Do Americans Care about British Soldiers?

[Vortex_Generator]

Found on ARRSE but well worth reposting:
Do Americans Care about British Soldiers? (http://www.michaelyon-online.com/do-americans-care-about-british-soldiers.htm)

[Wander00]

That bloody dust is around again. Very well done the Yanks. THANK YOU

[cornish-stormrider]

Seconded, one can make jokes about the colony off to the west but quality and compassion shows. Good Work Lads (and Lasses)

[Sir Vaylance Radar]

Despite the grief I expect to get from posting this, I have to say, based on what I've seen when aircraft have been diverted to my base, the Americans care more about our soldiers than certain sections of the R.A.F. :uhoh:

[Yeoman_dai]

Son and Father. Initally the father is the stronger and clever of the two. Eventually he gets frailer, and the son gets stronger yet the father still knows more, has the experience.

Then, one day, the Son surpasses the father in that way too.



Looking at the way the US has learnt counter insurgency, the way their politicians and public seem to care so much more than ours about servicemen, I can't help but get the feeling that the USA is now putting us to shame. They've always been stronger but we've always been able to tell ourselves that pound for pound we're 'better' (as far as you can call any soldier/sailor/airman better). I'm not sure thats true anymore, and it's a sad day, for me at least, but a fact.


The only thing that is giving me heart is the ridiculous anti-NHS arguemnt going on over there.

[MightyGem]

For those, like me, who had never heard of Soldier's Angels (http://soldiersangels.org/index.php?page=about-us)

[c130jbloke]

the Americans care more about our soldiers than certain sections of the R.A.F.

As EVERY time I have seen RAF types involved in casevac bust their balls to do their best ( with ****e kit compared to the US ), would you like to expand ? Or are you just alludeing to yet another " I got treated as rubbish in the back of a VC10" whinge ?

Just curious :ok:

[knocker88]

Thats funny I remember quite a few pilots on Chinooks getting a DFC for rescuing injured servicemen from the front line. To say the RAF don't care is absolute rubbish and you haven't obviously seen the Chinook Crews bust balls to get someone out or you have been upset by a mover and assumed we are all the same!

I wonder how many men are alive today because of the IRT?

[Sir Vaylance Radar]

C130jbloke
My comment was aimed at day to day transport of troops, not casevac etc. of which I have no knowledge but.....
e.g. Div in p.m. due wx @ Brize, just before Christmas - crew out of hours - no one authorised to sign travel warrants - lack of interest from RAF so civvy handling agents arranged hire cars for some, others had to get local trains to city centre before long distance trek.
Don't wish to expand further on a public forum but " I know coz I was there " !
May have been just a one-off logistics cock-up but left a bad impression all the same.

[moosemaster]

I'm glad you inserted that quantifier "certain sections"

Having been involved in (sadly) quite a few MedEvacs and Comp flights, the uniformed folk actually doing the job care a hell of a lot.

I wouldn't even like to count the number of rules I have "bent", or seen "bent" in order to get the job done.

I'm sorry that your one and only experience of the RAf was negative, but please don't tar everyone with the same brush.

You put in the maximum effort because you know one day, god forbid, it could be you on the receiving end.

[Sir Vaylance Radar]

moosemaster et al
I cartainly wouldn't tar everyone with the same brush, which is why I put the caveat in my first post. It is obvious from the replies that, when the chips are down, everyone pulls together whatever the circumstances. I wonder why, when you are all fighting ( sometimes literally) for each other,Queen & Country, it can't be like that all the time? I like to think inter-service rivalry is reserved for AM's, Generals & Admirals - or am I being naiive ?

[knocker88]

Well your point did suggest that the RAF doesn't care about Casevac cases did it not? I agree about the system being rubbish when it comes to BZN or Lyneham looking after people who just got back from ops. I think this has much to do with lack of manpower perhaps?

The fact that I know of at least 3 crewman who have given life saving CPR and first aid to injured people on the back of the cab, is testament enough that we do care.

[muppetofthenorth]

Surely the use of a C17 is all about being able to get them directly from theatre to home in one move - and quickly - rather than shifting them from plane to plane to plane which would happen with a smaller a/c.

Could the C27J do Kandahar - Brize in one?

[Fortyodd2]

Do Americans Care about British Soldier
More than our so called Prime Minister does :yuk:

[Tankertrashnav]

On another thread there is a bit of transatlantic abuse going on - one US poster, who is frankly a bit of an a**e, has provoked some fairly predictable responses from this side of the pond. I have been mentally making up my own sarcastic and cutting contribution all morning, damning the whole US population for all its shortcomings.

