Absolute Disgrace.

[Astro78]

I hate to play Devils Advocate here because I understand everyone's frustration; however, the Soldier was over paid for work he did not do, or couldn't do. (RIP)

That doesn't mean his family or spouse wasn't compensated.

Okay. Gonna disagree here. Maybe it is because I am military, but I gotta disagree. To have a loved one perish in service, to give the ultimate sacrifice is bad enough. To have the government say that, oh and by the way, we know you've lost a husband, son, mother, father, wife, daughter, son, and you owe us money? That is cold. COLD. They could just deduct the overpayment from the life insurance pay out. Not send some cold ass letter. Lance Corporal Jordan Bancroft, Thank you for your service and God Speed. On a side note, I had to fight with our own cargo handlers about the way they were gonna transport a transfer case with a deceased soldier in it. They were going to put it on an open loader and drive across the flight line with the flag draped case visible. We (the aircrew and the aircraft maintainers) nearly came to blows with the load team over the issue. In the end, protocol was observed and the service member's case was appropriately and respectfully carried off by the aircrew and placed in a closed vehicle. This just hits a big nerve after having been in harm's way my fair share over the last ten years.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

Okay. Gonna disagree here. Maybe it is because I am military, but I gotta disagree. To have a loved one perish in service, to give the ultimate sacrifice is bad enough. To have the government say that, oh and by the way, we know you've lost a husband, son, mother, father, wife, daughter, son, and you owe us money? That is cold. COLD. They could just deduct the overpayment from the life insurance pay out. Not send some cold ass letter. Lance Corporal Jordan Bancroft, Thank you for your service and God Speed.

If i read it right it says they didn't attempt to recover the overpayment after his death, instead when it came to paying him outstanding holiday pay he was owed sent a letter saying the overpayment would be deducted from that.

Sure i understand the family being upset but what else could the MOD of done?

The family say it wasn't about money but respect but i don't think it really was disrespectful, it was a letter informing them of what was happening, it had to be sent.

 

[tsubaki]

If i read it right it says they didn't attempt to recover the overpayment after his death, instead when it came to paying him outstanding holiday pay he was owed sent a letter saying the overpayment would be deducted from that.

Sure i understand the family being upset but what else could the MOD of done?

The family say it wasn't about money but respect but i don't think it really was disrespectful, it was a letter informing them of what was happening, it had to be sent.

The easy thing to do would be to just round pay up for dead service personnel to the end of the month that they died in, not give money back for outstanding holidays owed, and instead top up the sums paid as death benefit to the next of kin.

 

[Astro78]

If i read it right it says they didn't attempt to recover the overpayment after his death, instead when it came to paying him outstanding holiday pay he was owed sent a letter saying the overpayment would be deducted from that.

Sure i understand the family being upset but what else could the MOD of done?

The family say it wasn't about money but respect but i don't think it really was disrespectful, it was a letter informing them of what was happening, it had to be sent.

Must get my facts straight before going off half cocked. Just a touchy issue is all.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

The easy thing to do would be to just round pay up for dead service personnel to the end of the month that they died in, not give money back for outstanding holidays owed, and instead top up the sums paid as death benefit to the next of kin.

Yeah fair enough but thats not the proceedure in place now though.

Must get my facts straight before going off half cocked. Just a touchy issue is all.

Yeah of course. I know it seems like thyey acted callously and just interested in money on the surface but in these circumstances i dont think thney coluld of done anything else.

 

[Gerard_Francis]

Gobsmacked, unbelievable

 

[roydo]

Okay. Gonna disagree here. Maybe it is because I am military, but I gotta disagree. To have a loved one perish in service, to give the ultimate sacrifice is bad enough. To have the government say that, oh and by the way, we know you've lost a husband, son, mother, father, wife, daughter, son, and you owe us money? That is cold. COLD. They could just deduct the overpayment from the life insurance pay out. Not send some cold ass letter. Lance Corporal Jordan Bancroft, Thank you for your service and God Speed. On a side note, I had to fight with our own cargo handlers about the way they were gonna transport a transfer case with a deceased soldier in it. They were going to put it on an open loader and drive across the flight line with the flag draped case visible. We (the aircrew and the aircraft maintainers) nearly came to blows with the load team over the issue. In the end, protocol was observed and the service member's case was appropriately and respectfully carried off by the aircrew and placed in a closed vehicle. This just hits a big nerve after having been in harm's way my fair share over the last ten years.

