Soldier,soldier.

Originally Posted by BigApe

. In the 'old days' servicemen and women didn't associate with civilians. It just didn't happen. Now it does.

Yes we did, to drink them under the table, try it on with their birds and start fights then leave!!

Originally Posted by neio79

Yes we did, to drink them under the table, try it on with their birds and start fights then leave!!

Well yes, this is true. Rather embarrassingly I was of that era.

I joined in 97 so was probably the more sociable bunch. But still had a few scrapes in my time and touched a few girls bottoms i should not have ha ha

That's the year I left. I joined in 1985.

I think Mr MacKey was clear enough

"M'kay, kids, you shouldn't do drugs, m'kay, drugs are bad. You see, I was at the bottom of the barrel, I was a wreck. Why, I didn't even care about money. I was wasting my life... You boys need to listen up, m'kay, what I'm talking about might save your life some day... Drugs are bad. You shouldn't do drugs. If you do them, you're bad, because drugs are bad. It's a bad thing to do drugs, so don't be bad by doing drugs, m'kay, that'd be bad."

Originally Posted by BigApe

That's the year I left. I joined in 1985.

joined at 18, i was 6 in 85. Does that make you feel old??

Originally Posted by Ed

And then friend Brown pops up and glad hands soldiers, all for TV, to show how much he cares. Oh yeah, of course he does. I honestly don't think that forces welfare is high on his list of priorities.

I think that this shabby treatment is part of the problem.

I think one of the reasons why it has taken us so long to have a dedicated memorial (forget the name but it recently opened in Staffordshire), is because of the indifferent way successive British governments have treated our forces.

Yet, other "younger" nations have had them for years.

Maybe if we had a dedicated burial ground such as the Yanks have got at Arlington, would raise the much needed awareness. I personally believe that the government puts some pressure on the broadcasters to keep it low key.

Originally Posted by neio79

joined at 18, i was 6 in 85. Does that make you feel old??

Everything these days makes me feel old.

[tinpants]

Originally Posted by BigApe

Not really in agreement with the statement of taking drugs because of PTSD. I was diagnosed with this on my return from the 1st Gulf conflict. I can assure you, this is well catered for. Anyone suffering PTSD would not be in a position to still serve AND be using drugs. You are monitored to much.

It is as I have said before, because young soldiers are now of a different calibre than of old. They socialise just the same as everyone else. Drugs are common place and seen as a recreational thing to do. In the 'old days' servicemen and women didn't associate with civilians. It just didn't happen. Now it does.

Si, you're bang on with this. I've recently been getting treatment for PTSD - not from what I did or saw while in the forces but from my job as a paramedic. Its all about personal choice. Do you want to take drugs or not? Nobody holds a gun to the heads of these people and makes them do it. I had no thoughts of taking drugs for my PTSD at all, apart from prescribed meds. I'm now through the worst of it and even though I no longer harbour thoughts of suicide I would say I'm not finished with it by a long way. I still have no desire to use "recreational" drugs.

The bottom line is that drugs are illegal and no-one is permitted by either miltary or civil law to take them. You get caught, you take the punishment. If that means you lose your job then so be it, you have no defence.



Just my 2p worth.