Kicked in the teeth

Having been brought up as a Dependant, I take a keen interest in most things military. It is achingly clear that the various agencies involved in dealing officially with servicemen and servicewomen (and their Dependants) injured and killed in the line of duty are failing lamentably both in their duty of care and levels of empathy.

I usually leave Rogue Gunner to highlight these issues admirably, but here's one he missed.

The local paper reports that;

The mum of an Aberdeen soldier killed in Iraq today hit out over demands to make her pay for inquest papers.

Diane Douglas says she has been told she can get the transcript of the court probe - at a cost of £1.10p per page.

And she branded the request "a damn disgrace".
Lance Corporal Allan Douglas was on the roof of a police station when he was hit by a sniper in Iraq last year. The 22-year-old, of the 1st Battalion Highlanders, had been planning to leave the army.

In November an inquest in Oxford, attended by his mum and dad Walter, returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

His mum said today it was "very important" that she have all the papers from the inquest but felt the authorities were "just not bothered".

Bloody beancounters.

If I sound bitter then tough. I try my level best to deal with compassion in my job, but penny pinching bureaucrats bite my arse.

I've sworn twice already...not my usual way. I apologise, but I recall that when my father, having served 40 years in the RAF and then as a SSAFA Welfare Officer for 2 years, died having succumbed to cancer and suddenly the bookkeepers at RAF Hendon were on to me after a scant few weeks to reclaim 11 days of his pension as it was paid in advance!

They got a letter expressing my feelings. I was polite. Did I get a reply? You have a guess.

Tears are welling.....see what those bastards have done to me after all these years. I'm off to weep quietly. Missing you old man!