I think this gets to the nub of the issue. My experience of military personnel is that they have an incredible sense of "right and wrong", shared values, and mutual respect, (both of other services, foe, and other regiments.) Most civvies, as shown on here, hold the military in very high regard, and whatever someone thinks of the rights and wrongs of a conflict, the military are rarely turned on. Rightly so IMO.

Point is, the military react to a comrades death or injury in a different way than civvies looking on, other than the family of course, but the thing that seems to be constant is the absolute contempt that serving service personnel AND civvies hold for the office bound MOD staff that seem to treat the front line as a spreadsheet to be balanced.

Dont know if you are still serving mate, but thanks any rate for your service.

 

[Extratime]

It's a sad, sad day when a soldiers family has to deal with something like this. Regardless of the nation, their should be a set of rules put in place to honor those that passed away without having to make petty demands of the family. I am not British, but I would be enraged if something similar happened here in the states.

 

[Astro78]

Dont know if you are still serving mate, but thanks any rate for your service.

Yup. Still serving. Thank you very much for your kind words and well put thoughts.

 

[roydo]

Yup. Still serving. Thank you very much for your kind words and well put thoughts.

No probs. Had family in the forces, so not totally unaware.

Stay safe kid.

 

[Nordecke]

Okay. Gonna disagree here. Maybe it is because I am military, but I gotta disagree. To have a loved one perish in service, to give the ultimate sacrifice is bad enough. To have the government say that, oh and by the way, we know you've lost a husband, son, mother, father, wife, daughter, son, and you owe us money? That is cold. COLD. They could just deduct the overpayment from the life insurance pay out. Not send some cold ass letter. Lance Corporal Jordan Bancroft, Thank you for your service and God Speed. On a side note, I had to fight with our own cargo handlers about the way they were gonna transport a transfer case with a deceased soldier in it. They were going to put it on an open loader and drive across the flight line with the flag draped case visible. We (the aircrew and the aircraft maintainers) nearly came to blows with the load team over the issue. In the end, protocol was observed and the service member's case was appropriately and respectfully carried off by the aircrew and placed in a closed vehicle. This just hits a big nerve after having been in harm's way my fair share over the last ten years.

Easy bro, I'm a combat veteran with respect for all service members.. I do know how things work in the Military as do you.. I was simply pointing out that this is not that uncommon. As you should know.

 

[Astro78]

Easy bro, I'm a combat veteran with respect for all service members.. I do know how things work in the Military as do you.. I was simply pointing out that this is not that uncommon. As you should know.

Dude, we are birds of the same feather. Was just disagreeing with the devil's advocate position you pointed out. I know you speak from hard bought experience from your service. Sadly, you are right when you say that this is not uncommon. You know you are always tops in my book.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Easy bro, I'm a combat veteran with respect for all service members.. I do know how things work in the Military as do you.. I was simply pointing out that this is not that uncommon. As you should know.

Dude, we are birds of the same feather. Was just disagreeing with the devil's advocate position you pointed out. I know you speak from hard bought experience from your service. Sadly, you are right when you say that this is not uncommon. You know you are always tops in my book.

Both good lids in my book, even if I did get spanked to death on FIFA by a Yank FFS.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

I'll bet the MOD write off more than this amount on a daily basis, even if it had been a full months pay.

MoD officials given £40m bonus pot
Ministry of Defence officials are receiving record bonuses as Britain's armed forces brace themselves for the impact of government spending cuts, it has been claimed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8238021/MoD-officials-given-40m-bonus-pot.html

Some £2.7 million was divided between top officials - an average of £8,000 each - while Junior staff were given an average bonus of £775.

The staff at the M.O.D. could work a coffee break to cover the cost of any dead soldiers 'overpay.' That should cover it each time someone gets killed in action.