Forces mail to the 'stan
 

Apologies for being think and unable to post a linky but I have just read on the left-wing communist broadcasting brigade ( I was waiting for the F1) that the head of MOD has asked the public to stop sending unsolicited (sp) mail to the troops.......

All aboard the outrage bus, I'm driving.

I cannot believe how truly ****e and useless this country is getting. we can't even arrange to get the post out to theatre correctly.

i would be grateful if someone more t'interweb savvy could hit up the linky and let me know how one does a petition or summat.

No Mail!!!!!!!

Another civil servant doing his job of interfering with morale, and doing it very well.

:ugh:

Ah, but if we stop sending mail we can save on AT and charters etc.

Perhaps he remembers all those cakes which arrived at Riyadh over Christmas 1990? Thousands of them!

More likely not, on reflection.

In GW1 I got a retired Derbyshire Postmistress as a Pen Pal, and although she was charming, sophisticated and a joy to correspond with, I couldn't help but be slightly envious of the young servicemen who were getting these absolutely steaming pornograms from some very public spirited (and hot) young ladies. Fantastic for moral (especially the pics) and so typical of some MoD weasel to miss the entire raison d'etre of the unsolicited mail runs. If it's clogging the system, fix the system you moron!

The report I saw was about shoe-boxes of goodies being sent to "A soldier" in Afg. They are happy with boxes to a named individual, but apparantly the system is getting swamped with these un-named boxes, and holding up the personally addressed stuff.

They asked for donations to Service charities who are providing goodies in theatre - is this true?

Oddly, I was just thinking of starting sending unsolicited packages myself.
Are there any clever ways to do this, and what do any serving chaps/ladies here, think of my idea of 'clogging' up the mail system?

Whilst I applaud the great British public for their support of our forces in theatre, I feel a compromise could be made. Op Theatre mail takes a high priority in the system, quite rightly; however by 'clogging up ' the system with unsolicited mail they are stopping other 'vital' re-supplies from reaching the boys daily. Why not send these parcels to their local military base and let the unit concerned 'bid' for space on the frequent freighter AT runs. The people in theatre will still get their goody parcels but also receive much needed equipments and family mail. Just a thought!

Met my missus via 'Write to a brave Tommy serving oversea's', I was'nt brave and I was getting p'ed down at MPA. Pity they could'nt have stop it then( don't mean it, after 2 kids and 17 years !!)

They must be able to get mail out there some how.
I'd better stop writing to 'Lofty' in the Para's, mate write to you wife now, she'll understand bout the cross dressing by now !!

It is, more or less, understood what regiments are in theatre. How could it/would it work if parcels were sent to the QM of these regiments for 'distribution' by lots to the guys or any other form of dishing out?

Yes? No?

I am told that personal parcels that took a week, depending on whether they hit the top of the pile, are now taking up to 3 weeks.

Perhaps all annonymous parcels could be sent on a space available basis after personal mail.

Why do you lot suddenly think it is big and clever to try and overload the supply chain into a operational theatre? Are you thinking that with enough shoe boxes filled with tat and sweets we can overthrow the government and suddenly get a shiny new fleet of AT dedicated to BFPO?

I see the air bridge stats on a weekly basis and be assured that there are large figures of mail bags going out there. The public got all 'goody box happy' about 18 months ago and it seems like it is rounding the buoy for another time.

Regardless of what we all think - we have a finite air bridge into theatre. We have troops on the ground who need the high priority freight quickly - so it is sent by air. We all want more AT - but we've not got it.

Mr Hinecap.
I have no idea of how much mail travels out from the UK, but also know it is not relevant here.

The fact is we do not have a finite air bridge, as it could be altered. No one I have spoken to says it cannot be done, ergo it CAN be done.
Whether it will be done is a totally different manner, which was re enforced by the thread on how it took U.S. help to save a British soldiers life, as we could not do it (an equipment issue NOT personnel).

No matter how much mail is being sent out, it must be tiny compared to what was planned for in the event of the (now old fashioned idea of) cold war kicking off in Europe, with a magnitude more troops to deliver to (and a reserve force set up ready to deal with it).

I also note you refer to 'tat', which from memory of my own service, seems to indicate you may be RAF. Maybe things have changed, but it was always the case that the RAF were much more easily supplied, than forward army units, who traditionally welcomed the items you refer to as tat.

I think I know the point you are coming from, as one of being resigned to lack of aircraft, and resources, but then I also know that when it suited them, the government instantly found 28 billion to sort out the banks, with previously non existent money. Just imagine the AT (and mail system) the MOD could have if the government decided the British forces were worth bothering with in any way.:ugh:

Sorry, but there are quite a few of the genpub who do actually support the UK Armed Forces serving in the desert $hitholes to which they've been sent by this appalling excuse for a government.

If some schoolkids get involved in an 'adopt a squaddie' idea - and want to send out some toothpaste, razor blades and tinned sweets to 'An unknown soldier', then 'the system' should damn well offer facilitation and thanks, not just bleat that they don't have the space to send such gifts out to theatre.

How very rude and ungrateful. I hope no-one involved with charitable efforts reads such an unpleasant comment.

To quote Miss PN, it matters not what is in the box but every day is like a min-Christmas with lots of little goodies, or tat if you will.

May be some savoury biscuits, roll of peppermint, a battenburg cake, a few little packs of biscuits, soft moist toiletry tissues, surafce wipes, emery board, shower gel.

Most can probably be bought on camp but it is different getting it from home.

Weekend newspapers are pounced upon by all and sundry and read until the ultimate recycle.

To digress.

The First Prize in 'tat' went to my oppo in the FI, Christmas 1982.

Picture the scene. The ISO decked out with old newspaper converted into Christmas Decorations. The Christmas Tree (a copy,or three), of an old UK broadsheet suitably transformed by the Det origami expert. Summer condensation running down the sides of the 5*, Michelin approved ISO we lived in.

Oh, the 'tat' my oppo received was from his Mother in Law? A £20 Woolworths Voucher. Oh, how we laughed!!! But. by God, it made that Christmas memorable.

By the way, what ever happened to this outfit who promised delivery of items

Welcome to Royal Mail Group

I have always found the boxes full of "tat" a great morale boost when in my little hole in the sand, be it from my family or a member of the public. It's amazing what HP Sauce, sweets, shower gel etc can do to make life a little more pleasant (Point of note - Chocolate is a bad idea in summer - you end up opening a congealed mess)

Oh dear, I mentioned the word morale didn't I........................

Unless you're a remf, in which case open the box carefully being careful not to disturb the shape of the chocs, place in fridge for 24 hrs.

:)

We have also tried sending a few other perishables just to try - battenburg cake - that made it. Fruit loaf, no problem.

If sending liquids DO make sure they won't leak. Apart from your soggy parcel so other poor sap may well get some of your shower gel too, all over a knitted balaclava or some such.:}

Last year SSAFA Oxfordshire sent shoe boxes to one of the local regiments. These had been filled with help from the rear party, and transported with friendly assistance by Brize. In due course the regiment returned to base, paraded through the local town, and went on well earned leave. Discreet enquiries established that the reason for no "thanks" was because the boxes had never reached the intended recipients and were still in a storage facility in theatre. They were then re-allocated to another unit who presumably enjoyed them.