should be treated exactly the same as everyone else.

+1, their career choice. UNLESS, they have been injured in combat, then special dispensation should apply. They didn't choose to be shot, although the risks were known.

[James I]

I know a young lad who lost a leg in Iraq, a road side device got him. When he went to Iraq he lived in a council property with his Mother and Father, he is now back from Iraq and with the money he receives for his injuries he now has three properties that he lets out, he drives a RangeRover that is converted for him and his words, not mine, He is well happy!

 

 He told me that when they sign up and go into service they have a choice to take an insurance policy incase they get seriously injured, this is deducted from the salary, he chose to pay the premium and in his case it has paid dividends, however I am sure he would rather have his limbs.

 

 So as above, when making a career choice you know the risks, insurance is available so I am with Chronicbint, they should be treated the same.

[Soot1e]

Ex servicemen who are disabled should be treated as any other disabled people, with respect.  However because of the extra risks in the  servicemans working life there should be a special pension scheme available to them should the worst happen. It has been said you shouldn't join the services if you don't want the risk of serious injury or death, completely wrong in my eyes. 

[mdon]

I feel ex service personnel injured in service (same as emergency services personnel) should be provided with any adaptations needed to their homes etc by the public purse as they have sustained the injuries serving the public. I don't think they should get extra benefits etc.

[VWD]

+1, their career choice. UNLESS, they have been injured in combat, then special dispensation should apply. They didn't choose to be shot, although the risks were known.

SO- if they join up as single folks, meet another squaddie and marry , neither of them is given any housing help from LA when they leave the services, although regulations are in force.

[@Lee]

SO- if they join up as single folks, meet another squaddie and marry , neither of them is given any housing help from LA when they leave the services, although regulations are in force.

I'm self moderating at the moment and can't reply.

[Blackline Stu]

My personal opinion is that the whole country needs sorting out. There would be no cash benefits if I was the Prime Minister instead coupons that could be redeemed for food, non-alcoholic drinks and basic clothing. The coupons would only be redeemable in stores set up by the government to keep the cost of supplying the bare essentials as low as possible so the rest of the country does not have to subsidise them as much and the extra money can be put in to the NHS, police, fire service and armed forces plus fixing the roads etc. (On a side note did you know that the benefits bill for this country is 2% of the countries GDP - the same as the whole defence budget) Everyone claiming benefits would live in basic tenament buildings, unless they own their own house then they would get a standard rate to pay for their heating, gas, electric etc and anyone who maliciously damaged the tenament building would be housed in something similar but it would have concrete floors with no carpets and the walls would just be unpainted breeze blocks.

 

The only exception to this rule would be if the person was injured and could not work but it it would have to be proven that it was not their fault. Then they would still get the same coupons to exchange for food etc but they would also get a council house paid for by the taxpayer and £250 a month in cash so they can afford some luxuries in their life (after all it wasn't their fault that they can't work). Anyone found to be injuring themselves to recieve these extra benefits would go to prison for fraud and when they came out they would just have the basic benefits. Also the prison's would not be like holiday camps. They would be like basic military training without the physical education side of it, these times would be made 'free time' in which the prisoners would be let out in to the yard and they could do what they want. Every moring there would be inspections at 6 o'clock sharp with bed packs made up (all of you in the military will know what a pain in the arse these are) and the prisoners would not be allowed to go to bed until 9 o'clock at night. Slopping out would be brought back in and the cell's would only be 7 feet by 5 feet which would have a bunk bed in it so 2 prisoners could be kept in the one cell.

 

Gone a bit off topic but if the country was like this then ex service people would be treated the same as everyone else but since its not then I fully support spending some extra money on them if they come back injured from Afghan etc.

[Glynn]

My personal opinion is that the whole country needs sorting out. There would be no cash benefits if I was the Prime Minister instead coupons that could be redeemed for food, non-alcoholic drinks and basic clothing. The coupons would only be redeemable in stores set up by the government to keep the cost of supplying the bare essentials as low as possible so the rest of the country does not have to subsidise them as much and the extra money can be put in to the NHS, police, fire service and armed forces plus fixing the roads etc. (On a side note did you know that the benefits bill for this country is 2% of the countries GDP - the same as the whole defence budget) Everyone claiming benefits would live in basic tenament buildings, unless they own their own house then they would get a standard rate to pay for their heating, gas, electric etc and anyone who maliciously damaged the tenament building would be housed in something similar but it would have concrete floors with no carpets and the walls would just be unpainted breeze blocks.

The only exception to this rule would be if the person was injured and could not work but it it would have to be proven that it was not their fault. Then they would still get the same coupons to exchange for food etc but they would also get a council house paid for by the taxpayer and £250 a month in cash so they can afford some luxuries in their life (after all it wasn't their fault that they can't work). Anyone found to be injuring themselves to recieve these extra benefits would go to prison for fraud and when they came out they would just have the basic benefits. Also the prison's would not be like holiday camps. They would be like basic military training without the physical education side of it, these times would be made 'free time' in which the prisoners would be let out in to the yard and they could do what they want. Every moring there would be inspections at 6 o'clock sharp with bed packs made up (all of you in the military will know what a pain in the arse these are) and the prisoners would not be allowed to go to bed until 9 o'clock at night. Slopping out would be brought back in and the cell's would only be 7 feet by 5 feet which would have a bunk bed in it so 2 prisoners could be kept in the one cell.

Gone a bit off topic but if the country was like this then ex service people would be treated the same as everyone else but since its not then I fully support spending some extra money on them if they come back injured from Afghan etc.

Spot on stu you would have my vote!

Although i dont think i could wish bedpacks upon my worst enemy they were the bane of my life through basic training!

Altough smalleys get nice comfy duvets and sheets now!

[Blackline Stu]

Spot on stu you would have my vote!

Although i dont think i could wish bedpacks upon my worst enemy they were the bane of my life through basic training!

Altough smalleys get nice comfy duvets and sheets now!

 What?!?!? They get duvets in basic now?!?!? I wish I had that when I went through basic. It would have made everything a lot easier in the mornings especially since you were up until about 3 in the morning sewing name tags in to your socks and then up at 5.... I had many a nodding dog moment during the powerpoints in those days. But saying that they still do exactly the same thing to me these days :zzz: 

[crickleymal]

Sounds like Soviet Russia to me

[Blackline Stu]

Sounds like Soviet Russia to me

 

At least it would give them some sort of incentive to get off benefits.

[Johnno92]

 What?!?!? They get duvets in basic now?!?!? 

 

I went through basic last year we were still on bedpacks..

 

Although half of us smuggled in sleeping bags and slept in those, then you're only making a bedpack once a week..