to make a bitchy response to this fb status

[SwanseaSlapper]

"We have Troops fighting a war without proper equipment..... Yet we donate millions to other countries before helping our own first. 99% of people on facebook won't have the guts to copy and repost this. WILL YOU, I thought charity began at home!!!"

It just offends me.

"the army is already funded by us, the taxpayer"

''Soldiers pay tax too, so are we self funding? Hope so, I might give myself a raise...''

Teachers pay tax too but don't expect charitable donations on top to boost their pension fund!

We no longer have conscription or national service. If you join the armed forces you do so out of choice.

innit

I AGRTEE WITH IT

Would love to know which charity it is that boosts soldiers pension fund?

Or maybe in fact the charities are there to help 18 year old lads who have had both legs and an arm blown off?

Are they the same charities who help civilians who have lost limbs? Which charities are we talking about here? Can we be specific?

Well as we were talking about the military I would have thought that it would obviously be military charities. Would you really like me to name the larger ones...?

eh?

TOP TIP: Support our Troops by enlisting and therefore being unable to update your facebook status with inane "support our troops" messages.

TOP TIP: Support Our Troops by not voting for political parties who send them off to die in pointless wars thousands of miles away.

Just a little update from my facebook exchange, someone I don't know messaged me to say that he agreed with me and thought I was very brave for saying what I did. How nice is that?

I would also love to know which charity it is that boosts my pension fund - and there was I thinking it was my own contributions that did that!

Too right I joined the Army by choice - and its not a decision I've ever regretted, BUT, I dont consider myself a Hero, I dont expect handouts, I dont expect the 'taxpayer' to fund my existence and I dont expect people to update their FB with inane 'support our troops' messages.

I also dont expect to be slagged off, solely for being a soldier, doing my duty as I promised to do, and working to earn a wage.

My colleagues and I did not START any wars, did not CAUSE any conflicts - just went there when we were told to, and did what our Commanders expected of us. We dont need to be trotted out as Heroes, but a little respect as people, as human beings in impossible situations would be appreciated.

Again - I dont support that status, it's blatently racist and fundamentally incorrect, but slagging off soldiers, as if they were the ones that wrote it/posted it is bloody unfair.

It's a crappy status, replace it with the DEC one, and forget the friends that think it is acceptable.

'Teachers pay tax too but don't expect charitable donations on top to boost their pension fund!' I was under the impression that the Forces have pay restricted by 8% for pension contributions or so the Head of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body tells me . I'd love to hear of any charities that boost pensions for HM Forces as dh retires in 4 years.

The issue is not about charity, it is about ring fenced budgets such as overseas aid and how that is used and targeted. Yes, we should give, we need to be sure that the money is used where it is needed and not, as with Darfur years ago, diverted away from the needy.

Good post LtEve.

Statuses like this drive me crackers I recently posted a rather snotty reply then de-friended someone for putting this type of crap up there. Much as I want soldiers to have the right equipment, they had a choice and can decide they have had enough, unlike the poor sods in Pakistan who are currently watching their children die.