This gentleman has served in the British Army for 13 years, and, on discharge, has been denied the right to remain in this country. He has an English wife and 2 children,and has served tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia. At a time when illegal immigrants, and terrorists who have completed prison sentences, cannot be deported this seems like harsh treatment. Petition here, please sign if you feel so inclined.
www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-bale-being-deported-after-13-years-serving-british.html
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Seems harsh to me, for what is minor admin action against him.
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"Bale was fined in 2011 by his Commanding Officer for fighting with another soldier who instigated the fight."
Fighting? well, isn't that what soldiers are paid to do, when it comes down to the nitty gritty?
"Oh, sorry, Private Atkins, we accept the Hun started it, but you WERE involved, so we're fining you three-and-sixpence!"
But on a serious note, what will happen when this starts getting noticed in places like Fiji, Tonga, Nepal, the West Indies etc etc etc - ie a GREAT historical recruiting ground for HM Army? Especially after Joanna Lumley's Gurkha expose?
MOD Spokesman: "well, we are having problems recruiting, so we'll just have to put up with the gormless and convicted prisoners."
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I've signed Mellers, and I hope everyone else will too. On the face of it, ghastly mean injustice. We aren't supposed to be like this.
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Signed and on my Facebook wall for others to find.
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Many thanks gentlemen - keep the signatures coming! Petition is near 11,000 signatures already
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Well I disagree. I will not be signing.
For a start, what's with "this gentleman". He is a man, a person or a soldier.
He is a Fijian, he joined the Army to perform a service. he has completed that service, he should now return to Fiji. It was a contract, no more and no less. By the same token, I do not agree with Gurkhas being given right of residence in this country.
With regards to his conviction for fighting with another soldier, it seems it didn't go to a court martial, he would have been offered a sentence by his Commanding Officer. He had the option of accepting that sentence or rejecting it and the alleged offence being heard by a court martial. He chose to accept the C.O.s verdict and sentence.
Yes, I have served in the British Army.
If you disagree with me, please express your opinion in writing, rather than giving me a scowly face.
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I don't actually agree or disagree Duncan. Half way. If he hadn't settled down and married and had a child then I think he should (and probably would) have gone back to Fiji. But he has a family. On that basis the decision should be based on his family situation. The army offence is spent in legal terms surely?
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I haven't served in the British Army so perhaps I'm less qualified than you Duncan. I came to a different conclusion from you but that's not to say I entirely disagree with your reasoning.
There's also the point that it is somebody's job to make these decisions, and if it was mine I'd want to be allowed to do it. But such decisions can be subject to review.
Did he not have a British wife and children, I would have been less impressed. But he does, and refusing him residence is a punishment on them. For me a single incident, dealt with by his CO who has spoken well of him, does not seem to override that consideration, given that he would probably have been allowed to remain regardless, without it.
I daresay we haven't all the facts. But if it gets looked at properly and fairly, supposing it hasn't already, that is enough.
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Duncan, I very much doubt whether this guy's CO advised him that by accepting the conviction he might affect his rights to remain in the country after his service is complete and accordingly might wish to consider taking the matter up to a full court martial. The rough and ready justice handed out in barracks is not entirely tasteful even if it is practical.
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You're being harsh and mean-spirited Duncan. British wife and two nippers: would they find it easy in Fiji? Would education and other services be as good as they are here? Even if they were, would the family be happy if just sent there?
We owe this man loyalty as we do long-serving Gurkhas. Others have made the obvious points about illegal immigrants, Islamist nutters, criminals and so on. Perhaps they are exaggerating. But the number of former soldiers who want to settle here is tiny against the total number of new arrivals, economic and opportunist immigrants who quite often, we are told, have to be supported by the state.
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In some countries (and I thought this included the UK) getting married got you citizenship. Hence a market for scam marriages?
He seems to be a genuine chap who is not allowed to stay based on circumstances. Had he not settled and had a family then maybe he shouldn't be allowed to stay. But he does have a family.
Let him stay I say.
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SIGNED.... my children are half fijian... my x came here to england in 1971...
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I too have signed. A more ridiculous set of circumstances is hard to imagine.
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Im amazed that the guy who has risked his life to protect this country cant stay here with his family, but any number of folk who want to blow us up can stay on at our expense because somehow their needs have been ranked as higher than our armed forces. Hmm.
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I have signed..and I have awarded the first scowly face.
I'll refrain from writing what I really think.
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>> I have signed..and I have awarded the first scowly face.
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>> I'll refrain from writing what I really think.
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Oh go on!
Treat yourself and indulge me.
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It seems he would be eligible to reside here if it were not for a single, minor, incident. Set against a service record of merit, apparently. Seems a little tough to pick on him, and featherbed the known agitator/subversive criminals. but that's the Home Office for you. Signed.
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Grossly disproportionate response if the deciding factor is the fight.
With respect to above, he would have indeed be expecting to return home after his duty, but having a British wife and kids is a game changer.
Campaigns can have a positive outcome:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakchai_Makao
Thai-born lad who lived in Shetland from age 10, set fire to a portacabin when drunk age 19 (got 8mth jail term) - 2 years later they tried to deport him as part of a new plan to remove foreign nationals who had criminal records.
