Limited BFPO service this Xmas

[MostlyHarmless]

It seems (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7660389.stm) we have so little AT capacity that even the post is being rationed.

This Christmas, the British Forces Post Office will limit its free postal service to friends and family, only accepting mail addressed to a named serviceman or woman, to ensure their cards and gifts get through on time.

So it's a choice between food, ammo or the mail now?

:\

[Benjybh]

So what is the cutoff date then? I was hoping to send through a few token gifts to the AAC/RAF/FAA at Bastion and Kandahar.

[MostlyHarmless]

I think you've probably missed it.

[MG]

According to the BBC website, it's to discourage all of the post to 'A British soldier in Afghanistan' so that named mail gets the priority it diserves and is not held up by, effectively, junk mail. They're encouraging those who would send that type of letter to donate to Forces' charities instead. Sounds fair to me although some of 'those letters' can be really quite eye-opening!

[kokpit]

and is not held up by, effectively, junk mail.

Hang on a minute, 21,000 sacks of mail to the boys and girls in the sand pits, from people taking out the time to remember serviceman they don't even know, at Xmas. Hardly junk mail!!

OK so there's an AT issue, and yes, supplies, ammunition, and food should take priority, but what message does this send out to our service people and the nation in general?

Again, I hang my head in shame at the state of affairs within our services, a bloody disgrace.

[oncemorealoft]

What a PR disaster!

There's much well-founded disenchantment on this forum about the apparent lack of visible/vocal public support for Britain's armed forces. Now, a well intentioned public demonstration of support is being turned off by the MOD in what sounds like a fairly blunt manner.

Of course, no one wants well-intentioned pressies from well-wishers to stop our military getting family mail or (god forbid) essential supplies; but couldn't someone at the MOD have worked with some of the support organisations or even corporate sponsorship to provide a channel which enables this much needed demonstration of support to carry on without causing logistical problems.

And no, saying "donate to armed forces charities", does not suffice. That's always been an option but clearly a significant number of people want to do something they feel is beneficial to the people on the front line(s).

:rolleyes::ugh:

[Doctor Cruces]

:ugh:

Ahhh, the Covenant. Nice to know it's still working effectively.

Doc C

:ugh:

[ShyTorque]

Well don't expect the UK government to do anything; they've all got their terminal bonuses to worry about.

[Mobile Muppet]

I wonder if our American and other NATO chums will be getting the same reduced service at the one time of year you really need it...

[Mighty Quercus]

You are missing the point. Its only unnamed mail which is not being accepted.

Last xmas at KAF the welfare parcels totally overloaded the postal system. There were ISO upon ISO full of packages that were unabled to be delivered to the FOBs as it would of meant less food, water or ammo could be transported by our helos to do so.

in the end a MI-8 was chartered just to deliver these unnamed packages to all the FOBs. It was deemed an unacceptable risk to our crews hence the charter. Even the MI-8 wouldn't fly on some days leaving more of a back log.

I can assure you that all mail which is addressed personally to any member of HMF is delivered and with a high priority.

As much as it is a morale booster we just don't have the airlift to deal with this extra mail. The MOD is doing the right thing and prioritising what is essential that includes personal mail. Unfortunately the troops will go without their shoe box of goodies this year.

[oncemorealoft]

No, you are missing the point, which is that ordinary folk are reaching out to unknown but valued servicemen/women to show their support but the MOD can't cope and won't use a little nous to work with someone to find a no-cost or low-cost solution.

I appreciate the logistical problem and the necessary priorities but simply say 'no' in a fairly abrupt manner doesn't seem to encourage the sort of support our forces deserve.

[Benjybh]

How about a call-out to all spam-can owners for a christmas delivery a la Dunkirk? I'd go!!

[MG]

I agree entirely that it's wonderful that the guys out in Theatre are recognised by the British public, but and it's a massive but, there is an awful lot of post that clogs up the system so that 'proper' post from loved ones gets held up. It's a question of priorities and yes, the system stuggles to cope. If this plea, and that's all it is, helps the system to run more smoothly, who can complain? Why on earth is this a PR disaster or another example of the parlous state of HM Forces?

Honestly, some of you would see the negative side of winning the Lottery!

[Beatriz Fontana]

I agree, have you ever seen the volume of post at Christmas which is to an unnamed person?

Instead of focusing on the negative, then the message should be going out to the public that they can donate to UK4U Thanks! which sends out a Christmas parcel, or donate to the likes of the RBL or Help for Heroes.

I never say no to proper woolly socks, mind....

[BlindWingy]

Unfortunately the guys who will really miss out with this are the singlies who have no living/caring family. They are out there, and now will be receiving absolutely nothing.

[Beatriz Fontana]

I disagree. In my experience, that Thanks charity sends out a parcel to everyone out in theatre, so the singlie will get something. And anyway, speaking as a singlie, there were enough of my mates who shared what they got with the rest.

[Mr C Hinecap]

Unfortunately the guys who will really miss out with this are the singlies who have no living/caring family. They are out there, and now will be receiving absolutely nothing.

They will probably have a closer Christmas out there with their compadres than at home then! If they have no living/caring family then it is going to be the same wherever they are - make a better point next time - poor effort.

As for the rest of you - come up with a solution then - and FFS it is only 'random soldier' mail getting stopped. Finite resources, troops in fwd locations prefer boxes of bang rather than melted chocolates - MTFU and stop bleating over someone having the cohones to make priorities public.

[BlindWingy]

B.F. Didn't know about the "Thanks" charity - that good to know.

Mr C Hinecap, thanks for your opinion, however close to the party line it may be.

As a matter of interest, have any of the other nations involved issued this advice to their citizens? We can't be the only nation who sends parcels to an "unnamed serviceman".

[orca]

I wonder if there could have been some form of half way house here. Would it be possible say for the MoD to have said, "Please donate to fund X, and we shall distibute all the cash to charity", at the same time publishing a list of who gave what and where it went, which would still show the troops that there is a supporting public back home.Or how about using the e-bluey system for christmas cards to "A soldier/ airman/ sailor" as we print those off in theatre so they're not actually carried anywhere.

Completely agree that mail from one's family should get priority but in an age when people in theatre question whether or not they're valued by 'the man on the street' it seems a shame to turn off a public demonstration of support with only a glib alternative offered in return.

[Early Stack]

Am I to believe it is only 'un-named' service post that will not be forward on? With x-ref to the data loss threads on here, are there any un-named service personel left, given that ALL our details are floating about out there on random flash discs and hard drives! Maybe its Santa thats taken them!

[plans123]

I take it this has nothing to do with the civilianisation of BFPO at Northolt last year and the reduced throughput of mail, since it happened.