Picture the scene, Rugby match...gets abit heated, and we know what that means in Wales Taff (Im Welsh aswell). Post game piss up and some turn nasty. Ive heard and seen older men and women excuse the behaviour as rugby lads doing what rugby lads do. And they dress up and you can go to Cardiff any Weekend night and see lads dressed up and both sexes kicked 7 shades of shit out of each other due to alcohol. Excuses are various such as "hard week at work" "hard game of rugby" "it was the alcohol I aint usually like that" etc etc.
Now lets say you had just had a hard week at work and drank a bottle at home, pissed in your wardrobe and woke to find the lounge a mess with takeaway all over the place and your asleep upside down in the washing machine. We've all had them drunken moments we try to forget about and if we are honest most of them moments make for good chat in the pub weeks, months if not years later.
Now lets say you've been in the front line in Iraq, seen your oppos blown to shit and heard that one of your best mates died in a helicopter crash. You've been sober for all that time and couldnt let out the grief because you were patrolling Basra and shitting yourself that the next turn you make in your landrover could trigger an IED and blow you to shit.
You come back and the tension grief and relief finally lets go. Your options are to go down town and kick the shit out of the first civvy who gobs off, or have a party in your "home" and yes it is there home. Behind the fence, paid for monthly and not in the public eye. You get dressed up as rugby lads do, you play drinking games as rugby lads do and the mixture of it all means it goes over the top. Some characters over step the line and they are being delat with. But lets not lose sight of the fact that this was a private party with willing attendees. I know they are willing because Ive been there and done it. When you spend all your working life in uniform and even your off time in the unofficial uniform of jeans KSBs and tshirts, you unwind. Theres lots of excuses but dnt lose the fact this was private, fun, mad, pissed, tension relieving and wether you like it or not the best way to undo what we ask these elite lads to do.
We ask these lads to go into harms way, and they do it without hesitation. I read alot from all members on here that in War your there because of your oppo and Queen and country goes out of the window. In my experience that is so, when the bullets start flying. On the trip out and during the build up you are there for the immense pride you have in your unit corps and country.
These lads stand the line and say no one will pass to harm the UK, so that muppets in the press can utilise that freedom to slag of the very people who live and die protecting it.
So what if they get dressed up and get pissed, its there choice because its a free country and was done behind the fence in their home! Maybe we should send some cameras into private homes around the country and print what goes on!!!!
The SNCOs who assaulted the lad were out of order yes. The whole party wasnt. The RM and the RN dress up to go ashore and party, its been going on for years, Ive dressed as a woman, braveheart, dalamtion dog, toga etc etc etc. Its fun its a laugh and its doesnt do any harm.
Next time your in a rugby club and two teams are kicking off, half naked drinking beer from buckets and having a right old hoot, then take a pic on your mobile and send it to the News of the World in disgust. If you dont want to do that then why are you condoning similar behaviour in men who have just been to hell and back and who are doing it in private.
Bullying isnt tollerated, and nor is the build up of stress and not allowing what young men do in all walks of life and that is to get pissed.
If this has affected people enough not to join up then I would say these characters havent got what it takes to pick up pieces of a dead oppo, or put rounds down in a hot situation when your life depends on it. And dont say its different because it farking well isnt. Its all part of it, you get stressed you unwind, and if the local bank manager lets off steam after a busy week by sinking a few shots watching telly at home then men who are trained to kill, do kill and protect us all from the monsters of this world have the right to do it a litle bit differently.
The Armed forces are immensly proud of who they are and what they do and for whom they do it for, bullies when found out get short change from the lads, I know as Ive seen bullies at work and the unit then sorting these weaklings out, within proper channels. Its one big family and all families have rotten eggs in them, luckily the Corps finds them out and sends them packing.
I was once party to a fight in Plymouth after a tour, 4 of us were set upon for no reason by about 15 civvies, we defending ourselves and one of them fell hitting his head on the pavement, he swallowed his tongue and as his mates ran off into the night it was us who saved his life and got him to hospital. Thats the RM I know, they'd give you the shirt off their backs even after you repeadetly stab them in that back.
The Corps will survive this, and all the crap thats coming out of it, because they are better than the ones slagging them off.
Now this debate will no doubt go on for awhile, but thankfully the only opinions I get offended by are from people I respect and value. Thats not to say you cant have your say,as you can, because the men you are slagging have defended your right to free speeach, and my dont you kick the arse out of it!
Hear hear 