Oi, You! Blue Monkey & any other Falklands veterans.

In relative confidence, I've just had an email from the chairman of SAMA that indulgence flights to the Falkland Islands have been agreed by the MoD. This is something that we've been arguing for. I was down there free in 2002 but wWhen I went back solo in 2003, the cost was £1200. If I understand this correctly, a return flight to the Falklands will be in the region of £60/£70.

Fly from Brize Norton to Mount Pleasant (just North of Fitzroy) via Ascension Island again so you get a few hours sun on the way.

For once I applaud this government.

Will that tie in with the campaign from this summer which raised the cash off 'Brothers In Arms??'

Indirectly yes. this is something we've been pressurising the goverment on through the old boys network. You or I lobby them, we get nowhere. However; put a bunch of Admirals, Generals and Knights of the realm together and your chances of success increase dramatically.

The lucky bit was when Alan West went to work for Gordon Brown.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6281506.stm

Is it therapuetic going back like Mr.I?!

cathartic?

Definitely.

Since 1982, over 300 Falklands veterans have killed themselves. On the Argentine side the figure is around 700.

Of those who have been back to the islands, the figure is zero. As Katcha said, something cathartic happens to the guys who go back and they come back very different - at peace with themselves if you like.

I was back there in 2002 for the 20th aniversary, one quote stuck out from all the others. It was a mate of mine, ex 2 PARA.

"Last night I slept all night for the first time in 20 years"

If you could turn back time, would you do it again?

From a high level perspective the principal was worth fighting for, don't forget that British people had been invaded by the a country with arguably the worst human rights record in the world at the time. They had murdered 30'000 of their own people in the past few years: political opponents generally ended up being flown out to sea in a helicopter and booted out the door 30 miles from the coast. So for me the answer is yes definitely. But then I came home in one piece. You would probably get a different answer from the Mothers of those who came home in a bag.

I'd love to turn the clock back with the knowledge I have now, I would have taken more socks and better boots! Also now that I can speak Spanish I'd take that with me too, that would have been very useful back then.

War is the most horrible filthy frightening business every invented, paradoxically, its also the most exhilarating.

I wish I had principles worth fighting for.
Fuc king pussy me

To be honest, most of this is what I learned afterwards.

As an 18 year old kid the only principles I had was to help keep me and my oppos alive. I knew one other lad who had different principles; he took with him a set of dental pliers - for collecting gold. Others were more interested in collecting ears.

It's about time the MoD got this sorted, did you ever try to get an indulgence flight whilst still serving?, you had more chance finding rocking horse crap.

Now the next xhallenge for the MoD would be to allow all the Ex servicemen / women who claim an war pension to be allowed to keep it all and not just th first 10 quid a month.

TBH Mr I, I doubt I could make the journey back to the Falklands due to my health but it was always something I wanted to do just once to pay my respects to my mates who didn't return.

It you can then do it. Feck it, I'll come with you. Flights are eight hours to Ascension then a a few hours on the red rock, followed by a further eight hours to the Falklands. Accomodation is dead easy, Stanley has numerous ex Booties living there and I think I know most of them now.

It's well worth the trip if you feel up to it.