A petition was signed by more that 1/3 of Shetland's population (so about 8 guys and 4 ponies!) and he was allowed to remain on appeal.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 27 Jul 12 at 00:55
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Does he have a right to appeal? cannot see an Immigration Tribunal finding against him. Human Rights grounds alone should be enough.
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Surprised he can't stay in the UK.Wife and children British.
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Signed, 12,700 and something now.
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We seem to be very unclear and inconsistant about the terms under which foreign nationals serve in the British forces.
Historically they were from the empire, or else British-orientated countries like Nepal. Probably very few of them wanted to stay here anyway, but in theory I think any British (ie British Empire) citizen had a right to settle anywhere.
Then as countries became independent and the bonds loosened, and the home countries developed their own concepts of nationality, we modified the rules to allow foreign soldiers to earn a consideration to being allowed to reside here, dependent on application.
Then at some point a lot of the now-foreign but previously British territories started to consider service in the British army as little short of being employed as a mercenary, and some, eg Nepal I think, have started to try to stop the practice.
This chap has been caught by vague but evolving rules. He is clearly not simply a mercenary, signing up to clear terms and conditions, accepting that when his contract ends he goes home.
But neither is he a faithful servant of the empire motivated by feelings for the mother country.
I suppose the correct thing to do is to allow his case, but make it very clear in future that if we want/need to recruit foreigners to serve in our forces, then they are signed on with the status of temporary mercenaries.
Which begs the question, why are we recruiting foreigners when we are sacking large numbers of our own people?
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First off, no need to get your knickers in a twist, words will be said from on high, he will be offered the right to appeal, with an outcome that meets his needs.
He wouldn't have a leg to stand on tho, if we hadn't allowed some of the more undeserving cases (really unsavoury individuals) to stay under their "human rights"
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>> Which begs the question, why are we recruiting foreigners when we are sacking large numbers of our own people?
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And not employing (putting to good use) the Wasters that are wrecking the lives and Towns and Villages of Decent law abiding, tax paying folk. National service for all.
Any whingers that wish to ask me about my circs and if I am too old to do it and would I have done it etc etc etc., then please PM me. The reply will be easier than having to be polite and guarded here.
Oh! for someone to get a grip of this country and stop pussy footing around.
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Because those wasters are too idle to be getting up off their backsides to join the services. The army wants people who can spell bullets as well as fire them. Education standards are so rubbish in this country that "graduates" can barley read or write. We've lost it here.
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 27 Jul 12 at 00:54
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Sorry been ignoring medical advice and had a giant curry washed down with copious amounts of Cobra beer after a hard days "work" !
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Copious eh! Two halves I reckon!! (0:-:0)
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Well more than that - I broke my own rule yesterday and drank in the week, which is unsusuaL for me. Don't drink much at all these days really - choice thing, but it was particularly acceptable last night.
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Cobra is ok, but never try the alcohol-free Cobra.
Vile brew that tastes like soda-water with brewers malt and yeast added.
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My drinking habits are a good quality red wine now.I like a pint of Guinnes.Tetley bitter nice clear pint used to be my favorite.
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Never taken to wine really, despite my pretentions. Always been a beer man. The nicest wine I ever had was a freebie of really chilled white wine in Florida. Probably cheap and nasty but I enjoyed it.
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>> Never taken to wine really, despite my pretentions.
Wish I could say the same ;-(.
One thing I've worked out though, my wife makes a much better job of ordering a decent bottle in a restaurant than I do...so I send the them straight to her nowadays.
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Trained Nicole to sniff out the good vino bargains when she is doing the shopping
We end up with a lot of prosecco tho ...
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We try to limit our wine buying to a couple of bottles a week.
tinyurl.com/c7ymv5j
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>>We end up with a lot of prosecco tho ...
Recently I've found more decent cava than prosecco, and it's usually a bit cheaper.
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>> more decent cava than prosecco
Can't stand either myself, although herself likes prosecco and so do other women round here.
If you like bubbles, Crémant de Bourgogne is usually better than run-of-the-mill champagne and a third of the price. Champagne that is reliably decent costs a king's ransom.
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>> Never taken to wine really, despite my pretentions. Always been a beer man.
+1
I don't drink wine, but I am fortunate that the people that I mix with these days just treat wine as a pleasure to be enjoyed in its own right - not something to show off about.
Those who surrounded me as I was growing up had quite a different attitude to it however. Wine was very much an affectation which was adopted as a status symbol. What little minds - very sad.
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Zero alcohol in my household as we grew up. My first alcoholic drink was half a mild, went through phases of proper bitter and larger over the years....
Last edited by: R.P. on Wed 25 Jul 12 at 18:24
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I managed to down a bottle of lager on a cross channel ferry. I was 11 and off to the Rheinland on a school trip.
Most of the group tried it...and most of the group fetched up over the side.
Ted
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My old man used to like the Genever when he came home from sea.To strong for me as a young lad.>:)
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Petition re 13 year's service Army NCO - sooty123
