First, apologies to MightyGem. You're right, Costa aren't on the list. My mistake. Secondly, I signed up for DDS, but IIRC the service number was sufficient. No need for service records. Thirdly, the RAFA also have discount arrangements, and I believe also have a veteran's ID card as well as the RAFA membership one. All, I suspect, better than a "V" on the driving licence.

Had £80 off a Macbook for showing my OU identifier- cheaper even than an NUS card ORAC!:ok:

CG

Hmm, wonder if a traffic police officer would be inclined to be a little more, ahem, charitable to a V card holder? :O

Just tell him the V is on there for him...


I don't think I will bother, as I never bothered with the veterans badge either, or the discount card, in my own way I do not consider myself as a veteran, simply an ex serviceman, a veteran to me is some one that ran up the beaches in France or fought in Afghanistan etc.

Just out of interest how detailed are 'service records' ?

Do they include things like training reports, 1369's, medical reports and correspondence?

When my service records arrived I was astounded to see the correspondence. There were even copies of air-mail letters my mother had written from Oz in the early sixties, inquiring as to the educational requirements for joining the RAF. I was only 15 at the time. As it happened, the RAF would not accept Oz qualifications,which resulted in home study and my being the only person in WA to sit GCE papers.

That could be quite amusing as a chap could learn what the powers that be really thought of him - not what he thought they thought of him! :O

WigWag

Not too detailed. Medical/dental records, at least from the RN, come separately from a different department so I am still awaiting them although they were requested on the same form.
It included the documents I signed at the recruiting office back in 1978, copies of the Official Secrets Act that I have signed, copies of the forms used to extend my service, copies of my Service Certificate (I already have the original), copies of receipts for issue of medals, copy of my application to discharge (!), copy of the form used to inform them of my marriage and a listing of my service qualifications. Still a treasure trove of information I felt, and as I said, at no cost.

Wig-wag,you have to ask for the f1369,and f5000 series ,plus anything else; its all photocopied but sometimes page 2 isnt done,so it can be difficult to decipher `Mac the knife`...

Having seen mention of the DDS card in this thread, I looked at their website and decided that for £4.99 for five years, it might well be worth a few minutes of my time to register. Entered my service number, then scanned/uploaded a .pdf copy of my RAF 'Certificate of Discharge' and paid the £4.95. Shortly afterwards an email arrived informing me that my membership had been approved. Presumably the actual card will arrive in the not too distant future...

First time I have bothered with anything regarding being ex-RAF - no Veterans badge etc.

I suspect that you are thinking of a Q reg, which is used to indicate a vehicle of undetermined age.

The DDS card has been a great innovation. The list of participating companies has increased exponentially since it's inception. Perhaps companies are "shamed" into joining after being asked if they are on the list and getting negative social media feedback if they aren't ? Whatever the reason, it has saved me a lot of money, from Apple employee disount on an iPhone to 10% off for Premier Inn breakfasts to 15% off Cotswold Outdoor clothing to name just a few.

I check the DDS list before making any purchases. Under a fiver for the card which lasts five years is a bargain. If the "V" driving licence is to provide the same sort of discounts I'm in; where parting with my hard earned money is concerned I have no pride whatsoever.

NEO

I am slightly disappointed that nobody has taken me up on the main point of my earlier post which is "Do you actually think that having served in HM Forces as opposed to 101 other occupations entitles you to some sort of special treatment?"

As I said before, other than provision for those whose health, mental or physical has been affected by their service, I see no reason why we should expect any special treatment purely because we once wore the Queen's uniform. Theresa May said I deserved recognition for my "sacrifice". I made no sacrifice, I saw my time in the RAF as a privilege, and at times I couldn't believe how lucky I was, compared with old school friends slogging through life in a boring civil service job or a bank, etc. And yes, of course I recognise that many have made sacrifices, some have made the supreme one, but I have already said those people, or their dependents, should be adequately compensated

Good luck to everyone applying for these various cards, but as somebody pointed out to me, I don't have to have one, so I wont be applying. Does anybody who, like me, made no particular sacrifice still think they deserve special recognition? I'd really like to hear your reasons.

In my case, agreed. Apart from training, which was the most amusing part of my service, with the opportunity to kill myself if I liked, the rest was seriously just OK - with the added joy of being able to bump into other aeroplanes LL at night but no big deal cf industry in which I came close to death more often than I did in the mil.
Caveat - I was never in actual combat. Different.

No difficulty with that.
Recollect about 60 years ago, when the price in the window was the price you paid, going into a shop and making an offer. The shock on the sales assistant's face was, itself, worth the effort. :ok:

Exactly my thoughts.

TTN, to quote a friend of mine who has been shot at in a Vulcan, and some others, and they pay me to fly

Yes, one day is extracting the urine. My daughter who did two enjoyable years in the Rock Aux does not believe she deserves a veteran's badge. Others, with many years Service, being messed around by amateurs, and under a discipline regime and the inability to say no, to strike, or to quit may think that sufficient justification.

As soon as you set any criteria you introduce administrative costs and grievance such as the jubilee medals or LSGC. On the latter, I don't recall many men complaining if they missed out.

The bottom lines of course are you don't have to apply or as Outlaw might say, what's in it for me?

Totally agree NutLoose .

Smoke and Mirrors.
 

I feel that way too. I think Veteran is not the best choice of name.

A couple of years back I was out for a ride-along in Las Vegas, with a retired vso in the local police. We had occasion to contact the duty officer in a police office, and my pal calls the non emergency number, and identifies himself by his registered number. The girl on the phone asks him two verifying questions, then deals with him as if he was still in the job. They have systems in place in their control room to handle that kind of call.

He carries a retired police officer's ID which is accepted as proof that he used to be a cop, and gets access to certain things based on that.

Amercian service people have a retired service ID card which allows them access to base facilities (the bar) as if they were still serving.

Some of that, like our Defence Discount Card, gets you money off at the till in some places. Mostly it is a way of quickly authenticating to current service & police people, that you have served, and therefore are likely to know how many beans make five.


I suspect that the next step in the UK gov drive to be everyone's pal, while refusing to actually pay some of them a decent wage, will be to offer a driving licence with a big E for emergency services staff, or a 999 logo on it for anyone working in the blue light trades.

That leads us to an advanced Paramedic asking why the old fart in Patient Transport service or the control room gets one as well.

The cops out dealing with angry drunks, asking why the Inspector in charge of the Fixed Penalty Office gets one.

The sharp end Firefighter going into burning buildings as a matter of routine, asking why the guy on Community Education or Local Authority Liason gets one.

Of course it's all pish, but like everything else, Westminster has decided to do it, so we just accept it and move on.


Don't forget that they are the same shower of self serving fokkers who wanted to have a vigil outside Parliament, heads bowed, to mark the fact that the work to be carried out on "Big Ben" was somehow worthy of their time and respect.

We didn't see them all standing outside with heads bowed at the funeral for Keith Palmer. He gave his life protecting them, and what they should stand for. What they actually want to stand for is a clock tower, and of course, four more years.


One day soon, when the many stop fearing the few, the few will need to fear the many. That's what it will take for the UK Government to actually appreciate those who serve, and have served in the military.

Getting the estimated 5000 ex-servicemen (who don't have mental issues) off our streets across the UK would, for me, be a good start.

Penny's worth - a 24hr veteran (?), give me strength!