Excuse me while I use some soldiers' language

[Labarum]

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The [British] government will this week launch an attempt to deny soldiers crippled in battle full compensation for their injuries.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will go to the Court of Appeal on Tuesday to try to slash the compensation awarded to two injured soldiers by up to 70%. If the government wins, it will fuel the mounting disquiet over the relatively paltry payments some soldiers are receiving for lifelong injuries.

The legal action comes as British troops are suffering their heaviest casualties since the beginning of the conflict in Afghanistan in 2001.

Full story:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6727677.ece

For context - British casualties are very high at the moment, and there is much debate about whether we have enough helicopters.

I should have been the Duty Chaplain when eight were repatriated last week, but I was at my daughter's university graduation ceremony.

http://www.lynehamvillage.com/news/l...pat140709.html

I will be on duty at the repatriation next week. At least four . . .

[pastafarian]

I don't generally agree with him, but John Major summed up my feelings in that article:

"Last week Sir John Major, the former Conservative prime minister, said the nation was not meeting its “obligations” to injured servicemen."

One thing that is good in this country is that we are able to separate are feelings about the military and our feelings about those who lead it (often politicians it seems, making political choices). I say this because I am not someone who supports all the decisions that have been taken, but who feels that we are massively letting down our soldiers, who I do support.

Why are soldiers apparently being treated as second class citizens? According to the article in a civil case they would often get millions, but these soldiers appear to be getting almost nothing. Ridiculous.