KFC Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Why should any discount be dependent on danger, risk or heroism? Many service personnel join and serve for short term. Not all trades carry an immediate risk but are necessary in support of those up the sharp end. Many trades have few transferrable skills either so they give their service for a number of years and then have no equivalent in civvy street so have to retrain or take unskilled jobs. Notwithstanding certain eligibility criteria, once a serviceman/woman signs on the dotted line then they're in for the signed up time. Yes, some civvy jobs carry the same, if not greater, risks but if a civvy decides they don't like the risk any more then they can walk away without threat of getting banged up for desertion or AWOL. As I've said, lots of civvy jobs get discount offers so why should the military be excluded? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 (edited) I bet more people have been injured/killed doing the above over the last year than people in the forces. Probably because there are many, many times more people doing those jobs than serving. Our forces as a percentage of the working population are tiny. Do you seriously believe a Sparky (for example) going to work has a statisically greater risk of death or serious injury every day than a soldier on ops? I don't know if you've ever been to the military wing of Selly Oak hospital? Or one of the rehabilitation centers like Headley Court? Or a BLESMA branch meeting? If not then you are probably not aware of the hundreds, yes many HUNDREDS of single, double and triple amputees as a result of recent military service. Not to mention those suffering blindness, disfigurement, serious mental health issues etc. Yes, as I'm sure you are about to tell me, they knew the risks when they joined. But they still took them. They had the courage to step up to the mark when lesser men could only snipe from the sidelines and begrude them a cheap pizza. Edited January 19, 2014 by Blunderbuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted January 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 I bet more people have been injured/killed doing the above over the last year than people in the forces. You may be right as there are approx 33 million working people in the uk and the statistics are on your side.How many of those were killed or injured by hostile action?,suddenly the military win hands down in the statistics game B) And you might want to click on this link,feel free to click on each photo,you can read what happened to them http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2011/sep/20/british-troops-killed-in-afghanistan-interactive And the government statistics for Afghanistan. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/273340/20131217_OpHerrick_casualty_upto_31December2103.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucas Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'm not saying they don't get injured, I'm saying why should they get discounts when some never see a battle and there already getting paid. Again compared to normal jobs there risk may be higher when engaged but yes this is what they signed for. If I was at work as let's say a pyrotechnic engineer and I get a limb blown off should I get discounts? When they join I'm sure they don't think there gonna be playing with water pistols and bean bags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Yawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 (edited) I'm not saying they don't get injured, I'm saying why should they get discounts when some never see a battle and there already getting paid. Again compared to normal jobs there risk may be higher when engaged but yes this is what they signed for. If I was at work as let's say a pyrotechnic engineer and I get a limb blown off should I get discounts? When they join I'm sure they don't think there gonna be playing with water pistols and bean bags It's quite simple really. Uniquely amongst the jobs you mention, our forces sign up knowing they may be asked to give their lives FOR THEIR COUNTRY. There is a huge difference between a statiscally rare industrial accident you never expected (sad though that is), to repeatedly facing the realistic possibily of violent death or maiming by IED or at the point of a gun. Whatever the political rights and wrongs of the conflict in question, every soldier be they a chef, mechanic or infanteer is a soldier first and has signed a covenant accepting that they may have pay the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe. Some British people are grateful for that, imagine that? Some businesses would also like to show a SMALL token of gratitude to them by offering discounts. What is it about that which eats away at you so much? I may have misread you or you may not be articulating your position very well, but you are coming across as petty and mean spirited with an aggrieved sense of entitlement for something you think you are missing out on. Join BASC get BASC discounts, join the RAC get RAC discounts, join the forces get forces discounts. Edited January 20, 2014 by Blunderbuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byjovecarruthers Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 ''Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea.'' Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), British author, lexicographer. Quoted in James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson, April 10, 1776 (1791). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagsy Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 I suspect a few BASC members on this thread will be handing their cards back in disgust at the thought of getting discounts from carefully selected companies. Jeez, will you listen to yourselves? Nice one Welsh1, pizza it is this weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 See post #17 no matter who it is in the armed forces they are all trained to a minimum standard and can be called upon to fight. As I have said before,anyone is welcome to join the forces if you want the discounts I wasnt disagreeing with it, My dad did 20 odd years in the RAF and my nephew is currently serving in the RAF, and has one tour of Afghan under his belt with another to oversee the final withdrawal to look forward to, He makes great use of his discount card Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagsy Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 See post #17 no matter who it is in the armed forces they are all trained to a minimum standard and can be called upon to fight. So that rules out the RAF Regiment then. Sorry, couldn't resist it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 So that rules out the RAF Regiment then. Sorry, couldn't resist it. He isnt Regiment....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Not a lot of them require you to duck as you are being shot at I've been a few times as a guest on a pheasant shoot and there's one bloke where you practically have to......... (I have a Seeland reversable hat - I turn it from green to orange if next to him!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicykillgaz Posted January 20, 2014 Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 (edited) You may be right as there are approx 33 million working people in the uk and the statistics are on your side.How many of those were killed or injured by hostile action?,suddenly the military win hands down in the statistics game B) And you might want to click on this link,feel free to click on each photo,you can read what happened to them http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2011/sep/20/british-troops-killed-in-afghanistan-interactive And the government statistics for Afghanistan. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/273340/20131217_OpHerrick_casualty_upto_31December2103.pdf Statistically more trawler men die at work than soldiers per 100,000 it's statistically the worlds most dangerous job apparently, bomb disposal was 3rd. I'll try and find the link to it tomorrow but off to bed now. Edit- can't find the original link if read but here's another similar, it's a list of the americas most dangerous job based on deaths per 100,000 http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/gallery/p2p-77135582/ Edited January 20, 2014 by bicykillgaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted January 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2014 Statistically more trawler men die at work than soldiers per 100,000 it's statistically the worlds most dangerous job apparently, bomb disposal was 3rd. I'll try and find the link to it tomorrow but off to bed now. Edit- can't find the original link if read but here's another similar, it's a list of the americas most dangerous job based on deaths per 100,000 http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/gallery/p2p-77135582/ Statistically as an ex soldier i am going to get 100% more discount out of this forces discount scheme than you who is not ex forces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletcher1004 Posted January 21, 2014 Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 discounts are one thing but as a serving soldier who has now completed 10 Operational tours of duty (Kosovo x 2, Iraq x 4 & Afghanistan x 4) i will always remember somebody saying to me that the next time some guy in a bar voices an anti war opinion just look his girlfriend in the eye and give her a wink............ because she knows she's dating a pussy! ha ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted January 21, 2014 Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 Makes a change from a police bashing thread, might sign up for the discount card myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicykillgaz Posted January 21, 2014 Report Share Posted January 21, 2014 Statistically as an ex soldier i am going to get 100% more discount out of this forces discount scheme than you who is not ex forces. Lol! To be fair mate I don't begrudge anyone a bit of discount and I started out my replies with a little light hearted trolling, I do think it would make more sense if the money went on something that would save a soldiers life rather than make him fat, I also think other people are overlooked who may equally deserve something. And I certainly don't think I'm entitled to anything. A better example is that RNLI are basically surviving on handouts and volunteers putting their lives at risk and get nothing I'd rather they got high street discounts than someone getting paid to do a job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Heads up,for those of you thinking of a holiday in the sun(that yellow orb in the sky you see two days a year)you can now get 5% off a thomas cook holiday if you are a member of the defence discount service,every bit helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.