Veterans ID card
 

Its a sad fact......we will all end up wearing the rosy specs, spinning war stories and embellishing them profusely whilst criticising the new young blades doing the do in a different way than we did.

Saw this petition via another source and thought it worth putting to the Pprune massif for their thoughts on supporting it.

Identity cards for Military Veterans - e-petitions

Still remember waiting in a queue and watching local civvy workers for a large firm getting a discount, spotty stude bringing out his NUS card and getting likewise and me being refused with a serving Military ID card! Even more difficult for the ex-mil community. Every little helps!

GF

Agreed. Petition signed. Something else I saw while in the States recently. Our hosts were members of the National Association for Retired Persons, which gave them access to all sorts of discounts at hotels etc. Big groups have clout: maybe we need something like that here.

It is not so much the possession of an affiliation card that is needed but the recognition of such a card.

A veterans badge is as good a symbol as anything but it there are no concessions on offer then it confers no benefit.

Now in New Orleans at the cruise terminal I asked if a stall holder would give a veteran's discount - I had no card or badge. He immediately offered 10% then said no, make it 15%.

On concessions though, a local proper sports shop offers 10% on production of a mil ID and our local dry cleaners also offers 10% - I don't think either offers and veteran's discount however.

PS

I have an official Service Personnel and Veterans Agency ID Card which states that I am a War Pensioner. Now there may be other war pensioners without such a card, ring the agency on 0800 169 2277 or 01253 866043. You may need to be a war pensioner but no harm in asking.

Try these ....

RAFA Retired Service Card

British Veterans Recognition Card

Neither of these are 'official' and both cost you money. The second one seems to have discounts negotiated with certain companies.

If you want a proper ID card you could always join the Reserves!

e-Petition Closes Quite Soon
 

Ends 311553AAUG12. Need to get a wiggle on and spread the word. Only 2556 signatures at last look.

Of course we all know that in the US, there are discounts everywhere for serving & retired service folks. However I would say that over here it is more commonplace for servicemen to recive various store discounts, I live in a very high contration of the green side of the mil and most stores & cinema do some kind of mil discount. I even went into Nandos recently and received 20%.

I can only imagine that a retired mil card would also attract a similar, benefit. I will be signing!:ok:

Nandos...................................;)

Whatever happened to the Forces Discount Brochure.

Service Discount
 

Austin Reed at their discount warehouse in Thirsk give a large further discount on production of a service ID

They also go out of their way to offer the benefit. A young friend of mine had her 1250 in her purse the assistant spotted it and without any resquest made the discount

Remember the name ......Austin Reed.....

I should say at the outset that I don't hanker after the past and retirement really is wonderful. I experienced the massive support for veterans in the US during two tours over there. The experience in the UK is poles apart. It really is the case that veterans are actively persuaded to avoid their former "stomping grounds".

I wish it wasn't the case but I still rely on just one aspect of former service life. At every turn, the Service puts obstacles in the way, most of which a F1250 will fix. It's now at the point where I'm looking for a civilian alternative.

Unlike the US where access to the BX and health facilities is valuable, a veterans ID card at least would confer a recognition of service and essential access.

To what end? What do you call essential access?

My Veterans Card does give me essential access as a War Pensioner to NHS facilities directly associated with my war pension. Mind you no one asks what these were nor have I noticed any benefit from this. Put another way, those that can give me preferential treatment seemingly as unaware of my rights.

To me, the biggest issue is to ensure that veterans suffering health problems get the treatment that they need! I'm particularly thinking about those that suffer mental health problems years after they have left the Armed Forces, but as a direct result of their service.

One of the main obstacles that often stands in the way of veterans quickly getting help is that they have little evidence to prove that they were ever in the forces. So in my view, issuing a veterans' ID card is an essential part of a Military Covenant. That fact was recognised several years ago.

MoD Announcement on the issue of Veteran's ID Cards - April 2009

Veterans win fight for 'smart ID cards' - 30 Mar 2009

I have to be honest, and I can see that I'm in a minority (even a lone voice so far), but I'm not a supporter of a blanket veteran ID card. Unfortunately, I find that some people will inevitably expect it to give them privileges that they are simply not entitled to any more.
I remember when the RAFA "proof of service" cards came in about 15 years back, we had one gentleman produce one at Wyton and he (quite angrily) stated that it should entitle him to visit any RAF station he liked, unescorted, purely on the strength that he used to be in the mob, and that he wanted to look around. We did get a few of those annoyed RAFA card holders that mistakenly thought they'd been issued with a kind of new civvy "1250".

Personally speaking, I left recently after 22 years and now earn a good living in aviation working for a civil company. I don't expect any further access to any RAF station based on past service. I expect that if I have to visit on business, I will be escorted. I'm not interested in a veteran ID card because I don't work for the RAF any more...

