WingDad - the Aussie killick who showed us to our seats at Wimbledon this year thought all his Christmases had come at once; he claimed to have been propositioned on several occasions by very glam ladies - and had enjoyed the best views on Centre Court to boot...
I've read the other thread scary - and feel equally puzzled as to why anybody should mistrust or fear the presence of our military personnel at the Olympics. Of course, being on this side of the fence, we know that they're all human and as normal as the next man/woman - nobody we know joined up to become a paid killer, or to intimidate or menace.
I always think about scenes from hurricane-stricken islands - how immensely glad were those unfortunate victims to see service personnel appearing over the horizon; with emergency supplies, aid and the skills to rebuild their shattered communities?
How happy were the crews of stricken, sinking vessels when an RN or RAF helicopter winchman is lowered (at enormous personal risk) to pluck them to safety?
How different would the world be, if every ship carrying goods, fuel or passengers was at the mercy of ruthless pirates - because there was no counter-piracy activity? As fossil fuels (including gas) become scarcer - the importance of keeping our trade routes patrolled will only increase.
I wish these, and other less-well publicised aspects of our Forces' roles were more widely known and understood - it might change some ill-informed opinions.