Write a letter/ send an email.

[wgaf]

I have been talking to a couple of people in sandier climes in recent days and have been shocked and to be honest p1ssed off to find out that many people out here have recieved nothing, not even a letter from home for Christmas.
To cut a long story short. I got talking to a pongo Warrant who told me that several of his lads were pretty down in the dumps as they'd recieved nothing from home whilst their mates had welfare packages, letters, cards etc. So I've done some digging and it's a more widespread probem than you'd think. I appreciate there may well be circumstances and reasons behind this but I can only imagine what a cr@ppy place this would be without something from home to cheer you up. Especially at this time of year!
So to the crux of this post. A simple plea, as service/ex service personnel we all know people away from home at this time of year, please don't leave it to others or think that "SAC X will be ok someone will write it's Christmas after all." Drop them a line, send them an email/ebluey. It'll take only a fraction of your day and it could make someones out here.
Thank you.

 

[FOMz]

Well said there WGAF.. a bluey off ANYONE is nice.

I must admit, on my last little trip to Iraq, a certain ex-cpl scribbly turned zob, took it upon himself to write me blueys every few days.

It the thought that counts guys..


I won't embarress him by saying that he kept sending them to the wrong part of Iraq - but they did catch up with me!! DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[tats]

Our section make a point of collecting random stuff for welfare parcels to be sent out to all of our OOA lot at Christmas, am kinda surprised others don't do the same, it doesn't take much if everyone chips in a little.

 

[wgaf]

Our section make a point of collecting random stuff for welfare parcels to be sent out to all of our OOA lot at Christmas, am kinda surprised others don't do the same, it doesn't take much if everyone chips in a little.

tats, there are RAF personnel out here who haven't even had so much as a courtesy call from there sections back home. Let alone a parcel or Christmas card. Those sections that can't be @rsed should be ashamed of themselves. It's quite frankly a disgrace and if thats what manangement of these sections thnk of their manpower then maybe that management shuld have a long, hard look at themselves and as if they're in the correct line of work.
Rant off. Again, please send your mates/ aquaintences a letter or email. You never know, it could be the only one they get.

 

[Talk Wrench]

WGAF,

There used to be an E-GOAT adopt a detachee scheme. Why not resurrect it and keep it going?

I've already adopted our very own Lovetoad whilst he's out in Bastion. I've got no problem with sending the occasional welfare package out to other people as well.

TW.

 

[wgaf]

WGAF,

There used to be an E-GOAT adopt a detachee scheme. Why not resurrect it and keep it going?

I've already adopted our very own Lovetoad whilst he's out in Bastion. I've got no problem with sending the occasional welfare package out to other people as well.

TW.

TW, the adopt a detachee scheme worked wonders in its early days, but as with so many things people got, for want of better words, bored and lackadaiscal about it. As with so many things that start out with the best of intentions it withered. We as mods can only suggest these things, the whole populace of the goat can also help with ideas, but it stills comes down to the individual to put the work in, we cannot force people to write letters, emails, eblueys, send parcels etc. Basically it comes down to wether or not individuals and sections can be @rsed to make the effort. Having seen the demoralising effect it can have on people OOA then I personally will make damn sure that in the future I'll be doing my fair share of letter writing.

 

[Sniffer]

On a personal note I can do nothing but praise my Section back at RAF Henlow who sent out a parcel, RAF Henlow Stn Cdr for sending me a £10 paradigm card and TWM who also sent out a welfare box. I even received a welfare parcel from the readers of the Biggleswade Chronical as well as a christmas gingerbread man from Lower Stondon Middle School.

I have always made sure that I send a couple of boxes out every Christmas, as I knew sooner or later my time would come to be stuck out here and I'm a big believer in what goes around comes around.

One year when the Section I worked in had at least 2 guys sandy side the majority of the team spent a fair few quid each on things to put in boxes. The Wg Cdr brought in a tube of sodding pringles!!!

To me it is all about looking after your own, but some people are right selfish bar stewards and think only of themselves at this time of year. Fact of life I'm afraid.

 

[Harry B'Stard]

Christmas boxes!

Christmas boxes!

Whilst down south a few years ago over Christmas, I received absolutely nowt from my home unit... and neither did the other 5 or 6 guys from the same section.

We all got one of the UK4U boxes that contained lots of bits and bobs... some stuff was tat; other stuff was OK.

That's why this year I made sure we clubbed together and sent a couple of boxes of stuff to one of our mates who's currently in the same pleasant place!

Not heard back from the ungrateful sod... but it's the thought that counts!DT_Xtremez_30:

HTB

 

[Joe_90]

I have spent my second Christmas over the past few years away and I'm about to come home now. My Section at Odiham were the worst culprits for sending anything. They ripped some decorations down from the Christmas do and threw a random mince pie into a box for me last time. That's despite being in the teabar fund that was supposed to help pay for the OOA Christmas boxes. The CO did send my wife a £25 voucher I think, I can't remember what it was for. As soon as I got back from that particular det I told them they could shove their teabar up their hoops and accused them all of being ignorant *****.

This year I got a £10 phonecard from the CO at my new unit, it arrived around about the 10th of Jan, and a Christmas card from the Section that arrived about the 16th of Jan. Both groups must have ben caught out by the constantly changing date of Christmas this year.DT_Xtremez_42:

As a Section out here though we received loads from friends and family instead, which makes up for it though.

 

[wolfy]

TW, the adopt a detachee scheme worked wonders in its early days, but as with so many things people got, for want of better words, bored and lackadaiscal about it. As with so many things that start out with the best of intentions it withered. We as mods can only suggest these things, the whole populace of the goat can also help with ideas, but it stills comes down to the individual to put the work in, we cannot force people to write letters, emails, eblueys, send parcels etc. Basically it comes down to wether or not individuals and sections can be @rsed to make the effort. Having seen the demoralising effect it can have on people OOA then I personally will make damn sure that in the future I'll be doing my fair share of letter writing.

I may be wrong but I thought Laboratory Queen was or has set up a site for this kind of thing, I am sure Coohead will be able to tell more.

 

[Outermost]

Hate to say it but they should ‘man up' a notch. Sure it’s nice to feel appreciated and I’m sure the wife/girly or the folks sends a little something out at some point.

So what if it doesn’t get there on time…..the mail catches up eventually.

If your at a major base you have naff all to moan about, you can get all the fanta and twix‘s you need from the naff naff and can get on the old blower for twenty minutes whenever you like on Christmas day to cheer yourself up.

How about they chin the parcels off for the December month and free up the mail so parcels can get to the bods in the remote areas. One mans tatt is another mans treasure. A pack of baby wipes or a tin of fruit from UK4U is worthless if your in a MOB but in the field it’s a comfort that is much appreciated.

I agree that sections should spare a thought for the guys at those times of the year but lets not get over emotional about it. Emotional robustness is a virtue the army is trying to instil in all its soldiers and they should be big boys by now who understand the complexity and strain on the postal/logistical system at that unique time of the year.

Also - The WO mentioned in the first post should have been in the loop with his rear party to ensure that the moral and welfare of his troops was safeguarded at that time. If he wasn’t then he let them down! That is a function that he should fulfil in the absence of an appointed CSM/welfare rep and as a senior rank in charge of soldiers.

Rant over!

 

[Martin Blank]

Our sect T bar sends a £10 box of goodies to all detachee's over xmas regardless of whether they are members or not.
Nuts mag, sweeties a few festive bits and bobs.

Not quite duty of care but it show's that they are thought about by the section.

Makes you wonder what the line management of said boys and girls on det are thinking of.