Falklands 2 On The Way?

[paulus 26]

lets just hope, any causalities from any future conflicts are supported better than in the past, Read this UKIP policy earlier, written but an ex army guy.

 

 

Lee Harris is a former soldier in our armed forces, having served in Afghanistan and Canada. He was permanently based in Germany from 2009 until he left the service in September of this year. Lee now serves as YI County Chairman for Durham.

Now I am of the belief that if you want to target a set demographic with policies built to better their lives, then you should actively involve those who you wish to appeal to, and it pleases me no end, to have been asked to write this article on UKIP policies for the military due to my background. I have served with the army in locations the world over, with the highlight of my career being given the opportunity to serve in and help stabilise a war ravaged country, in Afghanistan.

UKIP have stated that they will honour the military covenant unlike consecutive governments in recent times. To do this, they have set out ways and means of giving those who gave the most for not only their country’s national security, but global security too, by giving back to them something that will go a long way to showing the nations gratitude.

Having seen firsthand the brutal way that the Conservative led coalition have hacked into the manpower of H.M. Armed Forces by way of redundancies, effectively reducing this once global military powerhouse to nothing more than a militia, it pleases me to say that UKIP have vowed to fully resource our assets and personnel. This would include providing the vitally important, life-saving, mission critical equipment which we all know the UK military lacked when it invaded Iraq in 2003. By upgrading existing equipment and making sure it is available to all military units, UKIP would make the UK is a force to be reckoned with once more. More importantly, it would reduce casualty and fatality numbers.

Having seen the aftermath of IED attacks on personnel, UKIPs policy to introduce a Veteran’s Service Card which would ensure that they are fast-tracked for mental health care and services, if needed, is one of the best policies I have seen from any political party. This is a policy that really strikes a chord with me, as I personally have suffered with severe depression and PTSD which left me on the verge of suicide, since returning from Afghanistan. There should be nothing that hinders or prevents service men, women and veterans alike from receiving the best professional help possible when needed. Ultimately this policy would help to keep service personnel and veterans from straying down the path of substance misuse, both legal and illegal, as they would have the best care possible at their fingertips, and would help to prevent homelessness amongst ex-service personnel. I have seen this happen on many occasions, and I personally drank myself into a psychiatric unit as I, like many veterans, refused to accept that I was suffering with mental health issues due to service, mainly because of the stigma that is attached to mental health illnesses. I would like to see more awareness programmes set up in partnership with the Veteran’s Service Card being rolled out as the two would work hand in hand together.

Over 30% of London’s homeless are veterans! This is a national disgrace, and UKIP are the only party that have said they will change the points system for social housing to ensure that ex service men and women are prioritised. A veteran who is homeless, generally tends to have suffered or suffers with depression, PTSD and will most likely also have an adjustment disorder which have all contributed to him or her becoming homeless. By changing how the system works, and by prioritising ex service men and women, this policy will effectively help toward giving a person a fresh start in the civilian world. It will help to prevent the majority of veterans from turning to alcohol and substance misuse, and dependency which is quite often caused by depression and other mental illnesses which can see them made homeless. By involving local authorities, veteran’s services, and social housing services, along with the promise of a job in the police force, prison service or border force, UKIP will be keeping their promise to veterans by allowing them to have the best possible start to a life outside of the military. This brings me to my next point.

A great multitude of ex forces personnel like me, join the military from school with little or no educational qualifications. We wind up being employed in roles which do not require a person to be intellectually gifted. Whilst there is a great education programme within the military which aims at helping personnel gain qualifications which are acknowledged by civilian companies for when they leave their respective service, they do not in my opinion prepare a person for a role on ‘the outside’. Having a policy like UKIP do, which guarantees a person a job in the police force, prison service or border force when 12 years of service in the military has been completed, will be beneficial to thousands of service men and women who would otherwise struggle to find gainful employment. As we know, unemployment among the veteran community is sky rocketing, and this policy will not only create jobs for those who have given the most to this country, but it would also help to create a more peaceful and safer environment for the general population to live in. Having recently left the military in September 2014, I am struggling to find any employment at all and the possibility of a guaranteed job in one of the aforementioned sectors would undoubtedly have changed my mind on whether to leave, or stay in the military until my 12 year point. This would be the case for many thousands more. Not only would this boost border enforcement along with the police and prison services it would also help in the retention of valuable and experienced personnel within the military. Experience harbours knowledge. Having this knowledge kept in the service for that extra few years would help to make the military a much more professional force, as the knowledge and experience the older men and women own, would be passed down to the younger generations of recruits coming up through the ranks.

Having served with men and women from nearly all Commonwealth countries, UKIP policy to extend all entitlements to them would solidify the United Kingdom’s position as a world leader, by showing all other nations that we not only look after our own, but we also look after those who wish to serve Her Majesty the Queen. That it does not matter what their nationality, race, colour or religion is. We would be saying thank you to the many hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth personnel who have left their home countries in far flung corners of the world, such as Nepal, Fiji, Ghana and Kenya, that their service to help protect the United Kingdom, from the ever present threat of domestic and international terrorism, and other nations around the world, was not in vain, but that it was appreciated. UKIP would show that all are appreciated and would not cast any former member of the military aside, like the past and present crop of elitist Westminster politicians have done for many decades, and still continue to do so today.