Futher, I can't see why I would expect special treatment from certain vendors because of the company I used to work for. I used to get 10% off at Cotswold when I was in, very handy it was too. But I accept that I'm not in now, I work for another company and I don't see why Cotswold would give me a discount based on what I did in the past.

No civvy business owes me a living or a discount based on my previous employment, and no RAF station should expect me at the gates demanding entry. And I'm still not quite sure why I'm in a minority in that view.

The medical stuff I can empathise with by the way.

You're not, I suspect. The minority are whinging.

I share your sentiments, when you leave, leave it behind and move on. Civvies don't really give a damn for "When We" stories or mindsets, loose the "Rank (ret'd)" annotation too would be my advice. Show them you're up to it, ie earn it.

As a slight aside, The Mob's a closed community but, once you leave it you should have enough skills and experience to make it without reference to a former life...

Injured servicemen is a totally different argument.

Am I right in saying that there's an Official in the UK CAA that despite being a civvy still describes himself as "Wing Commander?

:ugh:

Do we really have to be so self deprecating about it?

It is genuinely pleasant to be in the USA, where a bit of service and hardship for the common good is appreciated. It can be a little OTT for the British sensibilities, but it is a foreign country with a less cynical outlook.

The recognition of service, current and past - seen on badges, hats, license plates, shirts and other accoutrements - is acknowledged at the very least. It's a bit 'cheesy' sometimes, but it is all encompassing, inclusive even, and it engenders a strong National spirit and pride.

I wish we had that, in our own manner, at Homeplate. Britain would be better for it. I think the people's joining our Nation from overseas would benefit from experiencing this pride too. To all our benefit.

Yup, nothing that interests me either, will sign it though as it may if issued help those that need it for preferential medical care, though I doubt any of the Government claim would have any substance. I agree with what you say about people still using their rank too.... Get over it, it was a job and you no longer are doing it, so it is Mr.

Nah. Sorry.

What's the problem with recognition of achievement if somebody has made SNCO, WO, Queen's Commission in service of the country?

Why so miserly in recognition of this? This is a symptom of the lack of pride in our country. When we were better than now, we celebrated achievement.

How bloody miserable. Even if you couldn't care less, for those that served their entire working life it normally means something. To negate it is mean spirited and pointless.

Today is my first day as a civilian, and having had a RAF ID card for over 38 years and now having nothing, doesn't quite feel right. It would be good if we were looked after a bit better as regards using station facilities and med and dental care, free prescriptions etc. But I suppose the counter argument would be good pension and tax free gratuity.

LFFC, have a look at my earlier post regarding the Veteran's Card that I have.

See if that Veteran's Card would fit the bill.

I also get the free TFL Oyster Card.

I joined the RAFA as a life member on leaving and got the retired ID card. It was useful in the USA where it was treated exactly the same as their governemnt issued ID for ex servicemen, but cock all use in the UK. Now, I live in Asia and I no longer know where the card is.

Petition signed.

A ID card would be useful for getting onto the local base to use the Spar shop..........:E

Ref medical help; anyone suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder should contact Combat Stress. I know of one individual who left the RAF over 30 years ago getting help for stress encountered 45 years ago.

FFP, probably more use getting OFF the base.

I remember the N***I shop at ISK. It was on the main drag (main? joke) and accessible by all. There was a notice forbiding non-military personnel or their families from using it, probably because it constituted unfair trading compared with the local shops in Forres.

For f**** sake just leave !!!!!!!

Mr B, I think, with the exception of a few Klingons, most people have done just that. What they want seems to be some additional recognition for their service to the country. You object to that?

No. Of course I don't. What I object to is the ever increasing numbers of people who never stop talking about what they did when they were in the Service. With the exception of the very unfortunate peeps who were victims of the redundancy programme, most of the individuals who I have had the misfortune to meet in the pub, or whose threads I read about on here, decided to leave of their own accord after bitching and moaning about the Service for years before they finally got the balls to leave. They then spend the next 5 years talking about what they did while serving....... and boring me senseless in the process.

Veterans Cards
 

Try Rewards For Forces - discounts for the forces community. £20 for lifetime membership and serving forces are included. Lots of discounts already negotiated

Alan

Ah Mr B, of course, but slight thread drift then?

The only time I do the 'when I was' is when there is a receptive audience such as at an Aviation Group or such. If you were to 'entertain' me with stories of Gutersloh or Laarbruch Buccaneers I would listen patiently but . . .

War stories are really only of interest to each other if we were there, or shooting a line on Pprune for instance about the Porno film club run in one of the airmens' bashas by the RAFP that upstanding and honest body of men.

