BRIT'S MOD HAS HEAD FIRMLY UP ASSES!

[glenne]

The family of a soldier killed in Afghanistan have been ordered to repay hundreds of pounds – because he died after receiving his wages.
Military bosses said that since Lance Corporal Jordan Bancroft was paid a month in advance, his relatives must return £433 to cover the ten days after the 25-year-old was shot.
Last night his shocked father Tony described the decision as ‘disgusting’, adding: ‘Jordan gave his life for this country and this is how they treat him.
‘When I read the letter you could have knocked me down with a feather. When it sunk in what it said, it felt like I’d been poked in the eye with a stick. I want to make it clear that this is in no way a question of money, but one of respect.’
The controversy comes after it was revealed MoD civil servants collected annual bonuses of almost £6,000 each in August despite cuts to frontline troops and services.

More...

• Afghan leader Karzai says he would side with Pakistan in a war against America

The letter to Lance Corporal Bancroft’s parents was sent by the MoD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre on October 14, not long after the family raised £10,000 for his Duke of Lancaster Regiment.
It explained that a refund was being given for annual leave the soldier had been entitled to take, amounting to more than £1,000, but with a sum deducted to cover the ten days after he died in August 2010.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...88_468x305.jpg Bereft: Jordan's father, Tony, with the letter from the MoD. He said he felt like he had been 'poked in the eye with a sharp stick' when he received it

It said: ‘Following your son’s untimely death, a salary payment for the full month of August was paid into his account. This included £433.13 in respect of pay for the days after the date of his death.
‘Not wishing to cause any further distress or potential hardship to yourself at that time, the MoD took no action to recover the overpayment. However, now a further sum is due in respect of his pay and the “overpayment” has been offset.’
Lance Corporal Bancroft, from Earby, Lancashire, was killed on August 21 last year. The soldier was due to marry girlfriend Lauren O’Hara, 21, after his tour of Afghanistan. He joined the Duke of Lancaster Regiment in September 2001.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...69_468x370.jpg Lance Corporal Jordan Bancroft joined the Duke of Lancaster Regiment during 2001. He had been due to marry his girlfriend upon his return from Afghanistan

Mr Bancroft, 47, a taxi driver, blamed pen-pushers in Whitehall for the letter rather than the Regiment.
A spokesman for the MoD said: ‘Service personnel are paid up to the date of their death.
‘Occasionally, deceased service personnel may be paid for the whole month of their death where the notification of death comes after the pay run has already taken place.
‘Whilst this results in a notional overpayment, no attempt is made to recover such sums after they have been paid.
‘However, where a further salary payment or credit is made at a later date, the final payment is adjusted to reflect the correct amount.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1bqeq8bUz

[Hot Mess]

Unless I missed something you didn't post anything besides the article? No comment? That's not how things are done here.

[KidA]

Hmm, not sure I see the controversy. His account was paid for monies he didn't earn (yes, because he was dead, but he didn't earn them). I assume his family did receive life insurance and other pay outs due a servicemember's beneficiaries when they die.

[Jimbo]

I think he earned the monies. If a fund is set up to cover this $1000 pleaae post the info, as I would like to contribute.

[Walken1]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I think he earned the monies. If a fund is set up to cover this $1000 pleaae post the info, as I would like to contribute.

Same here.

In a practical sense I can see the argument for recovering the money. At the same time it seems quite petty and distasteful.

If they pass the hat around I suspect it will be overflowing.

[KidA]

Originally Posted by Walken1

Same here.

In a practical sense I can see the argument for recovering the money. At the same time it seems quite petty and distasteful.

If they pass the hat around I suspect it will be overflowing.

Earn was perhaps a poor choice of word, but there wasn't another I could think of since he was dead, and therefore not doing the job for which he was being paid to do.

Should every soldier receive their last month's pay then, or just this one, or just when accounting screws up?

If their life insurance is anything like ours the family wouldn't be hurting for money - this isn't about the money, but about the insult the family feels and for which they went to the press about.

So again, should everyone who dies in the line of duty receive the entirety of the month's pay, or just some, or just when someone makes an error and this is an exception?

[Jimbo]

You are such a douche sometimes. No one said every soldier should get their last months pay. However, if a national treasury fucks up to the tune of about $1000, they should think, "I bet if I ask for this back I'll be percieved as an enormous cunt and likely inflict more than a grands worth of distress on the grieving family." and thus let it slide.

[Longrifle]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I think he earned the monies. If a fund is set up to cover this $1000 pleaae post the info, as I would like to contribute.

Three's in.

Some things, while perhaps technically right, are just plain morally wrong.

[glenne]

Originally Posted by Hot Mess

Unless I missed something you didn't post anything besides the article? No comment? That's not how things are done here.

Sorry. I think this is a terrible way to treat someone that has died as a result of following orders.

In GOD we trust, all others we monitor.

[Jason8541]

Take it out of the dip-shits pay who made the administrative error. Maybe that would prevent them from making such a careless oversight that caused this unfortunate situation.

ETA: I'd also be interested in seeing a fund to contribute.

[Ranger1]

Glenne, that's strike two. Please clean up your act when posting or don't post. And please don't use caps in your thread titles. Mods and Admins use those for announcements, stickies, etc.

Closed.