Now I've just read this thread through, and suddenly my remarks seem petty and small minded. Well done the yanks - admittedly your resources are far greater than ours, but even so I join with Cornish Stormrider to say what a great effort. :ok:

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Yeoman_dai. You have a great future awaiting you in MoD(Cente). :sad:

[PPRuNe Pop]

What also struck me, looking at that again, is how they used C17's to move fairly small numbers of people around - isn't that a bit of a waste of resources?


That's the point isn't it? They don't care and to hell with the cost. In any case it is blatantly clear where their priorities lie. God bless them all and a HUUUUUGE thank you for caring and thank you for your Angels.

[glad rag]

That's the point isn't it? They don't care and to hell with the cost. In any case it is blatantly clear where their priorities lie. God bless them all and a HUUUUUGE thank you for caring and thank you for your Angels.

When you read and understand the dedication and sheer determination to do ALL that they can to preserve life it is both humbling and very moving indeed.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Ummmm. Having said that - it MUST be said that our own pilots, surgeons and nurses, male and female, are on film and other records showing how much they care too. They are people we can feel utterly proud of who have performed stunning actions to save life and limb.

Perhaps someone should get some of these facts to 'Bumbling Bob' - he is need of some care - or is that a transplant?

[barnstormer1968]

STUNNING..A word often over used, but not in this case. I was also taken aback and humbled at the replies from U.S. servicemen and civilians:ok:

Not wanting to take anything away from this, BUT if we did have the medical kit/experience needed, could we have done something similar (not a slur in any way on personnel, but regarding aircraft numbers/availability).

I only ask this, as there are sometimes political onlookers on this site, who seem to think that we now need fewer aircraft on the basis they can carry more cargo/troops, rather than be in two places at once.

[Always a Sapper]

What also struck me, looking at that again, is how they used C17's to move fairly small numbers of people around - isn't that a bit of a waste of resources?

Would there be a case for getting some smaller transport aircraft - such as the C27J Spartan - for just this sort of occasion? Small unit lift within theatre?

Who gives a flying #### what frame they used to get the job done. At least they had the frames to divert!

When it's all said and done, they stood up to the line and got the job sorted when needed, with the most appropriate available kit. Heartfelt thanks are called for here, to all involved, not only in this evac but everyone in the Med System from the front line to the Hospitals back home. Nowt else will do.

Hope the lad concerned is doing well and thanks again to all that helped to give him that chance.




and breath ....

[Yeoman_dai]

Guess I need to elaborate - I'm NOT criticizing what happened here, how on earth could I? I was merely asking a technical question, and on second thoughts this is the wrong thread to do so, so I have removed my post. This is a superb example of the Special Relationship working so well, a relationship many are all too quick to condemn.

It was very well put on ARRSE - 'Our allies are our friends, but the British are family' and that says it all.

BZ to the whole effort, the entire team.

[wrightbro]

Experimental lung device kept wounded British soldier alive | Stars and Stripes (http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=64269)

[moosemaster]

It wasn't a problem of finding spare frames I'm sure.

The problems encountered would have more likely been regarding flight plans and clearances. Trying to add sorties at such short notice is a nightmare given the special nature of the airspace to be transitted even for MedEvac role. The frames they used were ALREADY tasked into theatre, it was simply their mission that changed, not their destinations. Very good use of resources imho.

As for using a C17 instead of a smaller aircraft (C27 etc). The C17 is permanently equipped to undertake the MedEvac role, even the UK ones, right down to therapeutic oxygen on tap. In short, it's an ideal MedEvac aircraft.

Plus, if it was an 8 hour flight in a C17, how long would it take in a C27?????

Again, good use of resources. :ok:

[Winco]

PPRuNe Pop

Sir,
I should like to volunteer my services, absolutely free of all charges, to carry out the surgery on 'Bumbling Bob' for his transplant operation. I am not a surgeon, but I'll have a damned good go!!

What exactly did you have in mind to transplant though?

A brain ? - well a transplant suggests that you are replacing like-fo-like. In bungling Bob's case we would struggle to find a brian to replace i think.

A heart ? - pretty much the same as above really

An Arsehole ? Yep, now you're talking!! No problem there at all then. Just replace the whole of Bumbling Ninny Bob, with another bumbling Ninny from this bumbling government!!

Anyway, I'm ready and waiting with my sturdy pen knife at the ready!!

On a serious note, I would just llike to pay my sincere respects to all those medics, support staff and backroom folks who make all this kind of thing happen, when it goes badly wrong for the boys and girls out in theatre, irrespective of what nationality they are. It matters not.

Well done to you all, we are all proud of what you do for our troops every day and night, well done and thank you.

The Winco

[knocker88]

"Ummmm. Having said that - it MUST be said that our own pilots, surgeons and nurses, male and female, are on film and other records showing how much they care too. They are people we can feel utterly proud of who have performed stunning actions to save life and limb. "



Just the pilots? Surely Crewman down the back care?