I suppose that is one way of making sure our Veterans don't end up on the street!

[vetran]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-aircraft.html

Thirty former RAF pilots are paid £250,000 each to train Chinese to shoot down Western aircraft in possible threat to national security

• British fighter pilots are training the Chinese to shoot down Western aircraft
• Officials warned up to 30 pilots have moved to China after securing contracts
• The former British pilots will be paid £250,000 to teach Western procedures

[Paddy]

Since when did the UK start calling every Tom, Dick and Harry who were in the armed forces "veterans"? It word was originally used for WWI and WWII battle experienced service men. It seems the UK has copied the USA and calls everyone including army cooks veterans. BTW Army cooks are great!

[d000hg]

Since when did the UK start calling every Tom, Dick and Harry who were in the armed forces "veterans"? It word was originally used for WWI and WWII battle experienced service men. It seems the UK has copied the USA and calls everyone including army cooks veterans. BTW Army cooks are great!

Well the original use is about to become largely consigned to history. I don't know what the latest date you could have signed up and still seen combat was given training requirements, but even if you were still only 18 in 1945 you'd be 95. By the end of the decade we'll really be down to the last remnant.
In our life-times (Lord willing) we will see the last surviving WW2 veteran pass. What a strange time that will surely seem.

[NigelJK]

Falklands

[ladymuck]

Iraq

Balkans

Afghanistan

[_V_]

Thirty former RAF pilots are paid £250,000 each to train Chinese to shoot down Western aircraft in possible threat to national security

Is this in inside IR35 gig?

[WTFH]

The Troubles

[mattster]

It's interesting to think that I was born closer (just) to WW2 than we are now to the Gulf war, meaning people of my age when I was born had WW2 as an experience as recent as the Gulf war is to us. The world wars really weren't that long ago..

[d000hg]

It's interesting to think that I was born closer (just) to WW2 than we are now to the Gulf war, meaning people of my age when I was born had WW2 as an experience as recent as the Gulf war is to us. The world wars really weren't that long ago..

It'll be within living memory for a couple of decades at most, realistically about a decade. I suppose it's recent by that standard.

[vetran]

actually as its defined by the veterans association (they probably are in the know but some may disagree) -

Veterans are defined as anyone who has served for at least one day in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations.

There is no requirement for involvement in armed conflict or even attacking anything more dangerous than a pan of Gravy. Uncle Albert probably counts.

https://assets.publishing.service.go...eet_v9_web.pdf


Even those that haven't pointed a rifle at an enemy may have worse prospects returning to Civvy street, this is why the Armed forces covenant was launched.

Mental health & homelessness frequently are the issues.