Olympic call up's
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"More effort is spent presenting the mission than executing the mission."
I like that one
. Reminds me of
"Paralysis by analysis".
I like that one
. Reminds me of"Paralysis by analysis".
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"More effort is spent presenting the mission than executing the mission."
Yup - chaos at Heathrow caused by lack of immigration staff.
Answer - draft in more police to intimidate travellers into keeping quiet instead of opening more desks!
Yup - chaos at Heathrow caused by lack of immigration staff.
Answer - draft in more police to intimidate travellers into keeping quiet instead of opening more desks!
Troops should refuse in advance. If threatened, they should make it known that the thought of being done over is already making them feel ill. They will get away with it! 3000 courts martial of heroes with sick chits? Don't think so.
CG
And breathe ......
CG
And breathe ......
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Typical, Typical, Typical.
To all the boys and girls who are going to get f**ked over, YET AGAIN, by the incompetance and sheer negligence of others, you have my total sympathy.
Why is it that when the chips are down in this country, we can, and very often DO rely completely on our Armed Forces? and yet, when the tables are turned slightly and the shoe is on the other foot, our Armed Forces are regarded as little more than 'Pond Life' by those at the top.
I am furious at this latest fiasco, and I only hope that at the end of it, all the bonuses that were going to G4S or whoever it was, will go into the pockets of those who are doing 'the extra bit' for this country yet again.
Just like london Transport bus drivers, underground and whoever else that are getting huge bonuses for simply doing their job, lets ensure that the boys and girls get rewarded with some quality time OFF, and a nice cash bonus, TAX FREE and free of all the usual trappings that the MOD, Whitehall and the other CSs go out of their way to claw back.
London 2012? bit of a joke frankly IMHO
To all the boys and girls who are going to get f**ked over, YET AGAIN, by the incompetance and sheer negligence of others, you have my total sympathy.
Why is it that when the chips are down in this country, we can, and very often DO rely completely on our Armed Forces? and yet, when the tables are turned slightly and the shoe is on the other foot, our Armed Forces are regarded as little more than 'Pond Life' by those at the top.
I am furious at this latest fiasco, and I only hope that at the end of it, all the bonuses that were going to G4S or whoever it was, will go into the pockets of those who are doing 'the extra bit' for this country yet again.
Just like london Transport bus drivers, underground and whoever else that are getting huge bonuses for simply doing their job, lets ensure that the boys and girls get rewarded with some quality time OFF, and a nice cash bonus, TAX FREE and free of all the usual trappings that the MOD, Whitehall and the other CSs go out of their way to claw back.
London 2012? bit of a joke frankly IMHO
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Spot on Winco.
Makes me so glad that I left five years ago, but I feel real sympathy for all the people still in who will get shafted to fix this cock up. I also have very little faith in the service and MoD chiefs doing anything to make this more palatable though.
S-D
Makes me so glad that I left five years ago, but I feel real sympathy for all the people still in who will get shafted to fix this cock up. I also have very little faith in the service and MoD chiefs doing anything to make this more palatable though.
S-D
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Following on from my little rant above, I have heard from a friend this morning that the boys and girls on the Typhoon Sqn(s) covering the games at Northolt are NOT ONLY living in bloody tents on base but, just to really pi$$ them all off just a little bit more, are being confined to base during their 12hr 'OFF' period!
WTF is going on here?
Doesn't the RAF hierarchy trust these people any more or what?
Are they so irresponsible that they need to be confined to base? (and Northolt of all places to be confined too)
Like I said, when it suits them, the Armed Forces are little more than pond life to those at the top. Slightly surprised that Sir Stephen hasn't the punch, clout, nouse, whatever to stamp on this. he might be furious but I suspect he will role over and take it.
Good luck to all those in tents. I really can't believe it, but I can see the headlines when it gets out .............
FRONT LINE RAF SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN PROTECTING THE UK DURING LONDON 2012, LIVING IN TENTS IN THE CENTRE OF LONDON.
God, I hope it stops raining by then!
WTF is going on here?
Doesn't the RAF hierarchy trust these people any more or what?
