General Chat

How some of our military are treated

A soldier who risked his life serving in Afghanistan and Iraq was refused a drink in a pub because he was in uniform.
Guardsman Brad Thomas, 24, was working for an Army recruitment team when he and fellow Grenadier Guard Jimmy Nuttal, 24, stopped for lunch in Witney, Oxfordshire.

But they were told to leave as they looked at the menu in the Cross Keys, because the pub has a policy of not serving members of the armed forces wearing uniform.

Guardsman Thomas, 24, who lost nine colleagues in Afghanistan, said: 'It really is pretty shocking.

'We weren't even going to drink. We only wanted a meal and a glass of coke.

'Everyone in the pub was looking at us, and I don't think some of them could believe it either. I was certainly quite annoyed.'

The pair crossed the road and were served at another pub. A member of the public even offered to pay for their meals.

Guardsman Thomas's mother Sharron, 53, said: 'Our lads and lasses are on the front line, putting their life at risk every day, yet in their own country they are treated like this. I think it is disgusting.'

Witney's Royal British Legion welfare officer Don Deaney said: 'It is appalling. I'm absolutely staggered and disgusted.

'Anyone who cannot serve someone a meal because they are in uniform should go to Oxford on repatriation days to see what is going on.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1230161/Soldier-fought-Iraq-Afghanistan-refused-service-pub--wearing-uniform.html#ixzz0XhlJlLPN

I can't get into the link, Ann... I'll try again in a moment.... my response is unprintable I'm afraid... how dare they?

Love

Daff xxxxx

Ann, I've just looked at the rest of the article and it explains why they're not allowed.

Not really, Uggers.... the rule in force is a directive applicable to one individual place... RAF Brize Norton... it would be at the discretion of individual military units.... until recently serving Armed forces were not allowed to wear their uniforms out in public at all, to the bank, Tescos.... or to the pub... even had to drive to work with their uniform covered up when they were in their cars. That was the Army... I don't think it applied to the RAF, and if it did, they pretty much ignored it, lol

That rule has been relaxed and amended over the last few years. It is no longer universal, but discretionary, and also depends on the alert state of a unit/area... so it wouldn't have applied to two SOLDIERS in their uniforms, passing through, and based at the recruiting office...... it would have applied to RAF.... in their distinctive blue uniforms! lol

Love

Daff xxxx (Hubby came out of the Army just 4 years ago after 34 years.... and still administers to a small group of soldiers, airmen and sailors)

Ten years ago it applied to the RAF Daff, but I seem to remember the rule was relaxed about 5 years ago as I was surprised to suddenly see so many blue uniforms around here (before they closed).

Sorry Uggers, I could swear that bit wasn't there when i copied it. It seems that the pub is acting under what they see as orders from Brize. I wonder if they explained this to the soldier?

The no uniforms in the street was brought in during the IRA's terrorist campaign in the fifties. The authorities were afraid innocent people would become involved in the violence. Pubs in Aldershot used to have a no troops policy. I must add that I was never treated like this when I was in uniform.