Totally disgusted

A question about : Totally disgusted

I have heard today that our soldiers in the UK army now have to pay for their food, 3 meals a day. Now maybe I have this wrong I hope so, but I have been told that these men and women who give their lives for us when they return to thier camps from active service have to pay for 3 meals a day. If they run out of money they can sign a book hungry soldier and will be given food but the rest of their group suffer.

As a mum of grown uo children I find this totally un acceptable surely after what they have been through and seen on a tour of duty they deserve to blow their cash on a few nights out to blot out the horrors of war, should they run short of cash is it fair they should go hungry?
Who in their right mind can expect a rested fit replacement to go back yet again and give their all for us and the Queen when we don't feed them properly.

I do hope I have this wrapped round my head and you will all batter me down, I really hope I am wrong the alternative is just too terrible to imagine.

Please give me your thoughts.

Best answers:

• Soldiers have always paid for their food. Just recently it's changed to pay as you dine instead of being deducted from their pay packet. Either way, they still have to pay.
• Why? As a mum I know the battle that goes on eat well or hae a few beers, surely they deserve both,
• Thats the point er indoors, soldiers same as anyone else should be able to budget for their food/beer requirements, soldiers dont go hungry nor do 'the rest of the group suffer'.
  Until PAYD was brought in food charges were deducted at source ie direct from their monthly wage packets, now however that charge is not taken, instead they pay for their meals when they go to get them. A far more grownup way of dealing with things IMHO, instead of treating them like children who are incapable of basic budgetting.
  If because they want to go out on the lash and pee all their money against the wall then so be it, thats their choice same as it would be my choice as a civvie to spend all my money on vodka not heavily subsidised meals in my works staff canteen.
• I really do understand what you are saying, and I agree we all need lessons on how to cope with money but is this really the issue? is it just a way of clawing back cash. I do know from experience that given the choice my young daughters if given the choice would have lived on cheap stodge to enable them to party!
  And you know what if I had gone through what they had I would have given up a balanced diet for a few nights of total oblivion if I had seen the tank in front of me blown up, with friends lost. Sorry, I know we all have our problems it just makes me so mad to think these kids will be off again
  soon without having had good food inside them.
• Clawing back cash from where though?
  Pre PAYD Pte x was charged say Ј50 a month for food, which was taken out of his wages monthly.
  Now Pte x has an extra Ј50 a month in his pay packet, with which he could buy food, or not, same choice as the rest of us make.
  IF Pte x chooses not to use that money to buy food thats his own fault/problem.
  On Ops and Exersizes the situation is totally different, food is provided for soliders - back to a minimal charge taken at source (IIRC).
  I still fail to understand your problem, we are humans we have choices, spend money on food/dont spend money on food. Its not just the Armed Forces who see and experience horrific events in the course of their working lives, the police, ambulance service and I would imagine most doctors do too - should food be provided for them if they fail to budget properly?
• With respect I believe this to be different, We do all have choices and can spend our money as we see fit, however, should I decide I am having a few weeks savings all I can for whatever reason the only people that would person that would suffer by this would be me. Ok I agree the doctor the ambulance man also have their needs, however, we have a Army of men that we send for months on end not just an 8-12 hr shift surely they should be both mentally and physically at their best to enable
  them to do the best job possible.
  Unlike the doctor, ambulance man fireman who equally do a fantastic job can't take a day off if they have a need,
  As I said, I know very little but to me it just sounds crazy.
• Criminals get free food in nick, but soldiers have to pay???
  I've heard it all now!
• OK, but as I said on the occasions when a soldier/sailor/airman are on duty for long periods meals are provided- ie Op tours like Herrick, Telic, Tosca, etc, if they are away on Exersizes (training packages) again the food is provided, or the cost of food can be claimed back through the JPA system and is reimbursed at their next paypacket.
  When they are not ie on 'normal' duties they are as responsible for their own food as anyone else. Contary to many opinions a member of the armed forces actually does often work an 8 hour day same as anyone else, barring occasional Guard duties or assorted other duties which generally last 12/24 hours. And can take time off the same as anyone else 'when the needs of their job' can be met by other people.
  How is that crazy?
• I agree murderers and the like get free meals and even cosmetic surgery in prison whilst our lads get bad end of stick as per usual. Whats it all for anyway Bin Ladens probably living a few streets away from Gordon Brown claiming benefits for his extended family
• Hi, Just to put my bit in. I sometimes work in the GP surgery at a barracks. When i am there i am able to eat in the canteen along with army personnel. They may have to pay for their own food but honestly the canteen does not charge a fortune. It really is minimal and you generally get a very good meal. Especially if you choose from the Core Menu. I have never seen a soldier go hungry. Or do without their beer. Trust me, I have seen many a green face on a friday morning sick parade. And a Monday morning. And when the lads and lasses are away they do not have to pay for their food. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• In my opinion it is a better way of doing things. Not everyone wants to eat breakfast, and sometimes the lads/lasses may wanna nip out for a takeaway. At least with PAYD you can choose where you wanna eat and not have to pay for a meal that you're not gonna eat.
• Im not quite understanding where er indoors gets her ideas from. I happen to think that PAYD is a good system, and it is still extremely cheap! It is a good way to teach the young lads new to the army to be able to budget for simple lifes essentials such as food. If they were not to pay for their own food who should be expected to cover that cost? My husband is a serving soldier and currently deployed in Iraq. In the case of married soldiers how would you expect to pay for their meals? Send them an allowence to put towards the families shopping budget? Or maybe take them away from their families for even longer so they can eat their meals in the cookhouse? Im sorry but your idea is completely ridiculous.
  While yes I agree that soldiers do deserve more benifits as a reward for the job they do, I dont think removing the cost of Ј1.50 per meal will really make that much difference to most soldiers. Just my opinion.
• Is this thread a wind up, grown adults paying for their own food, shock horror? Course if the MOD did want to feed my husband free of charge that would leave more money for clothes and tat around the house ...... hmmmmm, petition??????
• A petition has been made and is waiting for be approved.
• I live on a PAYD Unit. Lunch is Ј1.60 ish which is a main course, and dinner is Ј1.60 ish (cant remember exact cost) which is three course, fruit juice or soup, what is called a core meal and then a cold or hot sweet.
  The total cost of the three meals is the same as it would cost if the Unit is non PAYD so there is equality across all Units. ie under Ј5 a day. Not the earth.
  If I lived in my own house would you still expect the MoD to pay for my food? If you can swing it for free food you would get my vote !!
  There is an issue with younger members of the services spending all their money on non food items. Cant speak for the Army or Navy but in basic RAF training they are taught to budget. Been said its a bit more grown up.
  Food on exercises and deployments is free, not sure where we would buy it from anyway, and for one i would not be happy eating pizza or burgers for 6 months, although I know some would be !!