One that didn't get away....from Cranwell
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One that didn't get away....from Cranwell
Staff sergeant stole £11,000 from bar at RAF Cranwell | This is Lincolnshire
Mr Dawson was sent to a Military Corrective Training Centre in Colchester, reduced to the ranks and dismissed from the service.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Staff Sergeant Mal Dawson, who served with the Military Provost Guard Service, was found guilty of theft at a court martial at Catterick.
"He was sentenced to 18 months detention at the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester, reduced to the ranks and dismissed from the service.
"The money he stole was from a bar on camp called the Cooler Club."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "Staff Sergeant Mal Dawson, who served with the Military Provost Guard Service, was found guilty of theft at a court martial at Catterick.
"He was sentenced to 18 months detention at the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester, reduced to the ranks and dismissed from the service.
"The money he stole was from a bar on camp called the Cooler Club."
MPGS hardly makes him a scuffer. Barrier Tech would be a closer analogy. Seems this activity has been a long-term affair, which makes you wonder who had SFA-oversight responsibilities.
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I am fairly certain I have met this individual. If so, there is a background story of a disfunctional lifestyle triggered by life changing events. People respond to such things in many ways and some conclude with self-destruction. Not mentioned as an excuse but it could happen to the best and one wonders if Colchester will be an effective 'rehab'. There will be questions that need answering regarding his welfare supervision as anyone who can sink a bottle of Bacardi Gold a day; everyday, is in need of welfare supervision. At least it is not a story of suicide.
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I am fairly certain I have met this individual. If so, there is a background story of a disfunctional lifestyle triggered by life changing events. People respond to such things in many ways and some conclude with self-destruction. Not mentioned as an excuse but it could happen to the best and one wonders if Colchester will be an effective 'rehab'. There will be questions that need answering regarding his welfare supervision as anyone who can sink a bottle of Bacardi Gold a day; everyday, is in need of welfare supervision. At least it is not a story of suicide.
I may be a thieving toe-rag but you could make me seem almost misunderstood and lovable.
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I have checked with the mate who did the introduction; ironically in a bar, and I have indeed met the man. It is easy to take the pee over my stance, but unlike the Movers who collectively schemed to defraud/steal and I dare say many other similar cases, there is background to this one. He has been found guilty and he deserves his punishment, and if I was a betting man, he will be selling the Big Issue in 18 months time. The taxpayer will keep him alive and over the rest of his life the sum will probably exceed that which has been stolen. Could it have been nipped in the bud before it got this far? That is the question that needs a robust answer.
Had a similar case at a certain former flying station near Huntingdon in 1990 - a SNCO who allegedly made away with footie club funds - fotunately discovered in my first week as OC Blunties Wg, not my last. Investigation not RAFP's finest hour, and prime suspect left on med gounds nearly 3 years later, to coincide with my departure on redundancy. All came to light because (having been on the Command Accounts team, and also three quarters of the way through Chartered Management Accountants course) I asked a stupid technical question on VAT. Interesting conversation with my new Stn Cdr (RIP Reg) on my first day as an acting paid wg cdr.
There was a cracker at Hendon many years ago (late 80s) - Mess Manager in the Sgts' Mess had immaculate account books, and everything was as it should be, until one thought about the meaning of what was there - for example, the sum written off to "drayman's drinks" (those were the days) represented so much alcohol that the driver would never have made it into the cab, let alone out of the gate. MM did get CM'd and put away as I recall.
There was a cracker at Hendon many years ago (late 80s) - Mess Manager in the Sgts' Mess had immaculate account books, and everything was as it should be, until one thought about the meaning of what was there - for example, the sum written off to "drayman's drinks" (those were the days) represented so much alcohol that the driver would never have made it into the cab, let alone out of the gate. MM did get CM'd and put away as I recall.
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Pro rata, the amount of ex Forces people compared to civvies, who use homeless shelters in Lincs and Peterborough or who sofa surf and who have not had personal failings addressed (for lots of reasons) is frightening. And they are not just stereotypical alcoholic ORs.
This guy will have his ('75 I imagine) pension affected (apart from his GMP) and that will impact on his dependents. He might also become a burden on the state and whilst I am not excusing him (I am not a hemp underpant wearing, latte sipping bedwetter), this may punish and create an example of him but it may well also create hardship to those who are not deserving of it, and just increase and shift liability elsewhere.
Like I said, I'm not excusing or justifying doing nothing.. just consider doing some things differently.
This guy will have his ('75 I imagine) pension affected (apart from his GMP) and that will impact on his dependents. He might also become a burden on the state and whilst I am not excusing him (I am not a hemp underpant wearing, latte sipping bedwetter), this may punish and create an example of him but it may well also create hardship to those who are not deserving of it, and just increase and shift liability elsewhere.
