Contact Wait Out
OCC has been contacted by a veterans family about injustice in Afghanistan towards their son and a corrupt minister... So why is the British Government sending so much charity funding to Afghanistan?
We hope you will join our campaign group on facebook: OCC
Regards
OCC
They know who he fought with and against, is his life safe in the hands of Afghan Officials..!
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Maria Bxxxxxx, I write to you on behalf of myself and my parents, Mr P Malone and Mrs V Malone.
My Brother, and former British Paratrooper Anthony Malone is being held in the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul, Afghanistan. Anthony has served a sentence of two years for fraud but two and a half years later he is still being held because he can’t pay the alleged debt, which we believe is a clear violation of international law.
Anthony has had very little legal representation so far, or translations of any court proceedings or written explanations of any charges and evidence against him, also he has been unable to call witnesses and present evidence in his defence.
Anthony went to Afghanistan in 2002 to set up a security-and-logistics business. He fell foul of a senior Afghan politician, who claims Anthony owes him money, which he denies. Initially he was convicted of debt, even though it's not a criminal offence, and sentenced to ten months in prison. He was due for release in November 2008. However, the public prosecutor refused to release him on the grounds that he owed money to the Afghan people. He successfully appealed his conviction and had it dismissed.
Then, a few days later, he was taken back to court and re-convicted on six counts of fraud. He was sentenced to two years, to be served from the date of his original sentence, and should therefore have been due for release on January 23 this year. But in a catch-22 situation, the Afghan authorities are once again refusing to release him until he has paid the alleged debt.
We are a desperate to help Anthony and would very much appreciate any support you might be able to offer. We appeal to your sense of what is right and just, to help release my Brother from the horrific conditions and treatment he is enduring.
If you would like more information please don‘t hesitate to contact myself or my Father on the details below.
We look forward to your response,
Yours faithfully,
Maria Bxxxxxx
The following is more information about Anthony Malone's suffering in Afghanistan prison of hell...!
Anthony Malone's campaign website
Lionheart film clips
Daily Mail National Paper Article on Anthony Malone
The Sunday Sun National Paper Article
Tuesday 3 August 2010
PQ's At the House of Commons
Support our Armed Forces
The following is a list of tabled questions over the past week in the House of Commons with reference to our military injured, bereaved families let down and veteran issues. I have also placed some more information attained via other sites and news articles. Thanks for your time in reading this site and please keep leaving your comments. Yours OCCAinsworth: MoD failed the bereaved
Wales: veterans failed by system
War veterans: arrest scandal
Figures: Discharged from service
Help: Prior to Discharge and re-skilling
Resettlement: Information given
Homelessness: Number of Veterans on the streets
First Class Post
First Letter to ConLib
The first letter sent to the coalition government is below and we hope to get a reply very soon. All replies will be published so our supporters are able to judge the response and give their views.
We also have a facebook site were you sign up and give your views on our campaign and if you believe we could approach this in another direction.
Regards
Nick OCC
P.S August 3rd 2010: We still await a reply from ministers on our questions raised above. We believe the failure to answer our letter is simple: The long over due SDR is going to have a massive impact on our injured troops.
Honeymoon is Over
Answers plus Commitment
Just a Normal day at the office so please show us some respect...!
One Common Cause has asked if Nick Harvey, Defence Minister if he is willing / able to meet with use to discus some concern we have about the Medical Discharge Process as outlined in EDM 361 and EDM 473. We would also like to discus the purpose of the re-introduction of Manning Control Points for service personnel.
We already know under the Labour Party, military personnel were admin discharged when they should have been Medically Discharged we also know that alcohol intake has increased within the armed forces which we believe could be down to service personnel self medicating due to stress or mental health issues (PTSD).
