Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Despite our sacrifice and service to King and Country with pride and honour, when it comes to Pensions after retirement, we the old Veterans are treated as stepchildren of the nation vis-a-vis the present new Pensioners who served our country full time in peaceful, peacetime Malaysia.
Some Old Veterans are still around from the era of The Malayan Emergency, The Congo, The Confrontation while the majority are from The 2nd Emergency and we are all awaiting for Justice from you and your Cabinet to rectify our glaring pensions anamoly.
Basically we receive about half the pensions of the new post-2013 pensioners. As a Lt Col who retired in 1990 after 34 years service, I get a pension less than that of a newly retired Warrant Officer Class One!!
REVISION OF PENSIONS AND PAY SCALES ARE INSEPARABLE. IT IS THE DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE UPGRADING OF PENSIONS WHENEVER THERE IS A PAY REVISION. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY FAILED TO CARRY OUT THIS DUTY, HENCE THE HUGE DISPARITY IN OUR PENSIONS TODAY.
Pension is our right and payment does not depend on the discretion of the Government who cannot take the excuse of financial burden to deny the legitimate rights of our revised pension.
Question. Has this government got the guts, the will power and gumption to do the honorable act to rectify the pension anomaly for all Veterans??
Looking forward to a favourable response from you.
