UK Sunday Times Article: From Hero to Zero

[buglerbilly]

From The Sunday Times April 4, 2010

From hero to zero

Michael Clohessy returned from Iraq with a distinguished war record — and ended up in prison. Our jails are swollen with former soldiers. Why can’t they stay out of trouble?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7084032.ece

The Sunday Times is sometimes hit-and-miss but read this article, it'll make you both sad and mad...........we've learnt bugger all after years of war of how to handle our soldiers and get them back into the population......................all pretty sad really.

Great article but has its faults..........everything does........the article is too long to post here..........

[Riđđu]

we've learnt bugger all after years of war of how to handle our soldiers and get them back into the population......................all pretty sad really.


Sweden, Norway and Denmark just introduced a new legislation to handle veteran affairs of military crisis management missions, but those countries are welfare states.

In many other places investing money to get people back to the population and eventually pay taxes is a suspicious activity; much easier just to give them antidepressants and leave them alone.

And no, I´m not a social democrat or support a nanny state, but hearing stories like this just isn´t funny.

[Redcoat]

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;


Plus ça change plus c'est la même chose -as some unusually perceptive Frog once said

[buglerbilly]

Insurer cancels wounded soldier's £25k payout

A seriously wounded Afghanistan veteran has had a £25,000 insurance claim blocked by his insurance company after an employee saw him limp onto the pitch parading the trophy at the Carling Cup final.

By Nick Collins

Published: 4:36PM BST 04 Apr 2010

Pte Dave Tatlock, 20, who suffered spinal injuries in a friendly fire incident two years ago, was chosen as the guest of honour at this season's Carling Cup final at Wembley.

The soldier, a lifelong Manchester United fan, who has no feeling in his left foot and cannot move his calves following his injury, managed to hobble onto the pitch without his walking stick to display the trophy to fans before the match.

Soldiers died trying to shield injured commanderBut the day after the event an employee of Abacus, the Forces insurance company, reportedly stopped a £25,000 claim due to be paid to the soldier because he had been seen walking.

Pte Tatlock, from 2 Para, was told by medical staff that he could be paralysed after shrapnel hit him in the spine when an Apache helicopter opened fire on British troops, believing them to be the enemy.

He has since regained the ability to walk with a stick, but made a claim to Abacus for the loss of the use of his left foot.

ABF, the soldiers' charity, said Pte Tatlock had been told he would receive £25,000 in compensation, but the expected payment was withdrawn after he was seen at the match between Aston Villa and Manchester United in February.

Pte Tatlock, from Manchester, told the News of the World: I can't get my head around what they've done. They didn't even have the courtesy to ring me directly about it. I found out from my mum."

Abacus reportedly contacted the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court in Surrey, where the soldier was receiving treatment, to say he would not receive his payment because he had been seen walking. The centre then informed his mother.

Pte Tatlock added: "It's absolutely sickening – I pay £56 a month for this insurance cover.

"I've been pushing myself to get better and then they do something like this. It's a lot of money for me, but that's not the point. They don't know what I've been through."

The Ministry of Defence yesterday attacked the insurance company for its actions.

Kevan Jones, the Minister for Veterans, said: "Treating a brave and injured serviceman in this way is an absolute disgrace. As a matter of urgency I will be asking the company to explain their crass decision."

A spokesperson for ABF said: "Our servicemen and women are remarkable in the way that they refuse to be beaten by even the most severe injuries.

"Insurance for troops should take into consideration the delays in salaries and promotions from being in the recovery process and success and determination should not be rewarded with the removal of money."

Abacus could not be reached for comment yesterday. A spokesman told the News of the World: "We are looking into David's case. We have no desire to wriggle out of paying a claim if it is due."