Bee in my bonnet

[granny grump]

I have got a bit of bee in my bonnet and I wondered whether I was over reacting

I know a lad who is in the army but his unit is never posted. The army has taught him to drive and given him a trade.He can afford to buy a house and is doing a degree.

What rankles with me is there are other lads doing what they joined the army to do and some are even losing their lives. Surely if this is not an active unit the work could be done by civilians

[jackthehat]

Yes..............you are overreacting.

[237SJ]

Maybe there will come a time when he is needed overseas somewhere. Or maybe he had a trade that is not needed overseas but it necessary back up back at home.

[granny grump]

obviously it's just me

[ttfn]

granny grump - I can understand your feelings and I don't suppose I am the only one.

[granny grump]

Thank you ttfn - I come from a military background - my husband my father and two sons in law all served and I am therefore a bit biased. I couldn't believe that this unit existed

[237SJ]

It`s just luck of the draw though isn`t it? If someone served in the 80s and avoided the Falklands there weren`t any conflicts to get involved in.

[Bambiagain]

I don't suppose he had any choice of what unit he serves in. And things can always change in the future. Be happy that his life is not at risk at the moment.

[granny grump]

I suppose you are right thank you all for your input

[ttfn]

Not for one moment would I wish any serving Armed Forces member anything but good health. I think the op's experience within her own family merely emphasises that it is unusual not to have been posted into a conflict zone.

[jackthehat]

What sort of unit is he with ?

[mazie]

Hi granny....It could seem a little unfair, but, every Son that doesn't have to go to a war that is not of our making is a blessing. I do understand how you feel. War should be banned(unless our heads of state lead the charge) and our young men should come home. Our country is not being invaded and this is never going to stop the people that want to harm us. It's wrong on so many levels

[granny grump]

He's with signals - based in Blandford

I agree with you 100% mazie I just feel it is a little strange that some soldiers get posted and others don't

[jackthehat]

They can't send every single soldier off to a war-zone at once.
They are rotated on and off..........and not all trades are suitable for front-line deployment.
Some trades have a fast-rate and turnover is regular with large numbers going, others less-so with only a few needed to be deployed at any given time.

[granny grump]

Thank you jackthe hat - I didn't recognise you

[jackthehat]

The Signals are a Corps.
My boy was with REME, which is also a Corps.
He was posted out to Afghanistan when the Regiment to which he was attached was sent out.
The Regiment that 'your' lad serves with obviously has yet to be deployed.

[237SJ]

When I left collage, I thought about going into the services. I really wanted to do something else (which I`m doing now) but as we were in a recession I thought the services were the only jobs available. When I went to the interview, at no point was the fact that I might go to war mentioned. It was just before the Falklands and there hadn`t been a conflict for literally years. The point that was made to me was that I could have a "career" in the services and I think a lot of people at that time joined up this that in mind. My RAF boyfriend shortly after that time would have been horrified to have been sent to the Falklands because he just wanted to be an aircraft engineer.