Do You Agree?

[TWR]

The families of the lads killed in Afghanistan suing the Government? I certainly in full agreement with them.

[friedgreentomato]

No I don't.

[Psybbo]

I do as they were supplied with inferior equipment

[EcclesCake]

No.

[TWR]

If they are lucky to come home Psybbo, they could be very lucky & get their redundancy notice, that's what the Gov think of our lads.

[factor-fiction]

I agree as it seems there was a failure as to duty of care, although there is a danger i think that in future there will be excessive caution used which may reduce the effectiveness of our forces. I hope it only happens in exceptional cases like this one. I wonder what the cost of The Somme would have been if claims had been entertained then.

As for redundancies though, TWR, isn't it the Army not the government that makes the decisions about redundancy? I suspect some soldiers will be glad of redundancy rather than risk having to Iraq or somewhere like that- the army terms would be pretty generous I think

[Kiki-frog]

No, I don't think that's the answer. Men and women sign up for the armed forces knowing that death or injury is a possibility. And sometimes, sadly, that is the outcome.

It is without a doubt scandalous the cuts that have been made in the defence budget when troops are still deployed in Afghanistan - I don't think anyone would dispute that. But sometimes commanding officers have to make snap decisions about where to deploy troops. Do we really want them to be sitting around weighing up the potential litigation costs? And can any amount of the tax-payers' money really compensate a family for the loss of their son or daughter anyway? Personally, I find the idea of compensation like that a bit distasteful. Can you put a price on a human life?

The troops need to be brought home. It's as simple as that. Or else they need to be suitably equipped. Which, let's face it, is just not going to happen. I just don't think that money can ever pay for a loved one's life. Especially as that money would otherwise be going towards healthcare, education - or even, ironically, equipment for the armed forces.

[Prudie]

This isn't about carte blanche for families of soldiers killed to make claims though, this is specifically about Snatch Landrovers that were known not to provide the best protection when other better vehicles were available to be deployed at the time.

[Psybbo]

Thanks Prudie, I should have pointed that out in my answer.

[TTG]

Yes, small comfort for the loss of loved ones but might make our government think twice before sending others into pointless wars.

[Jeza]

I thought as they took the Queen's shilling, that is what they were paid for?

[Barmaid]

If their death has been caused by negligence in not providing appropriate equipment, yes. Otherwise, no.

[mccfluff]

One of the lads was my next door neighbour, his mum is suing because he didnt have the correct protective gear. I can see her point. He was only 21 I think when he died

[Zacs-Master]

If it means we have less to spend on defending the free world agains terrorism then it's a pretty stupid thing to do but then again I have never felt the pain of a child dying in battle, so I can't be sure.

[ChillDoubt]

As an ex Serviceman I have to say I disagree. As has been said, I/we/they took the Queen's shilling. We knew what we were getting into.
The excuse of inferior equipment is one that can be used by every soldier that has served these islands for decades. To a greater or lesser degree, soldiers have always subsidised their kit with gear they've bought themselves, from smocks to boots to webbing to berets to bivvy bags, squaddies have always bought gear that is better than the standard issue kit.

What does need addressing is the policy made by senior officers to use snatch Land Rovers as an SOP, which was stupid in the extreme.

Soldiers face injury and death to one extent or another throughout their time in HM Forces. I (and so many of my colleagues) saw those possibilities as an occupational hazard of life in the military, it goes with the territory, simple as.

[Jeza]

Well said Chill.

[craft1948]

It's a good job the soldiers in the second world war didn't decide to sue, as there were definitely a lot of dodgy decisions taken, and rubbish kit provided then.

[Answerprancer]

Possibly.
I have serious issues about the way potential conscripts are draughted.
I can only go by what I have seen and heard about the way that the MOD promotes the armed forces as a 'career opportunity' and it looks very dubious to me. They really like to play on this whole "heroes" aspect and I worry that young vulnerable lads are lured in by false imagery.

[ELVIS68]

Chill, if they are buying their own equipment which is obviously better than the stuff given to them, is it just down to penny pinching?

[craft1948]

One of my colleagues from a few years ago had an 18 year old son serving in NI. She reckoned she spent hundreds replacing his rubbish kit, especially his boots.