I don't think for a minute that either of you has quite picked up the point here. No-one thinks life in civvie street is easier nor are the streets paved with gold.
I think what serving members of HM Forces (and their families
)are trying to highlight is that under the Military Covemant the Government and subjects of Her Majesty ask these men and women to risk their lives. Regularly. Which they do in War and in training. Young men and women are gladly serving their country at the risk that they will not return, experience horrfic events or see close friends and colleagues die.
I think for this they deserve to be financially secure for the rest of their lives.
Contrary to popular public opinion, we do not get free housing, we get no more free healthcare than you do (I have to pay for my dentistry), we get no choice regarding the house we live in or it's location (how many civvies would allow a private letting company to dictate to them where to live despite paying rent for the property). We can be told to move with as little as six weeks notice with no chance of getting our chidren into the local school. Spouses have to give up well paid jobs with Life Insurance and Pensions to follow the serving spouse to keep the family together. I could recount toe-curling tales of how badly I and others have been treated when things have gone wrong. We move so often it is not viable to buy our own home and so are now priced out of the ludicrous UK housing market. My spouses specialist pay is not pensionable, so his final pension given his job is laughable. They have no right to strike and no union representation. What would YOU need to be paid to put up with this and protect your country and her allies?
So I shall pre-empt what I guess will be your response - 'You knew the score when you joined'. EXACTLY. Given these frankly ludicrous conditions of employment, men and women STILL take on this role and are willing to die in order to protect you and yours. Don't they deserve the very best of your Governments care and your gratitude for what they do in your name? If ever the world descends into war again, it's people like this that stand between you, your freedom and some tyrant. I hope sir that you never need them
I'm proud to be married to a serving member, and proud to count so many others doing this job as my friends.
