Samui Ex Servicemen August 2009 Get Together

A big thank you to Big Joe for his highly appreciated hospitality at the July get together. We had one of our largest turn outs with 20= people coming along, was it the company or Big Joe's food, I suspect the later myself!!!

We collected names for a proposed group health insurance plan, this has been followed up on and a mail was circulatedd with relevant information, hopefully we can discuss this further the next time we meet on Tuesday the 25th August at the Red Fox in Lamai, usual time 4:30 pm hope we can generate a good turn out for our visit to Lamai the last one there was very good.

Hope to see everybody Tuesday,

Samui Ex Servicemen

Here are some articles of interest:

STATEMENT OF INTENT

Our aim is to secure equality of pensions for former regular members of the Armed Forces who served for fewer than 22 years at any time to April 1975 and who were discharged before 5th April 1975. This also applies to those regulars who were discharged prior to 1981 who do not meet the criteria of length of service and age. We ask Her Majesty's Government for pension rights based on years of service and related, pro rata, to pensions received by contemporaries who completed 22 years of service.


MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Armed Forces Pension Group is open to all ex-servicemen and women who meet the criteria in our Statement of Intent. Supporters of the aims of AFPG may also apply for membership. To apply, forward your full name and address to AFPG Ltd, P O Box 8151, Mansfield, NG21 0ZA or download an application form from the box on the right.

http://afpg.info
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Public support for our Service personnel

Thank You!

Soldiers on Patrol

Coldstream Guards on Patrol in Afghanistan

Thank you for visiting this page. Public support means a great deal to those who are serving, and particularly to those on operations. Support from home is an essential part of the morale of our Armed Forces deployed overseas amid the stresses and strains of the operational environment.

Ways to show your support

There are many ways in which members of the Public can support our Servicemen and women. This factsheet highlights some of the best ways to provide support, whether for troops deployed on operations, for personnel who have been wounded or for ex-Service personnel.

Support a Service Charity

Often the best way to provide support will be through established charities which understand the most effective ways to help.

See Related Pages >>> for a list of the major Service charities.
Support to the Deployed Personnel

SSAFA Logo

SSAFA Operational Welfare Fund

In conjunction with the MOD SSAFA has set up a new Operational Welfare Fund dedicated to providing support to the front line. Although the MOD provides a comprehensive Deployment Welfare Package which includes; a free mail service, 30 minutes of telephone calls a week and Internet access, there are still areas where life can be improved. The priority for spending from this fund will be set by in theatre commanders in order to meet areas of greatest need.



Donate to the Christmas Box scheme

The charity uk4u-Thanks! provides Christmas boxes to all deployed personnel away from their families and friends on Christmas Day. Wounded personnel staying in hospital over Christmas also receive a Christmas Box.

The Charity supplied over 24,000 boxes in 2007 and will be doing the same for 2008 and for the foreseeable future.

To make a donation or find out how you can sponsor a box, see the uk4u website under External Links >>>

Help provide support for wounded personnel

A number of charities exist with the specific aim of providing help and support to soldiers, sailors and airmen who have been injured in the line of duty.

See Related Pages >>> for a list of the major charities which help wounded Service personnel.

Send a Personal Message [Family and Friends only]

Family and Friends of Service personnel can send them messages for free via the award winning e-bluey system. This is a hybrid or electronic mail system that allows the relatives and friends of Armed Forces personnel serving on operations to maintain regular contact. e-bluey allows users to compose a letter using e-bluey software at an overseas operational, a rear party location in UK or a home PC and know within 24hrs it will be in the hands of the recipient, in some cases we have recorded receipt within 12 hrs of despatch. You can also include pictures within an e-bluey.

For more detail please visit the BFPO website under External Links >>> .

PLEASE NOTE: This service is available only to Family and Friends of deployed personnel.

Send a Parcel [Family and Friends only]

The Family and Friends of Service personnel deployed into or in support of certain operational theatres, currently Afghanistan and Iraq, can send them parcels for free via the Enduring Families Free Mail Service. This allows them to send a small packet weighing up to a maximum of 2 kilograms. The packet will be accepted by Royal Mail Post Office Counters only if the address contains the name of the person it is being sent to.

For more detail please visit the BFPO website under External Links >>> .



http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/PublicSupportForOurServicePersonnel

Samui Ex Servicemen July 2009 Get Together

Hope everybody who made the June get together at the Full Moon Bungalows in Bang Rak had a good time. Thanks to our host Paul for a great sunset and some good food.

Our next get together will be at Big Joe's on the Old Monkey Theatre road at 4:30 pm on the 28th July 2009.

Hope to see as many people as possible there.

There have been a number of improvements re Med Insurance this year. If you are interested in getting a quote we will take names/pers details on Tues of anyone interested in finding out more on this subject. Those not attending on Tuesday can email their details to ME (Name, age, existing conditions etc).

Please keep an eye on the news on 2-3 Sept 09 for information on pensions CLICK HERE for details.

Those holding private medical insurance are reminded to contact their insurers and/or check the small print on their policies regarding Swine Flu. Some insurers are resorting to little-known ‘get-out’ clauses which could prove expensive to the unwary. If in doubt use a Thai Govt facility.

Samui Ex Servicemen Get Together June 2009

A great turn out at the Red Fox in Lamai, thanks must go to Alan our host at the Red Fox for some delicious food and to every body who made the effort to go.

I hope every body had a good time and thank you Alan for the introduction of our new member Mr. Jameson, he had a lot to answer for the next day.

Our next get together is this coming Tuesday the 30th June, 4:30 pm kick off at the Full Moon Bungalows in Bang Rak, next to the Big Buddah pier. Hope to see plenty of people there to belatedly celebrate the Armed Forces Day.

Here is a link to a trip report of the British Legion (Thailand)'s visit to Malaysia: http://www.tropicalberts.com/malaysia.htm

See you all Tuesday.

Samui Ex-Servicemen

Samui Ex Servicemen Get Together May 2009

Thanks to everybody who made it to Ian's house in April for our meet up. Free beer provided by Bob courtesy of Fluid Asia Pacific and Big Joes excellent BBQ food made for a great evening.

The next get together is on the 26th May 2009, 4:30 pm at the Red Fox in Lamai. Let's hope we can have a good turn out and for those in Chaweng or Bang Rak make an effort to get over the hills and meet up at The Red Fox.

Looking forward to seeing everybody there.

Samui Ex Servicemen

Samui Ex Servicemen April Get Together

Firstly, Thanks to Joe at Le Chablis for hosting last months get together, great food from Le Chablis as always and a thoroughly enjoyable time was had by all.

The April get together will be a Pool BBQ at The Home of Ian Gilks, a map will be forwarded as to the location of Ian's House in the next day or two. BBQ provided but BYO Booze.

Look forward to seeing everybody at Ian's on the 28th April 2009 from 4:30 pm onwards.

See you there

Samui Ex Servicemen

February 2009 Get Together

Thank you to Geoff at The Samui Dojo in Lamai for his hospitality.

All who could make it, once we all found the Dojo, had a pleasant afternoon. The vegetarian meal provided was very tasty.

A few new faces came along and it was also good to see some of the regulars there also.

Next get together will be on the 31st March, 4:30 pm at Le Chablis in Chaweng.

Hope to see everybody there.

Samui Ex Servicemen