[Fleecewife]

We're all shocked when we hear about how after the Napoleonic wars, and all wars in the past in fact, old soldiers, too damaged or injured by war to work, were left to beg in the streets.  There was the odd hospital for their care, but for most, nothing.

Surely all that must have changed in this day and age, when physical and mental injuries are diagnosed and understood, and treatments are available?  Well, specialist hospitals have been closed down, and charity donations are it seems all that offers some support to the lucky ones.

We have been in many conflicts in recent years, and our soldiers (by which I mean men and women from all the Services) are left without good jobs, some left with physical disabilities, and many left with the modern equivalent of shell shock.

What is bringing this to the front of my mind is that we have come into contact with two separate groups of vets of past conflicts, all young men.  They have come from responsible jobs to be virtually dumped in the streets, their marriages broken, no job at all, or something really menial, and with that look in their eyes that speaks of the horrors they have seen.

So, ignoring any personal thoughts of the validity of war, why aren't we as a nation looking after our soldiers?

[john and helen]

As an Ex soldier, many are to proud to ask for help, there are places and organisations who will help, such as SAFFA
but i do understand what you are saying, i can't say what i really feel, as it would turn into a political thread…

so to keep in line with forum rules i will just hope and prey our lads and lasses will find the help they deserve

john

[nutterly_uts]

I think there is very much a culture of once you have fulfilled your perceived use to society then you are no longer needed, no longer supported and very much on your own.
It's "forgotten" by society that in being used in this way you have no chance to set yourself up to help yourself and so the cycle continues

[sabrina]

Both my brothers are x army. Soldiers most come from every day familys,  Trained to fight for their country but once no longer needed don't matter its that simple. the powers that be would rather support anything and anybody but there own. If all those in power had to go to war themselves and do their own dirty work what do you think would happen ?

[Rupert the bear]

As John says , many are too proud to ask for help especially those who try to "quietly get by " the outlook they have , especially the older generation is one of service before self. They need to be told (ordered) to seek assistance and on occasions I have done so . I too cant express my forthright views on this without over stepping the guidelines.
Please bear in mind every day is Poppy day not just a chilly damp Sunday in November .

2457**** Rupert the bear

[john and helen]

respect Rupert the bear 
2450**** john

[Rupert the bear]

respect Rupert the bear 
2450**** john

You too John .

[verdifish]

Again politics plays a big part in my answer but to be fair it's not down to individual party politics it's down to money. There simply isn't enough, but if serving this country has broke them then this country has a duty to fix them but they never will...


2486#### Verdifish.

[Fleecewife]

It's very telling that of those of you who have replied, just about all are either ex-military, or from military families.  I am too.
So is that an illustration of the fact that many people simply don't care?  Conflict is something which at the moment is not happening on our shores (much) so it doesn't interest us, we have no experience up close and personal? 
For many service personnel, the services are just a job when they first join up, better than being on the dole or working in a call centre.  But then they find the reality is so very different.  Is it maybe these people who are most affected by what they see, as opposed to those who picked a career in the services because that's what they chose to do, and they went in with their eyes wide open?

As one of the lads I was speaking with said: 'it's not that you want thanks, just to know that what you have done for the protection of the population is appreciated'.  Wouldn't that be nice.


For me, a true appreciation of our soldiers would be demonstrated by post conflict care and support being the norm, given willingly and in abundance, not having to be asked for just by those who are desperate for help.  If it was simply expected by us all that our service personnel would be looked after, then no politician would dare to take that away.  What happens in reality is that we have to weigh up what is most important and for many it's being able to have three holidays a year and change their car every second year.   I'm so sad about this.

[Buttermilk]

I am neither a service person or from a service family.  The RDA group I am involved in has a session once a week for ex service personel.  It may not seem much but for the people involved it means a lot.

[Clarebelle]

I'm not sure it's that people don't care exactly FW, I just think they don't understand, or can't relate, how can they?

Every service person should have appropriate access to as much help as they need but money is the key. The public don't understand so won't demand it of the government so there won't ever be any change.

Also, I think that the recent conflicts have gone against the grain for so many of the population that this also, sadly, reflects on the troops as well as the politicians. I'm not sure this will ever change, it is a sad thing to see. I think help for heros, although a bit commercialised, has done a lot for raising the profile of injured servicemen, hopfully charities like this will continue to do so. But when you have supermarkets in some parts of the country refusing to sell poppies incase they offend customers of certain ethnicities, who knows!

E851****

[john and helen]

many many people care, thats without doubt,
but !!!! its a job…you pick it, you train for it and then you do it, we where never pop stars or footballers who seem to love the lime light, we where soldiers, sailors airman, who just did our job, i don't think any of us joined for glory,

but we did realise, that our little work world was special, you tended to become a family , not just a work mate,
many will not understand this

its the same when a bunch of people get cancer, they all start to become friends and create things like support groups, yet people outside of that circle, will never really understand, until it affects them ..

we do live in a caring part of the world, where all the good things, never really get shown, at the same time, the bad things make the headlines….

[DavidandCollette]

I also posted but it didn't appear. .........

[Louise Gaunt]

I have been thinking about how to reply without getting political. I think the vast majority of people do care about our service men and women, I certainly do, if it wasn't for the armed forces over several centuries our nations would be very different. I can understand the view taken by ex service that they were a family as much as doing a job, and that connection continues after they leave the forces. With regard to illnesses like PTSD there just isn't enough spending on mental health for anyone, and services are limited and patchy, both for armed forces and civilians. There is a problem with the way governments have failed ex service people for a very long time, and until our politicians start seeing them as people, not a resource to be used the same way armaments are used, I don't think we will see a real change. There, I have been a bit political, I will now retreat behind the sofa!

[Fleecewife]

It's very hard not to get political on this subject.  Those in power have to choose where to spend their (our) money, but most of it seems to go straight down the drain.
It seems that there is a general policy that because the population as a whole will contribute to charities, then that's fine - officialdom doesn't need to bother.
I think we all know where the ultimate fault lies, so there's no point in discussing the political aspects anyway. I particularly want to keep away from the rights and wrongs of warfare itself, because to my mind it is a separate issue and not really of general interest on a smallholding forum.

Maybe I'm wrong and we as a nation do by and large care about and support our service personnel.  I hope so.