The Conservative Party's Armed Forces Manifesto launched in April of this year pledged to set up a screening programme for service leavers. 'The Conservatives say their top defence priority will be to "repair the broken Military Covenant". Ensuring that Forces' families and veterans are taken care of plus tracking and monitoring veterans' mental health after they leave the Armed Forces'. However Andrew Robathan The Minister for Personnel, Welfare and Veterans. Stated on Radio 4 , that he has been advised against standardised mental health screening as it might create 'stigma' among service leavers. One Common Cause will writing a letter to Dr Liam Fox, Nick Harvey and Andrew Robathan requesting who advised against this screening programme when only Last month, the Centre for Defence Medical Health at Kings College London warned that the NHS could be overwhelmed with veterans that served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from PTSD. Full Story HERE
OCC
Just a Normal day at the office so please show us some respect...!
One Common Cause has asked if Nick Harvey, Defence Minister if he is willing / able to meet with use to discus some concern we have about the Medical Discharge Process as outlined in EDM 361 and EDM 473. We would also like to discus the purpose of the re-introduction of Manning Control Points for service personnel.
We already know under the Labour Party, military personnel were admin discharged when they should have been Medically Discharged we also know that alcohol intake has increased within the armed forces which we believe could be down to service personnel self medicating due to stress or mental health issues (PTSD).
The Conservative Party's Armed Forces Manifesto launched in April of this year pledged to set up a screening programme for service leavers. 'The Conservatives say their top defence priority will be to "repair the broken Military Covenant". Ensuring that Forces' families and veterans are taken care of plus tracking and monitoring veterans' mental health after they leave the Armed Forces'. However Andrew Robathan The Minister for Personnel, Welfare and Veterans. Stated on Radio 4 , that he has been advised against standardised mental health screening as it might create 'stigma' among service leavers. One Common Cause will writing a letter to Dr Liam Fox, Nick Harvey and Andrew Robathan requesting who advised against this screening programme when only Last month, the Centre for Defence Medical Health at Kings College London warned that the NHS could be overwhelmed with veterans that served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from PTSD. Full Story HERE
OCC
Updates on EDM's
Information to Share
Nick Harvey MP has made the Governments Defence Team. Nick has been very supportive towards One Common Cause and put in place the Early Day Motion 361. Which you can read by going into the discussions tab and going to EDM's. LINK
Those service personnel and veterans that have lost their hearing, due to service life and operational duties, will understand only to well how hard it is to get support for hearing aids. Compensation is another minefield which should be addressed and made easier to claim.LINK
PTSD has been outlined on how it could stump the NHS in the UK. One Common Cause and many other groups have been saying this for some time now. On the BFBS defence debate, in which OCC attended, we brought this very issues up and asked how the funding and treatment plan would be implemented. If you wish to see the answers given them please go to the discussion tab or the links on this site, BFBS debate. LINK
SDR on its way already: LINK
Robathan becomes veterans minister. Well, he will be getting a lot of letters from One Common Cause. I am sure he'll be more accommodating than the last one we had. LINK
Compensation payouts to be withheld until 2012. Clarification will be requested by OCC on this leaked memo. LINK
Nick Harvey MP has made the Governments Defence Team. Nick has been very supportive towards One Common Cause and put in place the Early Day Motion 361. Which you can read by going into the discussions tab and going to EDM's. LINK
Those service personnel and veterans that have lost their hearing, due to service life and operational duties, will understand only to well how hard it is to get support for hearing aids. Compensation is another minefield which should be addressed and made easier to claim.LINK
PTSD has been outlined on how it could stump the NHS in the UK. One Common Cause and many other groups have been saying this for some time now. On the BFBS defence debate, in which OCC attended, we brought this very issues up and asked how the funding and treatment plan would be implemented. If you wish to see the answers given them please go to the discussion tab or the links on this site, BFBS debate. LINK
SDR on its way already: LINK
Robathan becomes veterans minister. Well, he will be getting a lot of letters from One Common Cause. I am sure he'll be more accommodating than the last one we had. LINK
Compensation payouts to be withheld until 2012. Clarification will be requested by OCC on this leaked memo. LINK
Manning Control Point@}**
Back Door Method :-(
They will concentrate on the 12 and 15 years in service employment. Is that due to the fact their closer to 22 years service and their pension rights?......Forward thinking by some civil servant[s]; this would allow them to do the same again in 4 years time to those presently at 9 years service?
