If the Times is to be believed, the light at the end of the tunnel perceived to be in the form of David Cameron might be an onrushing train - a £28 billion increase in NHS spending commitment for the next Tory govt is on the way, according to the shadow health bod, and guess where some of the money would come from?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle3449050.ece

after having been away for a few days (actually away not flouncing off away) have returned to find only 47 signatures on the petition. admittedly i could not get as much done as i wished before i left, therefore i will now do the official spreading the word, but i do wish to know whether this really is something that is going to fizzle out and amount to nothing. no one has asked me to do this, i have been aware and understood the constraints placed on you all but i want to know do you support or want this to happen? like i said in my last post, or should i say hissy fit (which in hindsight was a bit prissy, i apologise!) i do not want to offend you guys, i want to help. these cuts affect you. not me, it's too late for me and mine, but not you and yours.

i'll remind you of petition thread thingy www.PetitionOnline.com/bobsis1/petition.html
please sign.

Hi Chappie, welcome back to the fray! As regards your petition it might be getting some competition from these 11 Downing Street ones that an arbitrary "Support Armed Forces" search produced.
http://search.petitions.pm.gov.uk/kbroker/number10/petitions/search.lsim?ha=1157&sc=number10&qt=Support+Armed+Forces
At least one of them got a 'bite', witness this thread:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=315845
In summary the pressure is on, albeit from many quarters. Whereas the only foe that the Armed Forces should really fear is the MOD; this government, including the MOD, really only fears public opinion and its electoral effects. As long as the British Public were ignorant of Cornet Wales whereabouts they were relaxed. As soon as we were privy to that information known to Terry and the rest of the world he is out of there. Don't relent, keep up the good work and they will relent, not because it is the right thing, they don't do that, but because it is the expedient thing! :ok:

thanks for the heads up. i did originally do the no10 thing but it stated that there were others. my point that i made a while back about the signtures counting not the source or where the petition came from seems ro be confirmed in my mind. when i decided to initiate the petition calling for ESF on hercs i utulised the service of petiton online service and was just shy of 3000 signatures. i have looked at the other petitions that were on the no10 web and the number of signatures to each of these petition areas are appalling, apart from the better healthcare one. i am glad to see such support for the aforementioned petition but i do think it's a travesty that there are barely a handful of signatures to the petitions on the site.

the offer of organising this still stands and liasons or should i say liasing is taking place. this is a serious proposition. it is not right that you guys suffer. if we accept the cuts and mis treatment of armed forces then it will be a matter of time that's all before you lose someone you know, and ask yourself this how would you feel should that happen and you learn that it could have been avoided?

sign the petition. show support for yourself and your colleagues. we can do this.

Chappie

[Banter On]

There is this little button on your keyboard...

http://grownupgeek.com/capslock.jpg

...have you ever thought about using it???

[Banter Off]

sorry i couldn't resist

lj

PS Last sentence translated in "Chappie" type face. ;)

Caps Lock Is Only Appropriate When You're Shouting!

Aaaaaargh!

Goodness. I actually posted that in all caps, and it's titleised it! How odd...

What if you only have one arm or you are a one-finger typist? Have you been EO trained my friend :E

LJ

OK, OK for including everyone...

You can also use this key for the able-bodied amongst us...

http://images.jupiterimages.com/comm...6/22421658.jpg

LJ :ok:

So what, if anything, was decided by the DMB re the latest planning round?

Dont think its resits until tomorrow or thursday, then to ministers so no news for a wee while i assume.

That last pic appears to be from an Apple keyboard, LJ.

All is forgiven.

Apple keyboard? Try option 3, ££££££££, works for me!

Petition signed and at 67 now. Thanks for all your hard work, (sorry forgot to check who set it all up, my bad):D

Considering I am a "merc" and have the probability of having to give up my original citizenship up to carrying on fighting for this country, I think I have a right to march if I think the train set is broken. On the plus I am single so I say damn the bloody QRs, something needs to be done.

If the march is organised then I will be there in uniform, civies or naked, I don't care. Ol Brown wants us to wonder round in uniform to drum up support for the services, well lets see what an impact it makes if a while lot of uniforms all of a sudden rock up outside no 10. It will help if we can get some senior ranks there in uniforms, like 1 star above. That way it will prove to the rest of us lesser mortals that we are not foresaken and that some of our leadership are still willing to fight for the men under their command.

In the reg (paras not raf) there is an organisation called the TLF(Toms Liberation Front). This forms only when the privates have exhausted all other means for their complaints to be heard. I have only seen it happen once. Once it did, by god did things turn around quickly. It made all NCOs, and officers up to the CO sit up and take notice and amend the problem within a week. Thats what happens when a group of soldiers stick together. Since it is a group of numerous people, no legal action is taken and everything is kept on the quiet. Less the CO or any other officers decide to become suicidal about their careers, which is not really going to happen. So if a large amount of uniforms march on No10, what will they do? Nothing.

Rant over, box burnt and I need to drown my sorrows! :*

LJ,

IS THIS OKAY?! FEEL LIKE I AM SHOUTING WHEN I WRITE IN CAPITALS, OR DOES THAT ONLY COME ACROSS WHEN IN BOLD OR ITALICS?
MY LACK OF CAPS LOCK USAGE IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE, I AGREE, BUT I NORMALLY HAVE A BABY HANGING OFF ME WHILE I AM TRYING TO GET ON THE COMPUTER SO I SIMPLY TRY TO GET MY POINT ACROSS IN THE QUICKEST WAY POSSIBLE!!

i will of course make the effort when and where i can, just for you. it's important to have all on side. fnar, fnar!:}

This march is not a pipe dream, it is a reality and is necessary. No uniform though. This is not meant in an anti war or political way. I just want your voices to be heard.

Have any dates yet been proposed for this march?

it is being thought that possibly late july or early august.

i shall liase later today and come back with the plan.

i need you all to spread the word.....and if you wish, to sign the petition.
i will not sit back and let you suffer the effects of a broken covenenant and ineffective equipment supplies.

http://www.britishbattles.com/great-...erous-acre.jpg

Tigs2,

I completely agree with you, as Dan so very effectively put it,

The picture above, whilst being tragic, I feel effectively illustrates the sacrifice made by servicemen and women to make this country free, something which our current powers that be have no concept of and the fact that they are now being betrayed by this current government is a national disgrace.

We are very lucky indeed to have people who are prepared to do what they do and are full of the values of self-sacrifice, selflessness and decency, despite the way that they are treated.