Are they so irresponsible that they need to be confined to base? (and Northolt of all places to be confined too)
Like I said, when it suits them, the Armed Forces are little more than pond life to those at the top. Slightly surprised that Sir Stephen hasn't the punch, clout, nouse, whatever to stamp on this. he might be furious but I suspect he will role over and take it.
Good luck to all those in tents. I really can't believe it, but I can see the headlines when it gets out .............
FRONT LINE RAF SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN PROTECTING THE UK DURING LONDON 2012, LIVING IN TENTS IN THE CENTRE OF LONDON.
God, I hope it stops raining by then!
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Winco, I would dearly love to be proved wrong, but I really don't think the services hierarchy give a shiny ****e for the standard of accommodation, food and other living conditions that those drafted in to sort out this cock up will have to endure. They never have, and they never will. We shouldn't expect anything different.
S-D
S-D
Red On, Green On
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S-D - I can think of quite a few VSOs and SOs who would give a lot more than a give a shiny ****e, but sadly they are retired or now gracing the great OM in the sky.
Are you suggesting that today's crop of leaders don't have the cahunas to make a fuss, or do they just not care about the conditions faced by their troops?
Are you suggesting that today's crop of leaders don't have the cahunas to make a fuss, or do they just not care about the conditions faced by their troops?
Was this particular debacle predicted in the excellent BBC series Twenty Twelve I wonder? - I havent seen the full series yet
Hopefully - this info will be picked up by the press PDQ....
Whistle-blowing anyone?
Whistle-blowing anyone?
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Service chiefs are furious. Well, I hope I am wrong about this, but I suspect that this will translate to Bu99er all being done by them.
Most of them do not want to rock the boat. They will, of course, write a book about all the injustice and misuse of the troops as soon as they leave the service but do nothing about it when they have the chance.
Service Chiefs show some backbone and do something worthwhile and at least get them a good deal and treat them with the respect they deserve.
Makes my blood boil. I am now off for a lie down.
Most of them do not want to rock the boat. They will, of course, write a book about all the injustice and misuse of the troops as soon as they leave the service but do nothing about it when they have the chance.
Service Chiefs show some backbone and do something worthwhile and at least get them a good deal and treat them with the respect they deserve.
Makes my blood boil. I am now off for a lie down.
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Olympic security soldiers could be forced to sleep in school halls - Telegraph
Speaking following an urgent question in the House of Commons Mrs May said: "There remains no specific secuirty threat to the games and the threat level remains unchanged. There is no question of Olympic security being compromised.
"Our troops are highly skilled, highly trained and this task is the most important facing our nation today."
Speaking following an urgent question in the House of Commons Mrs May said: "There remains no specific secuirty threat to the games and the threat level remains unchanged. There is no question of Olympic security being compromised.
"Our troops are highly skilled, highly trained and this task is the most important facing our nation today."
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They will, of course, write a book about all the injustice and misuse of the troops as soon as they leave the service but do nothing about it when they have the chance.
They will not of course write a book as soon as they retire, they will write a book as soon as the writing on the wall is clear. Once they can see that no more honours are coming their way, then they are freed from the shackles of selfishness and can promote whatever bollocks seems likely to get then on tv (for a fee) or a few well paid newspaper inches each week.
What we need is some way for a vso to accept that he's not going to be anything else, and he can tell tales. I suspect that most of them will tell you that they need to cling on to power and keep climbing (which can't be done if you make waves) in order to reach a dizzy height in order to be taken seriously when they highlight the injustice done to the troops.
Anyone who gets caught misbehaving, and therefore has no prospect of a peerage, will be dismissed as being the bearer of sour grapes if he or she speaks out against the MOD.
The ever present carrot of rewards in the political afterlife, mixed with greed, ensure that however brave our leaders may be in combat, they can be bought off in administration.
Group 4 Security are making a right old balls of this.
I have a friend, a retired Sqn Ldr, who successfully went through selection to be a "Control Room" officer during both Olympics. That was 6 months ago and he was meant to undergo 3 weeks initial training in March. He finally heard from G4S yesterday, with a contract offer which he must return within 2 weeks. (You see where this is going?) In the small print, the pay is only ONE THIRD of that agreed and no mention of accommodation, which G4S had originally agreed to provide. (Who can afford to pay lodgings in London on minimum wage?) He can't get through to them to find out WTF is going on. It is a shambles.
