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They are good enough to lay down their lives for the United Kingdon, so they should be good enough to remain here after long and courageous service for Her Majesty the Queen IMHO, some of the tougest and bravest men I have ever served with are from Fiji:
Fijian-born British soldiers lose latest legal fight to stay in UK | Military | The Guardian
It is. After cessation of hostilities they should simply release and take up residence locally like any other vet, collect pension and integrate. Not this sh!t...Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Disgusting indeed, when the Govt are quite happy to open the doors to the UK for all sorts of undesirable's and yet choose to kick out those that have served the crown. :bash:
Just shows what a twisted and immoral political governance we have had in the UK now for the past couple of decades.
The article doesn't really give enough information to know exactly what has gone wrong in the cases to which it refers.
More generally it would be interesting to know how many "non British" nationalities currently serve in the UK armed forces. Making an educated guess, I would have thought that it would be more than 6 nationalities and perhaps less than 12. The important point is that there should be clear rules which apply to all non British subjects serving in UK armed forces and those rules are applied fairly to everyone regardless of their nationality. There can't be rules that are more generous to one group of people and less generous to another group or resentment will ensue and there can't be rules so horrendously complicated that no normal person understands them.
Anything other than the above and you end up in a situation that we've all probably experienced at one time or another in our lives of "Everyone is equal but some are more equal than others.".
I can only speak for The Parachute Regiment & Special Forces, of which a large number of Fijians and South Africans have , and are currently serving.
Hereford has an abundance of these brave lads who are tough as old boots, and are always at the front when a job needs doing..........can't say enough to support them!
In terms of the reasons surrounding these eight soldiers, from time to time, a civilian administrator at MOD, (no names no pack drill) makes a decison when these people join up here which they are entitiled to do. When their respective service comes up for renewal or they have completed their full service, that they "could" be returned to the country they once came from to join HM Forces.
Actually its not miles away from the way they treat certain over stayers or immigrants. Same system really but those who let them join have to be more accountable.
To be honest many of the lads do go home of their own valition, but others who are happily married here with children have made a way of life, like these 8.
My view is "Give them the Choice" unfortunatel a small breed within Whitehall don't want to back down and lose face, thats as simple as simple as it is, and don't care if they waste tax payers money!!! :mad:
If someone is good enough to serve, he should be good enough to get the passport.
Just my 50 Lire...
It seems the problem is they didn't follow the law. As the judge said they are now trying to rewrite the laws through the courts. Their filings were late. I don't think it is a case of discrimination, but a case of people not taking responsibility for their own procrastination.
I don’t know the facts and must admit I didn’t read all.
If they had a means to get the citizenship and didn’t respect the rules, then it is different.
Sometimes, you just presume... bad habit.
Sorry for the previous, not accurate comment.
U.K Govt recruits them, U.K Govt sends them away to war against terror, they get injured/discharged, Incorrectly or blatantly ignored by the Govt, Thrown on the scrap heap after the use by date has expired.
How typical we see this over and again as a systemic problem why injured pets have better care taken of them here we have personnel that are broken by the dogs of war and left or ill informed by the Govt and as such they have to prove themselves over again just to be a citizen.
Where where the politicians at Whitehall when these chaps were at "Where the Metal meets the Meat" I'd hazard a guess they were having a hot toddy with their slippers on reading the times in front of a roaring fire.
This makes me puke its the same all over here as well, that not enough is done for these people who put themselves in harms way for our freedom and I mean this for all past, serving and future serving personnel you did your bit now society can pay its debt to you so your comfortable in what ever remains of your days.
Me conflict should be done by the politicians here is your arena, a baseball bat each, now go at it last one standing wins............................
The last time that I checked Ghanaians, Nepalese and Irish Republic citizens also served in the UK armed forces. The rules, relating to citizenship after service, should be just the same and just as fair to these people and any other nationality serving in the UK armed forces. The rules need to be transparent, consistent and administered fairly.
A UK citizen serving in another country's armed forces who may wish to settle in that country will likely be subject to certain rules. There is nothing wrong with having rules but problems may arise if the rules come across as being unfair or administered unfairly.
I don't have a dog in this fight but having been a soldier for 30 years allow me comment.
Being a soldier you accept what soldiering entails including death and disablement, irrespective if you are a citizen or not of that country. However, being a soldier your are naïve in trusting those in authority with matters not to do with soldiering, as you trust your comrades. Believe me, nothing prepares and ex-soldier for the lack of trust soon apparent outside the military. That is where the problem lies.
Every country has its citizenship requirements you must meet to be a citizen. The responsibility for a soldier to meet these requirements doesn't really fit in anywhere, except in the individual himself. On the one hand you have the trust in the organisation [military] to ensure you meet the requirements, on the other hand the individual's responsibility to comply. They should meet in the middle, but if the individual doesn't comply the organisation can't really force him to. This should be an administrative matter included in the induction of all non-citizens into the military, to be finalised when his service terminates.
So without knowing the facts of the matter it might be easy to judge. Probably the truth lies inbetween somewhere.
Filing for Citizenship is done by MOD as you reach the end of your tenure in the UK it is usually successful but for these eight time out and not being around to properly assist with a signature due to operations in Afghanistan caused a hole to appear in the "filing" system. Most of the paperwork ironically is done when you join up from these countries , otherwise you wouldn't get in to UK Armed Forces.
It is the MOD then with those papers complete or not in their hands who make the decision as the soldier reaches the end of his service. The soldier has to go along with the judgement.
Identical to the Gurkhas, who were also made to look as if they to wanted to change the rules....NOT so!
They were treated like an empty carton being put in the rubbish............"you have served your purpose now go back to your own country".
Disgraceful indeed....
As said, especially when you consider the economic migration to the UK and the way most of these 'individuals' are welcomed in.
Outrageous and nationally shameful Gil.
Outrageous and Disgraceful. Is there any British veteran groups helping these poor lads?
Didn't the one fellow not return within the required 2 years? It also sounds like they didn't have the monies required. Is that not the case?Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
He wasn't on UK soil he was in Afghanistan where comms at the best of times to do with welfare and immigration are the last things they hear about
The problem at the moment seems to be that no one seems too sure what the rules actually are or how they are applied.
Common sense to do what is right?
Does a non British subject who is/has served in the Uk armed forces have to pay £2,389 just to apply for British citizenship then?
What exactly are the rules on foreign enlistments in U.K. armed forces these days?
JOINING FROM THE COMMONWEALTH
The Army currently offers limited places for Commonwealth applicants. You don't require UK residency.
It is the responsibility of individual applicants to ensure that they have permission to be in the UK. This must be valid for the entirety of the recruitment and selection process up until the point they are enlisted. All applicants must have a passport that is valid for at least two years from your start date in the Army. You must be applying to join the Regular (full time) Army. You cannot join as a Reservist (part time) from the Commonwealth.
IMMIGRATION CONTROL
Personnel from overseas who are serving in the Regular Army are exempt from immigration control during the course of their service. Personnel from overseas serving in the Army Reserve are not exempt from immigration control.
Families who are not nationals of countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) are subject to immigration control and need to ensure that they have the appropriate immigration status.
Things may be different here in the U.S., but one of the recruits in our boot camp company back in 1964 was from Canada. Wanted to become a U.S. citizen. So enlisted in the navy and had to serve 4 years active duty. Lost touch with him upon graduating from boot camp. Upon graduated we were all scattered to the 4 winds for schools in different trades or assigned sea duty as the Vietnam War was starting to heat up. Frank