UKIP is the only party that will deliver what it promises. UKIP can and will make ‘cast-iron’ guarantees, because UKIP, unlike the other parties, will not renege on its promises. UKIP is the only party that will truly honour the military covenant. Other parties have paid lip service to it in the past, but none have ever followed through on it. That is evident when you look at the streets of our capital city and other major towns and cities, the length and breadth of the country, and you see the scores of homeless ex service men and women, or when you compare the suicide rates of ex service men and women to civilians. My brothers in arms have been failed time and time again by establishment figures and politicians, whose only experience of military life is when they are invited to watch a military parade. It is plain for all to see that the legacy parties have not only failed the military and veterans, but they quite frankly, couldn’t give a stuff, sat in their ivory towers in the Westminster bubble. UKIP is the only viable solution for a well equipped, well looked after military force and a well looked after society of veterans.

Lee Harris

Chairman, Young Independence County Durham

[paulus 26]

i would hope our ground air defense has moved on since 1982 as the rapier was shite back then,

[Born Hunter 17,763]

 

It's naïve to think our technology is infallible. We were supposed to be so much better than the Argies last time but they managed to get planes and missiles through our defence screen time and time again. We had the Harriers then, they were our biggest asset. Now we haven't got VTOL, we're reliant on runways and the Argies know it. They would push in missiles and aircraft from all over the place to knock out runways, no runways = no aircover.

As for striking mainland Argentina, I don't think anyone would really suggest that would be a good move. Too many other nations would turn against us, certainly Russia for one. I hope it never happens because I'm certain that the Argies will have done their homework and worked out where they went wrong last time.

 

I don't think anybody is considering our tech infallible, just superior. Likewise, Defence chiefs knew it wouldn't be a walk in the park, they gave a realistic assessment, followed through with great strategic and tactical planning and as a result had a resounding success.

 

Look at the Argy air force... how exactly are they going to 'bombard' the islands? There's a squadron of Typhoons there to keep them getting anywhere near the islands. And their are Rapier instalments to protect the air bases if anything slips past the typhoons. Just look at their military it's on it's arse. They'd need more than a bit of hindsight.

 

Striking the mainland was considered acceptable back in 82 and in fact was attempted I believe by special forces. The Vulcans were prepared to do so if it was considered necessary. Today that would be carried out so much more easily with cruise missiles and with far less collateral. Between destroyers and subs they wouldn't have an air force left. Any invading force would potentially be left completely isolated from support.

 

Why would everyone turn against us? Back in 82 only one UN member (Panama) was against us.

[Born Hunter 17,763]

Retaking the islands without a carrier would be a f***ing nightmare. I'm not even sure what we're arguing about. LOL

 

I just think a bit more of what we have and what the task force did than you seem to. Fair enough mate, we all have our own opinions.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Born Hunter

[Malt 379]

Retaking the islands without a carrier would be a f***ing nightmare. I'm not even sure what we're arguing about. LOL

 

I just think a bit more of what we have and what the task force did than you seem to. Fair enough mate, we all have our own opinions.

Retaking the islands? We'd have to loose them first! Even without the typhoons our air defences would mean we'd still have air superiority over anything the argies could put over the islands and that includes aging russian bombers.

[paulus 26]

in with this bloke http://www.suffolkgazette.com/news/suspects-shot-police-budget-cuts/

[Joe1888 672]

they always have a chance, they have the hand of god on there side

[Born Hunter 17,763]

 

Retaking the islands without a carrier would be a f***ing nightmare. I'm not even sure what we're arguing about. LOLI just think a bit more of what we have and what the task force did than you seem to. Fair enough mate, we all have our own opinions.

I'm patriotic through and through, enough of my family have served in the past. I just don't want people to think that if it came to another war we would walk it. Our technology may have improved but I bet the Argies have upped their game as well.We underestimated them last time, we shouldn't make that mistake again.

I wasn't questioning your patriotism mate.

 

Our tech is cutting edge, their's has barely moved in 30 years. We didn't walk it the first time and certainly wouldn't walk it this time. But as Mal said, the islands are very well protected. They would need a lot more than hindsight.

[j j m 6,539]

Its always been about oil

[Malt 379]

Oil & gas have been found..

 

http://news.sky.com/story/1457488/drilling-finds-oil-and-gas-off-falklands

[Malt 379]

My friend has been out there on exercise told me that a year ago. Guess what I'm making in work....vessels for Falklands lol.

Suddenly the recent decision to bolster the islands defences makes more sense now its been made public..

[Frann 882]

Did anyone else read that article by a former soldier who fought in the Falklands? It was in the Telegraph I think. He said the Argies wouldn't have a hope against us if they tried. He said they'd struggle to get through the Royal Navy for starters, that's without the RAF etc.

[Born Hunter 17,763]

Did anyone else read that article by a former soldier who fought in the Falklands? It was in the Telegraph I think. He said the Argies wouldn't have a hope against us if they tried. He said they'd struggle to get through the Royal Navy for starters, that's without the RAF etc.

 

By Col Tim Collins?

 

I think he was being a bit optimistic (or naïve) in our capability tbh. For instance claiming that a Type-45 Destroyer has an effective lethal range of 120km.... which is true if the target doesn't fly below radar (sea skimming), then it's pretty drastically reduced to a 30km range! And claiming that if every attack jet in south America simultaneously attacked they could be dealt with... well not quite true seeing as a Type-45 doesn't carry enough missiles for that even though it's systems can manage such a large attack. Few other bits too but can't remember.

 

He's right though of course. They haven't a cat in hells chance! LOL

Edited April 2, 2015 by Born Hunter