That would mean a fair number of automatic weapons and ammo are kept at home by guys/gals who can't remember where they left their kit.....mmmmm maybe not. lets not follow this particular American dream...... what do you recon? and you always hope that they don't have any effects from the conflicts they have been a part of (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) I would not want my boy having access to his work kit while out with the public. on the way home from Brize after his last tour he nearly caused a ruccass when someone cut across us while driving and using their phone at the same time....boy did that bloke put his phone away quick when we stopped at the lights behind him and my boy jumped out and tapped on his window:wink:
You've used the word American....You'll find I used the word Swiss. :wink: I could be wrong but I don't think there's a higher rate of SWISS ex-servicemen rampaging than UK ex-servicemen. Unless you think the good old British Soldier is made of weaker stuff than our Swiss cousins? Personally, I don't. If you don't think they're mentally stable enough to keep a gun at home, are they safe enough to drive? Operate machinery? Buy fertilizer? And as I said, I wouldn't feel threatened at all if our ex-servicemen were allowed to be armed. Well trained and highly disciplined.
Google would suggest that doesn't apply to all of them another and another I don't think they are any more likely to be unhinged or untrustworthy with weaponry than any other member of society, but I don't think they are any less likely either.
Whilst on duty and under orders, every British soldier rightly can be and is trusted to use lethal firearms. The same soldiers, off duty and drunk in a bar in Aldershot, Paderborn or Ayia Napa, are not fit to be in charge of a broken beer bottle. Punching, booting and glassing cases are frequent enough without adding shootings as well. The idea of letting soldiers keep their weapons and ammo at home would be catastrophic. Not since 1945 has that been feasible. Incidentally, when soldiers are undergoing retraining at MCTC Colchester, the course includes use of weaponry on the firing ranges. This is very different indeed from prison!
......and besides that, it is very unlikely any SAS member would get a few beastings in the glasshouse for fear of future reprisal from his colleagues.....even if he has now been RTU'd. AL
For the 766 watchers of this thread,an update for you and thanks again for looking.Stu. MP says Sgt Danny Nightingale has been let down - Telegraph
Having seen this, from the start of this thread, i have to agree he has been let down bythe military system, there seems to be a catalogue of errors from start to finish. When leaving any theater of operations all baggage is checked by the RMP tostop souvenir collectors taking dangerous things back, why did this not happen in his case? And if as was reported the civilian police handed over the items to the military why was it not just put in the amnesty box which is outside EVERY armory in EVERY camp, and dealt with "in house" this "story" has done nothing more than open the Unit in question to criticism from the public, lets face it this thread is a case in point? This Unit, the best in the world, has unfortunately now become full of arse coverers this should Never have happened. none of us where at the Courts Martial and we only have the press for information on this case, which is not the best. I personally believe his “story” just because of the time frame involved, IMHO it sounds like his Op bag was sent back to his unit, why was it not put back in to the stores? This opinion will no doubt raise criticism but i can tell you from personal experience the red box on the wall would have saved a whole lot of trouble.
From an family point of view,i can tell you that there is a lot more to this than has been published.If you look at the above article in The Telegraph following a post Nightingale detention amnesty by members of 22 ,a large quantity of personal trophys has been handed over with no prosecution obviously.It does pose a question on how many others from the unit may have also been court martialed but in any case maybe a picture of the intent is becoming clearer.There is today a commons debate with reference to likely systemic MOD failures including the lack of repatriated bag checks and other checks and balances. Thanks guys.
As someone claiming a greater in depth knowledge of Sgt Nightingale and his family could you (1) comment on the reported fact that the Weapon had been moved several times and was no longer in the container sent back by colleagues (2) explain why over 300 rounds were found under his bed, with the gun, they hardly count as trophies (3) explain what grounds there could possibly be for any judicial review of this case, a hint, 17 years service are not grounds for immunity from the law. If they are I'd like my 9 years taken into account when I'm up for speeding next. (4) provide a list of other laws it would be OK for former or serving military personnel to commit without punishment. I'd be really interested in that one. Thanks
Best of luck to DN. I'm sure the silent majority are hoping a review will mean a reduction in the sentence. I'm also sure that when DN is 50 he won't be viewing the world in the same way he did when he was 20.
That is fair enough, but when has a civilian judge ever been involved in a courts martial, it was MOD not civilian law, he has no say over the military. unfortunately i don't think he will get any form of special treatment whilst in MCTC but will be discharged in due course less pension/lump sum and any form of resettlement, but as he is possibly the highest trained individual in there, he will, i hope be teaching those who are to "soldier on" military subjects to turn them around.
personally I think the ban on handguns is ridiculous. An over-reaction to a terrible event. There are people who should never be let near any sort of weapon, just as there are people who should never be let behind the wheel of a car. That said, I can't se any reason why I'd want a pistol, but then I don't have a shotgun or any sort of weapon.
And I have today just had a visit from friendly Mr Plod to inspect the items and to renew my tickets.......£40 for five years....can't moan at that....... ....primarily, that's all you have to do to stay the right side of the law...... AL