Like I said, I'm not excusing or justifying doing nothing.. just consider doing some things differently.
Avoid imitations
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The RAF has some more history on a similar theme.
In the early 1980s at Gutersloh an RAFP NCO was convicted of "liberating" a sub imprest from a pilot's locker in the main hangar in the middle of the night (no excuses for it being there). Most worryingly, it was hidden in a pile of used underwear.. Why the hell would he be looking there..?
Also, Odiham's OC Catering went AWOL in the mid 80's. He was found living rough on Salisbury Plain, IIRC. He'd supposedly lost his memory, poor chap (along with a whole bunch of mess funds).
In the early 1980s at Gutersloh an RAFP NCO was convicted of "liberating" a sub imprest from a pilot's locker in the main hangar in the middle of the night (no excuses for it being there). Most worryingly, it was hidden in a pile of used underwear.. Why the hell would he be looking there..?
Also, Odiham's OC Catering went AWOL in the mid 80's. He was found living rough on Salisbury Plain, IIRC. He'd supposedly lost his memory, poor chap (along with a whole bunch of mess funds).
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Booze = Fraud
No matter how tightly you screw the system down there will always be a way around it. I've lost count of the number of swindles in Malcolm Club bars, Officers' Mess bars, SNCOs' bars, Sporting Club bars and NAAFI bars that I've had to unearth during my time in the Service.
One of the best was at Wittering where booze was being privately purchased and then sold at Club prices over the bar. Totally screwed up the accounts, on occasion but not consistently, and it was ages before we worked out how.
Has stood me in good stead in civvy life where similar ruses have been attempted.
No matter how tightly you screw the system down there will always be a way around it. I've lost count of the number of swindles in Malcolm Club bars, Officers' Mess bars, SNCOs' bars, Sporting Club bars and NAAFI bars that I've had to unearth during my time in the Service.
One of the best was at Wittering where booze was being privately purchased and then sold at Club prices over the bar. Totally screwed up the accounts, on occasion but not consistently, and it was ages before we worked out how.
Has stood me in good stead in civvy life where similar ruses have been attempted.
AL R -
The headline issue about homeless ex-service personnel appears to be the pro rata percentage. However, drilling down through the statistics show that a significant number of them spent only a short time in the services - mainly Army - before proving to be unsuitable for a life in the Services, by being unfit for training, demonstrating poor discipline, VW during basic training, and so on. As discussed on this forum in the past, it is easy to categorise ex-Service personnel - but there are no equivalent labels for ex-bus drivers, ex teacher etc.
Clearly there are otherwise 'good' people who have had careers in the Services who do fall thorough the cracks - generally it seems through addition (primarily alcohol) or relationship breakups.
PTSD, previously regarded as evident with only a small percentage of homeless service personnel, is likely to rise in during the coming decades as a result of our involvment in Iraq and Afghanistan. Combat Stress notes that SP and ex SP who present PTSD symptons are typically in their 40s and the incident(s) that brought on acute or chronic PTSD was typically 10-15 years beforehand.
The headline issue about homeless ex-service personnel appears to be the pro rata percentage. However, drilling down through the statistics show that a significant number of them spent only a short time in the services - mainly Army - before proving to be unsuitable for a life in the Services, by being unfit for training, demonstrating poor discipline, VW during basic training, and so on. As discussed on this forum in the past, it is easy to categorise ex-Service personnel - but there are no equivalent labels for ex-bus drivers, ex teacher etc.
Clearly there are otherwise 'good' people who have had careers in the Services who do fall thorough the cracks - generally it seems through addition (primarily alcohol) or relationship breakups.
PTSD, previously regarded as evident with only a small percentage of homeless service personnel, is likely to rise in during the coming decades as a result of our involvment in Iraq and Afghanistan. Combat Stress notes that SP and ex SP who present PTSD symptons are typically in their 40s and the incident(s) that brought on acute or chronic PTSD was typically 10-15 years beforehand.
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A months duty, running the Sgt's Mess Bar at Akrotiri, was much sought after by some SNCO'S. When I was there in the early '60's a singly SNCO reckoned that he'd made enough to purchase a new car, after a stint in the Mess. On a Mess function night you had to be on your toes to ensure you got the right change. Of course as the night wore on this became rather more difficult!
Change for a tenner instead of the 20 offered was a common practice.
Change for a tenner instead of the 20 offered was a common practice.
The point about pensions got me thinking as there are many instances of people serving in other 'public services', retiring before they are prosecuted, thereby protecting their pensions. 'Retired due to ill health' is often quoted.