We believe those hardest hit will be our mentally ill (afghan fear) or PTSD as well as our injured service personnel. One Common Cause understands the need to clear line serial numbers from active units but the time frame for treatment needs to be quicker. Some injured service personnel wait months for reviews and the subsequent operation[s] and rehab. Headley Court has a backlog of those requiring rehab. Therefore the duty care and wellbeing needs to be challenged before Manning Control Points are reintroduced.
I have also been informed by friends within the armed forces that soldiers unable to deploy to Afghan when their unit next deploys could face MCP. If you aren't a member of the BAFF then maybe you should be!
MCP article for those that wish to be better informed.
Those in the MoD that wish to bring back MCP should view this clip and remember what our troops have been through. Unlike some they don't have the privilege of desk in safe old England
To those that have lost loved ones in conflict please be aware there are some upsetting clips within this film.
Respectfully yours
OCC
They will concentrate on the 12 and 15 years in service employment. Is that due to the fact their closer to 22 years service and their pension rights?......Forward thinking by some civil servant[s]; this would allow them to do the same again in 4 years time to those presently at 9 years service?
We believe those hardest hit will be our mentally ill (afghan fear) or PTSD as well as our injured service personnel. One Common Cause understands the need to clear line serial numbers from active units but the time frame for treatment needs to be quicker. Some injured service personnel wait months for reviews and the subsequent operation[s] and rehab. Headley Court has a backlog of those requiring rehab. Therefore the duty care and wellbeing needs to be challenged before Manning Control Points are reintroduced.
I have also been informed by friends within the armed forces that soldiers unable to deploy to Afghan when their unit next deploys could face MCP. If you aren't a member of the BAFF then maybe you should be!
MCP article for those that wish to be better informed.
Those in the MoD that wish to bring back MCP should view this clip and remember what our troops have been through. Unlike some they don't have the privilege of desk in safe old England
To those that have lost loved ones in conflict please be aware there are some upsetting clips within this film.
Respectfully yours
OCC
Given From the Heart
This is a letter from a veteran soldier that's been treated like all other veterans are. I am sure many veterans that will read this letter will be able to see their own situation and the way they have or are being treated by the MoD. OCC
To whom it may concern,
I am a disabled ex veteran whom was injured in N.Ireland whilst serving on operations. I served approx 8 years as an infantry soldier in The Princess of Wales’s Royal regiment.
After being injured I was not correctly diagnosed and left untreated for 9 months. I collapsed at home one evening and was taken to a civilian hospital in Salisbury . After 2 weeks of exhausting and painful tests I was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis. Due to the length of time I had been left and untreated I had a 4ft clot in my right leg which ran from my big toe to a valve in a vein behind my stomach.
I was treated immediately by the staff of the NHS due to the life threatening nature of the condition. I spent a month on the ward and was unfortunate enough to contract MRSA. I survived this and in total spent around 3 more weeks on a civilian ward where I became well enough to go home. I was not visited once by any members of my unit of representatives from the British army.
I then spent 1 year on sick leave which meant blood tests twice a week and lots of physio therapy. I was told that I would inevitably lose my lower right leg as the injury was progressive due to now having no deep vein in my leg. This is a consequence to not being treated and continuing my operational commitments to the Regiment. I was medically discharged from the British army approximately 16 months after my diagnosis. I was not offered any rehabilitation or other career options due to the severity of injury.
I was awarded a war pension and a service invalidity pension as I was injured on operations. My disability was graded at over 35% at this point despite the fact that it would become worse.
On being Medically discharged I felt abandoned and somewhat bitter that I was now unemployed and homeless due to the fact that I had not been treated by the British army and the appointments I had received for medical investigations had not relayed to me as I was on operations and those operations were considered far more important.
I began a lawsuit with the MOD and after many appointments and specialist where involved I got into debt by £47k which I was liable for should I be unsuccessful at trial. The MOD went through 6-8 barristers during my 6 year battle with them. The legal aid system got to a point where they would not fund the case due to the expense and I had to pursue a no win fee claim. The MOD accepted full liability the day before trial which is usually the case with such trials. The MOD does not like this sort of thing shouted from the roof tops.