No, I see a Veterans' Card in as a quite different and legitimate request if it grants additional privileges like my NHS or TfL cards.

Or on just about every thread ever started in here.

SFFP, true, but then you don't have to read whereas in a bar you could not avoid hearing.

Is that because boring old duffers tend to talk loud?

War veterans | Transport for London

Worth quite a bit if you go into town regularly?

Ratty, what was that? Speak up please old chap.

SFFP I see of all your recent posts there are ten threads to which you contributed in the last month in which I have no interest or experience in learning what pearls you might have cast. Only a few weeks to go then I expect you will either stfu or join we wiw.

That's hardly worth the paper it is printed on unfortunately. You can walk into most commercial enterprises and get those levels of discount by simply asking as a member of Joe Public. They are derisory discount offers IMO.

A few years ago, a friend of mine used to tour big companies on behalf of Barclaycard employees and negotiate discounts for them. He told me that if he didn't get to 30-35%, he walked out.

You'd have thought that just one of our higher paid masters would have thought this one through; put a Joint Services team together, send them out to every mortgage provider, insurance company, car manufacturer, electrical products chain, travel firm, high street retailer etc etc. Promise them free advertising but demand some real discount or walk to their competitors and see what happens. If my m8 could get 30-35% for credit card employees, how much ought to be gotten for military? It's an instant, unfunded pay rise. FFS, it's so simple.

It seems to me that the difference between attitudes to veterans in the US and the UK perfectly reflects the open-mindedness of the former and the bloody-mindedness in the latter.
All the cards available in the UK seem to have one thing in common, to get them you have to cough up first, and then work on recovering that cost from possible future discounts! Given that everyone now has access to discounts, whether by direct haggling, cash-back sites (such as Top CashBack Official Site - The UK's #1 CashBack Site ), and online deals sites (such as HotUKDeals - Deals, Discounts & Voucher Codes ), the use of such a card in preference to such other means would probably cost rather than effect savings!
The only general advantages I can foresee are for entry to places of entertainment and places of medical treatment. For that, this would be a boon and be a means of both private enterprises and UK Gov to express recognition of service to the country. You can see the catch here though, whereas the former might so be inclined, the latter would not. Such gestures are easy to make in opposition, political dynamite when in Govt.
I have therefore signed the petition in the hope that it might allow of a reduced entry to Alton Towers, etc. For a large family group that would be a large amount and well worth the getting. Anything else is a pipe dream...

Not quite sure what is so lamentably sadder, the fact that you felt compelled to check my posting history or the fact that you have nothing better to do with yourself each day other that dribble away here on Prune :sad:

Pot - kettle - over

I've posted a similar message in a related thread but let's not confused by a discount offered to SP or ex SP at Disneyworld or access to the Commissary with the hard realities of 'vets' in the US. VA hospitals are a necessity because of the lack of a comprehensive and free public health care system. Walter Read Hospital is good - but not without many problems (if I wasn't on my phone I'd put in links to some of the issues).


Vets are having great difficulties in seeking stable employment. Not only is the economy still weak (but, granted, gradually improving) but employers are increasingly viewing SP as 'damaged goods'. I have worked with the US forces a lot over the years and I know a number of guys (Maj - Col/Capt) who are struggling to get decent jobs. The level of 'transition assistance' compared with our resettlement is much lower and is lodged increasingly with the third sector. Furthermore, the massive down-sizing of thje Services will exacerbate the problem.

On a more prosaic level, yesterday I booked overnight ferry crossings and found it was much cheaper to book each leg separately. The inward leg (to UK) was much much cheaper to book using a German website; I went via the Forces Discount website, and even with 10% discount it was about £100 more. We're returning back to Europe at peak time and booked that leg via a price comparator site and save over £150 compared with the company, and got a cabin upgrade. Bottom line - shop around!

Reading this thread there is talk of needing some type of identity card to prove we were in the services to get a better standard of medical care? I'm not sure where I stand regarding this issue but...

What about our medical documents, would they not have references to our time in the services?

Other than those ex-servicemen and women who have a medical condition as a result of military service I do not see that we should have any sort of priority for medical services over those who have never served.

How about looking at it on another tact, what can you get, I will start the ball rolling...

As a RAF or Army, ( it does not mention RN lol ) engineers you are entitled to ask for a Halfords Trade Card and get various discounts on their shop prices,

details here

Halfords Advice Centre | Trade Card | Customer Services


Some stores simply do it on your ID :E


Halfords Trade Card for Forces - MoneySavingExpert.com Forums

Discounts vary, but just google them, they do offer it on tools, so will be handy for anyone leaving and wishing to become an Engineer in Civi street as their proffessional range is very good, I buy the odd cheapies to modify to suit jobs, and don't mess up my Snap Off stuff with angle grinders..