Calling all veteran ex servicemen! - Page 3

Madhatter · 17-07-2006, 19:23

Theres always someone there and till quite late at night, I used to deliver there.
Face facts, you are the only one who complained because the others don't want to cause a fuss, they're just being british and being greatfull for what they've got, which is a badge with the bonus of two free dents.

Madhatter · 17-07-2006, 19:26

by the way did you ask permision to use the picture of the badge in your first post, i'm trusting that you did and that you didn't CHEAT

T.C. · 19-07-2006, 07:49

Well J.B. I certainly think you've stirred up a hornets nest at the Vets Agency.
How did your call to Jemma go?

jambutty · 19-07-2006, 16:08

Much to my amazement I received a reply from Janet Anderson my MP. Things are looking up.

Quote:

Dear Mr. Buckley,
Thank you very much for your letter regarding your deep concern over the Veteran’s Badge and the problems you have had with the quality of the badge and the fact that relatives of veterans are unable to claim a badge.

I think the best thing I can do to help is to write, on your behalf, to Tom Watson MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, for his comments and I will forward his reply to you as soon as we receive it. But, in the meantime, if there is anything else I can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With all good wishes,

All those ands! However I can almost visualise the reply. Excuses, excuses, reason why things are as they are blah blah blah but not a single “we will honour our Veterans with a badge fit for purpose and a personal certificate plus the spouse or children of a deceased Veteran will also be able to claim a Veteran’s Badge.”

I emailed all relevant details to Jemma and called in to the Telegraph office on the way back from a dental appointment to allow her to photocopy the letter from Janet Anderson. I also left her a badge to establish that my cause is genuine. Photos or scans do not show the blemish for what it is. Two dents. Unfortunately Jemma had left for the day and won’t be back until Monday so I spoke to a colleague. I took the opportunity to hand the badge over with the question, “Can you see anything odd about this badge?” A fair question I think - without any pointers. She quickly spotted the blemish, as did a few other people.

I am a little surprised that no one from the Telegraph catchments area has seen fit to respond to my letter. Maybe it is the hot weather that is deterring them. More likely apathy.

jambutty · 26-07-2006, 15:05

Nicola Mott emailed me yesterday to say that her article would appear in today’s Telegraph. So naturally I had to buy one. I’m not a regular Telegraph reader.

What on earth are they up to? The topic is about the Veteran’s Lapel Badge, not me. Fair enough if they wanted to publish a picture of me but so large? My point was about the badge, the certificate and who was eligible to receive both! Not me!

I was also disappointed that there was no mention of the decision not to make the award to a surviving spouse of a veteran who had died or was killed on active service. Nor was there a mention of the anonymous certificates that accompanied the badges. Yet she made a great play of the clasp that defeated me even though she KNEW (because I had told her) that the clasp problem was down to me, old fingers and not as good as new eyesight. She also quoted words attributed to me by the Veterans Agency that I did not make. If that’s the best that the Telegraph can do well ………………..

She couldn’t even make her mind up who Bryan Thompson was. In the article he was the President of the Darwen Royal British Legion. In the email he was branch secretary. Maybe he was both?

However her email yesterday also informed me that the branch secretary of the Darwen branch of the Royal British Legion had invited me to attend their next meeting on 3rd August. You can bet your sweet life that I will be going.

I will see what 3rd August brings and then it will be a phone call to Granada, the BBC and a few emails to the National Press.

jambutty · 03-08-2006, 20:56

At the Royal British Legion meeting this evening every badge that I saw was the same as mine – that is they all had two dents in them. The President said that he would see what he could do about them. Sadly he didn’t seem too over enthusiastic about his mission but then he wasn’t fussed about his badge. So I can't expect much from that angle.

My email to Messers Penman & Sommerlad of The Daily Mirror (Thursdays) has just gone. I will wait to see what sort of a response I get before approaching Granada or maybe North West Tonight or maybe both.

Madhatter · 03-08-2006, 21:25

Cheap tack, to make it look like they actually care. Bet each one cost 10 pence in china lol. They'll be giving the ones away that no one claimed, in bubble gum machines on the seafront next year.

Bazf · 03-08-2006, 21:45

You are taking about a badge that was free?

Madhatter · 03-08-2006, 23:17

ye, he got it a box of cornflakes, which is where it belongs lol
No I don't see it as free, I see it as the man worked bloody hard for it, which involved risking his life. I think it should be made from gold, not chinese tin.

jambutty · 04-08-2006, 13:36

Yes Bazf the badge was free but qualifying for the badge was not free.

In my case it cost me 13 years of my home life. Many people gave their life and many gave their health. They deserve better than a lapel badge but if that is all that they will get then it should at least be ‘fit for purpose’ and not a reject.

If the MOD is going to give a certificate they could at the very least have made it personal – that is have the rank, name and number printed on it and possibly the regiment or which arm of the armed forces and dates of service. If I can alter the certificate to include those extras, they can print one at the outset.

What really gets up my nose is that the surviving spouse of a veteran is not allowed to claim a badge and certificate posthumously unless s/he is in receipt of a War Pension paid by the Veterans Agency. If anyone at all is deserving of the award it is the surviving spouse.

The whole episode has been done on the cheap. Then again what can you expect from a government that sends our troops to fight a war in Kuwait and then to try and keep the peace in Iraq with rifles that jam after a few shots, not enough body armour to go around and ask them to patrol a dangerous area in Land Rovers that offer no protection whatsoever?

Bazf · 04-08-2006, 15:36

13 years, get some time in, bloody part timers, 22years is the proper amount, plus the Falklands and Gulf War 1.

I qualified for this piece of junk

Madhatter · 04-08-2006, 19:22

did you know dog- kieth hudson bazf, he lives here and did falklands and ireland

junetta · 04-08-2006, 21:51

The thing that came to mind, Jambutty, was the age old saying............if the Services wanted you to have a wife they would have issued you with one! Nothing changes when you are widowed.

I wish you well in your quest, especially on behalf of the relatives. I'm disgusted with the treatment you have recieved but having experienced similar stuff in the past, I can't say I'm surprised.

Use your talent with words and make a difference for all of us.

Go, Jambutty........GO!!!

jambutty · 05-08-2006, 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

Congrats, Jambutty on getting the letter of the week in the LET. I think that this issue of the Veterans Medals deserves a little bit of coverage in the wider media. If we have such a medal, then surely it should be made here in the UK, by one manufacturer, at a consistant and high quality standard.

A Red Letter day today. I received a cheque for £10 from the Telegraph with a congratulatory letter. No dent in the cheque and the letter was personalised by being addressed to me.

Veterans Agency/MOD take note!

There comes a time in a serviceman’s life when family takes precedence over country Bazf. My time came in 1967 when instead of signing up for a further 10 years I opted for Civvy Street.

Thanks for your support junetta.