A few months after my success I was sent a letter from the pension’s agency telling me that my war pension would be reduced due to a third party claim against the MOD. Just yesterday I have been told I will now lose half of my service invalidity pension also. I cannot begin to tell you how insulted I feel by this. How many other veterans are being penalised by this same very system that was designed to help them.
I have never claimed a penny from any benefits of any form of tax relief since leaving the forces. I work full time despite being disabled and having a family to support is my drive for that.
Should I leave my job today and claim disability benefits, housing benefits, careers allowance and probably a lot more others that I don’t know about I would effectively be better off! I would love to speak to somebody about this and possibly run a story if given the opportunity. I will continue this conquest until somebody is willing to help me let the veterans and general public of this once great county know just what underhanded tactics are being dealt out.
I thank you in advance for your time.
Damian Thompson
War Pensioner
Friday 23 July 2010
2 Ignore the Suffering
2 Little 2 Late!
One Common Cause welcomes this reply from the Veterans' Minister, although we would ask why it's only in the past 12 months that these changes have come about. The issue surrounding the Medical Discharge System has been highlighted on the well moderated Armynet for the past 3 years. In fact the blog named "Operation Hitback" which is also on the armynet, though removed and censored by the MoD, has also been pressing the importance of rectifying the failures in the present system.
In the reply, you state that pension forecasts for medically discharged personnel are automatically issued six weeks prior to the service person leaving. However, this can't be classed as factual, due to your statement ending with "providing the necessary information has been received by SPVA from the unit". We believe that the Personnel Recovery Branch and moreover the Personnel Recovery Units should ensure that all information is collated and forwarded to the SPVA, this would allow units / regiments deployed or otherwise engaged to be outside the link thus allowing continuity.
I would like to put the following across to those ministers and media watching the site: We have now been informed by the veterans' minister in two letters, that there is a system in place which works to support our injured personnel through recovery or discharge... To that end, if a medically discharged veteran has left within the last 12 months and didn't receive the welfare of care stated in the summary fact sheet, could the MoD face legal charges...! We hope that our serving personnel on long term sick are getting the welfare care as stated in the letter dated 16th March 2010.
Regards
OCC
2 Pronged Attack
BFBS MILITARY DEBATE
Myself and another member of the campaign team went to London on Tuesday the 13th April, to debate issues affecting service personnel, their family members and our veterans. We would have preferred a more informal debate and for those ministers attending, to stay behind to discuss the issues raised by Bereaved Parents, Charities Groups and Campaign Organisations like ourselves. No sooner had the cameras stopped, did they run for the exit. I don't believe Bob Ainsworth MP, expected my friend and fellow member of the campaign team to chase after him...But Roy, not one to stand on ceremony or allow a good opportunity to pass by, pounced and blocked the exit. Mr Bob was in shock whilst Roy hit him with question after question. This all lasted about 2 minutes and by the time I got there, Roy looked happy with what he had just achieved. Well done matey. Please view the full debate in the links below. I managed to get one question in at part 4 of the debate. The interesting thing here is; Look at the faces of the MPs and their body language....To me it says "we have no answers to your question but we will say anything to get elected". All we ask for is Military Hospitals / Treatment Centres to be put in place and allow veterans to get their treatment at these centres...Please view the debate on youtube be aware there are 5 parts to the debate lasting about 30 minutes in total.
Regards
Nick OCC
Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Defence spokesmen face questions from our invited audience at the National Army Museum. Questions about Afghanistan, about military priorities for the future and about the welfare of forces personnel and their families worldwide.
Myself and another member of the campaign team went to London on Tuesday the 13th April, to debate issues affecting service personnel, their family members and our veterans. We would have preferred a more informal debate and for those ministers attending, to stay behind to discuss the issues raised by Bereaved Parents, Charities Groups and Campaign Organisations like ourselves. No sooner had the cameras stopped, did they run for the exit. I don't believe Bob Ainsworth MP, expected my friend and fellow member of the campaign team to chase after him...But Roy, not one to stand on ceremony or allow a good opportunity to pass by, pounced and blocked the exit. Mr Bob was in shock whilst Roy hit him with question after question. This all lasted about 2 minutes and by the time I got there, Roy looked happy with what he had just achieved. Well done matey. Please view the full debate in the links below. I managed to get one question in at part 4 of the debate. The interesting thing here is; Look at the faces of the MPs and their body language....To me it says "we have no answers to your question but we will say anything to get elected". All we ask for is Military Hospitals / Treatment Centres to be put in place and allow veterans to get their treatment at these centres...Please view the debate on youtube be aware there are 5 parts to the debate lasting about 30 minutes in total.