So, it is disingenuous of the Government to claim they didn't know G4S were months behind schedule. It has been blindingly obvious for many months, and G4S even admitted it on their website. Equally obvious is the fallback plan (even more Servicemen) would have to be implemented.
I have a friend, a retired Sqn Ldr, who successfully went through selection to be a "Control Room" officer during both Olympics. That was 6 months ago and he was meant to undergo 3 weeks initial training in March. He finally heard from G4S yesterday, with a contract offer which he must return within 2 weeks. (You see where this is going?) In the small print, the pay is only ONE THIRD of that agreed and no mention of accommodation, which G4S had originally agreed to provide. (Who can afford to pay lodgings in London on minimum wage?) He can't get through to them to find out WTF is going on. It is a shambles.
So, it is disingenuous of the Government to claim they didn't know G4S were months behind schedule. It has been blindingly obvious for many months, and G4S even admitted it on their website. Equally obvious is the fallback plan (even more Servicemen) would have to be implemented.
Avoid imitations
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"Our troops are highly skilled, highly trained and this task is the most important facing our nation today."
"highly motivated".
I note the minister forgot this part.
"Highly pi$$ed off" might have been more truthful.
Who could blame them?
The shambles that 2012 promises to be will at least be restricted to 2012, though granted the "legacy" shambles will be with us for far longer. In contrast the shambles that is the leadership of the Armed Forces, and in particular that of the Royal Air Force, seems to be a vital ingredient in their demise .
The RAF was of course designed from the outset as a bureaucracy outside of its station gates, but at least in the past that top half of the pyramid could have been said to have had the interests of the bottom half in the forefront of its mind. That appears to be no longer the case and vital parts of the delicate mechanism that makes the Services tick have become badly broken, despite them being continually at war for a longer period than ever before.
Unless and until the culture of "me first" is expunged from the High Command and replaced with a real sense of duty and personal commitment to the welfare of those who serve below them, then the Services will be nothing other than dogs bodies of politicians, whether it be for pet wars or pet circuses.
The wrong people consistently make it up the greasy pole, no doubt assisted by the wrong people already ahead of them. That has to change. The Services are now the only major reliable public bodies left in the country, but that reliability is being tested to destruction. Reform must start at the very top if we wish to avoid Armageddon.
The RAF was of course designed from the outset as a bureaucracy outside of its station gates, but at least in the past that top half of the pyramid could have been said to have had the interests of the bottom half in the forefront of its mind. That appears to be no longer the case and vital parts of the delicate mechanism that makes the Services tick have become badly broken, despite them being continually at war for a longer period than ever before.
Unless and until the culture of "me first" is expunged from the High Command and replaced with a real sense of duty and personal commitment to the welfare of those who serve below them, then the Services will be nothing other than dogs bodies of politicians, whether it be for pet wars or pet circuses.
The wrong people consistently make it up the greasy pole, no doubt assisted by the wrong people already ahead of them. That has to change. The Services are now the only major reliable public bodies left in the country, but that reliability is being tested to destruction. Reform must start at the very top if we wish to avoid Armageddon.
Last edited by Chugalug2; 12th Jul 2012 at 12:13.
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My solution to security would be that 1 in 10 seats at every olympic event, 1 in 5 for the high-profile events, should be allocated to a member of H.M. Forces, or those who have left within the last 10 years.
Naturally all their family members will also need to be there in the audience.
Given the security concerns over the female beach volleyball venue, I would suggest that 50% of the crowd should be mil or recently ex-mil. Possibly only blokes and good-looking lesbians though.
Just so I can't be accused of being 'non-pc', those who are 'confirmed bachelors' can watch the Graeco-Roman wrestling.
Naturally all their family members will also need to be there in the audience.
Given the security concerns over the female beach volleyball venue, I would suggest that 50% of the crowd should be mil or recently ex-mil. Possibly only blokes and good-looking lesbians though.
Just so I can't be accused of being 'non-pc', those who are 'confirmed bachelors' can watch the Graeco-Roman wrestling.
Last edited by Willard Whyte; 12th Jul 2012 at 12:17.