Regards
Nick OCC
Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Defence spokesmen face questions from our invited audience at the National Army Museum. Questions about Afghanistan, about military priorities for the future and about the welfare of forces personnel and their families worldwide.
Answer Please
The Truth is Needed
Dear Mr Jones
Thank you for your letter. Since you agree that the Medical Discharge Boards are far from perfect and that medically discharged soldiers should be briefed fully prior to their discharge procedure, why haven't you consulted those people at the sharp end who have been through the process? There are a number of other issues in your letter that I would like you to answer namely:
1. The SPVA only become further involved once a decision to discharge has been reached.(90 days before discharge) I would be interested to know where you received this information from because it is not correct. If you had asked the appropriate question the SPVA would tell you that they are not permitted any documents on people being discharged until they are out of the military system. The mental health welfare teams are lucky if they get any information on those leaving with PTSD or other disablement. Can you tell me if you intend to change this?
2. Former personnel who are on the old pensions system will not be given a pension forecast. Why is this and will it changed? If so, when will it be changed?
3. Service personnel that are medically discharged on the old pension system have no idea about their percentage of disability before they leave the services – instead it is sent to them over a period of 8 weeks. This is why so many veterans go to appeal. If the Government do care about service personnel after their discharge surely it would be better to calculate their pension before they leave the services? Or is there a specific reason why they are not told?
I look forward to your reply.
Respectfully yours
Nicholas Cowan
One Common Cause
The Conservative party commitment link.
Cut & Paste
Smoke and Mirrors
The Administrative Discharge Figures are incomplete. We have made contact with JPA and are awaiting their reply. We have requested the figures for the 25 months that are missing. Our belief is: that this method of discharge is being used to reduce the real figures of those with mental illness, PTSD due to service. We understand that the MoD has now renamed PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) on some cases, with PTSR (Post Traumatic Stress Response) as this saves them money when awarding a war pension.
Link
The SPVA do not get involved until the serving person is a civilian. This has been pointed out on several occasions to Ministers and the MoD. The SPVA has requested that they are given access to medically discharged personnel as soon as possible to allow them to give advice and guidance on welfare and benefits etc.
Link
The information on Veterans in prison again is incomplete. What about those from Northern Ireland and Scotland? Our armed forces come from all four corners of the UK and boundaries / borders shouldn’t stop a complete answer.
Link
I have just listen to these two young lads. They explain their personal experience and the failures in the present systems. When they talk about touchdown in the UK and hospitals etc, they talk about ethos and understand by civilian nurses and the general public. The abuse afforded to them by some people.
If only our political masters had half their professional attitude to life and their respect to others, may be they would understand why people in this country are fed up with spin and bean counting...
Look forward to your comments. OCC
The Administrative Discharge Figures are incomplete. We have made contact with JPA and are awaiting their reply. We have requested the figures for the 25 months that are missing. Our belief is: that this method of discharge is being used to reduce the real figures of those with mental illness, PTSD due to service. We understand that the MoD has now renamed PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) on some cases, with PTSR (Post Traumatic Stress Response) as this saves them money when awarding a war pension.
Link
The SPVA do not get involved until the serving person is a civilian. This has been pointed out on several occasions to Ministers and the MoD. The SPVA has requested that they are given access to medically discharged personnel as soon as possible to allow them to give advice and guidance on welfare and benefits etc.
Link
The information on Veterans in prison again is incomplete. What about those from Northern Ireland and Scotland? Our armed forces come from all four corners of the UK and boundaries / borders shouldn’t stop a complete answer.
Link
I have just listen to these two young lads. They explain their personal experience and the failures in the present systems. When they talk about touchdown in the UK and hospitals etc, they talk about ethos and understand by civilian nurses and the general public. The abuse afforded to them by some people.
If only our political masters had half their professional attitude to life and their respect to others, may be they would understand why people in this country are fed up with spin and bean counting...
Look forward to your comments. OCC
Kevan Jones Replies
The Angry Reply
We have managed to get a reply from the Defence Minister. The way he has worded the letter one can only feel he is angry for some reason! Maybe due to the fact he had to address the not fit for purpose Medical Discharge System present being used?
I will let you see for your self what I mean. Also take a look at the date on Summary Notes. We know for a fact that those presently being discharged are not getting a lot of what he states is happening...
Summary Notes in This LINK
QUESTIONS
The tabled questions asked by Ministers
March 2010
Answered or have they..?
(320771) To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel have been discharged from each of the armed forces for alcohol abuse since 2001; and if he will make a statement.
[R] (320772) To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many compulsory drug tests for each substance were failed in each of the armed services since 2001.
[R] (320773) To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of personnel of each of the armed forces were administratively discharged in each year since 2001. "There is no answer for this one as it would cost to produce a list".. Strange is there something to hide here?
[R] (320774) To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were discharged from each of the armed forces on grounds of mental illness under each international classification of diseases code in each year since 2001
*Elfyn Llwyd (Parliamentary Leader; Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, Plaid Cymru)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place to assist the (a) rehabilitation and (b) re-integration into society of soldiers who are dismissed from the Army due to use of illegal substances.
Our serving personnel and veterans should be treated with respect by those that place them in harms way. One Common Cause would like to thank all those minister for asked these very important question.
DR Liam Fox
The meeting held on the 9th March 2010 at Portcullis House was organised by Action for Armed Forces. I would like to thank them for their invite and allowing me to address those minister present.
Dr Liam Fox and members of his defence team have already tabled several questions. Please see them below.
Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel have been discharged from each of the armed forces for alcohol abuse since 2001; and if he will make a statement.
[R] (320771)
Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many compulsory drug tests for each substance were failed in each of the armed services since 2001.
[R] (320772)
Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of personnel of each of the armed forces were administratively discharged in each year since 2001.
[R] (320773)
Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were discharged from each of the armed forces on grounds of mental illness under each international classification of diseases code in each year since 2001.
[R] (320774)
Mental Health figures are being diluted by the use of the admin discharge system or the dishonourably discharged route. The number of service personnel using drugs has increased since Iraq and Afgan. We believe the reasons could be to self medicate their mental illness caused by conflict. The same could be said for alcohol abuse and aggressive outburst or aggressive actions.
Nick Harvey
The LibDems Defence Minister was also able to see Rob Paxman and myself at short notice. I would like to thank Monica for arranging the meeting for us. Nick is also waiting for several tabled questions to be replied too. He has also tabling several more to gain more information about the true figures of those with mental health problems within the Armed Forces.
Regards
Nick OCC
P.S I do smile but got caught adjusting my position after a spasm in the back and leg...Give me stronger tablets...!
The meeting held on the 9th March 2010 at Portcullis House was organised by Action for Armed Forces. I would like to thank them for their invite and allowing me to address those minister present.
Dr Liam Fox and members of his defence team have already tabled several questions. Please see them below.
Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel have been discharged from each of the armed forces for alcohol abuse since 2001; and if he will make a statement.
[R] (320771)
Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many compulsory drug tests for each substance were failed in each of the armed services since 2001.
[R] (320772)
Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of personnel of each of the armed forces were administratively discharged in each year since 2001.
[R] (320773)
Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were discharged from each of the armed forces on grounds of mental illness under each international classification of diseases code in each year since 2001.
[R] (320774)
Mental Health figures are being diluted by the use of the admin discharge system or the dishonourably discharged route. The number of service personnel using drugs has increased since Iraq and Afgan. We believe the reasons could be to self medicate their mental illness caused by conflict. The same could be said for alcohol abuse and aggressive outburst or aggressive actions.
Nick Harvey
The LibDems Defence Minister was also able to see Rob Paxman and myself at short notice. I would like to thank Monica for arranging the meeting for us. Nick is also waiting for several tabled questions to be replied too. He has also tabling several more to gain more information about the true figures of those with mental health problems within the Armed Forces.
Regards
Nick OCC
P.S I do smile but got caught adjusting my position after a spasm in the back and leg...Give me stronger tablets...!
Operation Hitback
Armynet Blog Removed
I was informed the other day that the MoD and a Bigadier was not happy with the content of our Blog on their armynet. A little to close to the truth maybe..?I did delete the posts that caused such offense and was told that all my future posts had to be sensor checked. I stated "it's not an issue and I didn't wish to upset anyone or get the MoD breathing down their neck" (the armynet is sponsored by the MoD). I have just gone into the Blog portal to place some updates on there. However, the blog has been pulled... God bless the army if the truth should ever come out and the unenlightened soldier was educated on the truth behind the lies.
We look forward to your comments…
Join our Campaign on facebook
LEADER CONTACTS OCC
Dear One Common Cause
Many thanks for your email to Nick Clegg MP. Nick has asked me to contact you on his behalf. I apologise for the delay in responding but I hope you will understand that, due to the sheer volume of correspondence that Nick has been receiving, it can take some time for us to reply.
Nick and the Liberal Democrats are deeply concerned by the support offered to our injured veterans and have called on the Government to do much more to give them the assistance they require. Indeed, last week at Prime Minister’s Questions, Nick raised the issue of injured veterans having to pay for their own treatment with the PM. We believe that the military covenant has been broken and that our government, and previous governments, have failed to look after our servicemen and women and ex-service personnel. We have outlined a series of proposals in this area, including a dramatic improvement in medical and counselling services.
Nick has, moreover, led a very public campaign to put service personnel and their welfare at the heart of defence policy. We would ensure that no soldier, sailor or airman goes into harm’s way on less basic pay than a new recruit to the police or fire service. Currently, there is widespread dissatisfaction over pay among the lower ranks. This has a dreadful impact on morale and retention. We will find the money to pay for this from inside the MoD. It’s not right that we have one civilian for every man or woman in uniform, and almost 1,000 people working in communications alone. The problem is that over 51,000 (over a quarter of the Armed Forces) receive less in basic pay than a new recruit police constable or fire-fighter. The basic pay for the lowest paid Private is £16,681 and 13,000 lower-ranks personnel receive under £17,000 a year basic pay. Even with operational allowances, they receive less than a new recruit to the police force. Our proposals would bring the pay of the lower ranks in line with the hourly-rate of trainee and development-level fire-fighters, as well as new-entrant police constables.
Thank you once again for emailing.
Best wishes,
Bxxx Mxxxxx
Office of Nick Clegg MP
Support Being Shown
Thank you to all of you who have supported the campaign so far, especially those of you who have written or emailed their MP asking them to sign either of the Early Day Motions (EDM 361 and EDM473) Without being party political about this the greatest support has come from the Conservative Party Defence Team, Dr Liam Fox and Andrew Murrison. Both members have replied to email requests within 24 hours and I would like to thank them for their continued interest. We are still waiting for Bob Ainsworth, the Secretary of State for Defence and Kevan Jones, the Minister for Veterans to reply to the two letters sent out over the last two months.
EDM 361
EDM 473
Regards
Nick
OCC
Please be aware there are some graphic images in this clip. Nevertheless we have provided this clip to show the bravery of our troops and their family members. Please keep supporting by emailing your MP's asking them to sign EDM 361 or 473.
EDM 361
EDM 473
Regards
Nick
OCC
Please be aware there are some graphic images in this clip. Nevertheless we have provided this clip to show the bravery of our troops and their family members. Please keep supporting by emailing your MP's asking them to sign EDM 361 or 473.
Dr Fox Reply
One Common Cause is very happy to receive this reply from Dr L Fox. We believe if the medical discharge system was tri-service it would allow for cross pollination within the forces. By that we mean those service personnel with injuries that prevent them from being employed in the roll they did before injury, could be employed elsewhere within the armed forces. One Common Cause is still waiting for a reply from Bob Ainsworth (Defence Minister) and Kevan Jones (Veterans Minister). We only hope they are taking their position seriously as many more service personnel come home injured or dead.
OCC
OCC
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