[Closed] Troops put up in disgraceful conditions prior to Olympic security gig

I'm sure they're used to it and will adapt quite quickly. The best, most professional army in the world.

Hardly the point though is it.

What is the point then? Were they expecting us to pay for 4* hotels?

worse than afghanistan no doubt? i'm sure they'll get over it.

main issue seems to be the 2 hour cue for meals, and baked beans 3 times a day.

What would you expect if you were asked to work there?

I don't believe they're putting troops onto Olympic security duty straight off a trooping flight so I look forward to seeing some evidence. Also, 18hrs?

I don't know Spacemonky
The Gurkha soldier i had spoken to this morning at the EXCEL Centre came from Maidstone !

Where they are being based I don't know, but there are Two very large Ferries mored
next to the EXCEL centre. Maybe they are on that.

Where are they flying in from that takes 18hrs?

Sounds like a complete of rubbish to me.

They should send all the teachers down there. They've six weeks to spare. 😆

[Joke, obviously.] 🙂

johnners - Member
I don't believe they're putting troops onto Olympic security duty straight off a trooping flight so I look forward to seeing some evidence. Also, 18hrs?

They have been doing Gate and vehicle checking at the entrance to the EXCEL centre since last week.

Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyy struggling to give a crap (irony of posting noted) about all these Olympics going wrong threads.

Bessides, it's the army. They're paid to;

*be shot at
*do what they're told.

Both of which seem worse than having to camp inside a big empty building, so on balance this would appear to be a brilliant idea by someone, far better than making them camp at Aldershot, Sandhurst, Purbeck or somewhere like that and having to drive in on the M4 every morning adding to the traffic. And you may have noticed there's a big event on in a few days so hotel rooms are probably at a bit of a premium when looking to house 3000 squadies.

I doubt they will be the ones moaning too much about it - they are hardened to worse I'm sure.

What I think would be valid is a bloody big payment from G4S to them directly, not skimmed by the government. 's only fair.

I would imagine (with some help from Navy Commander relative) that the majority of ex. frontline grunts will be more than happy to finally move from someone where very few people want them (include the majority of the British public) to somewhere where everyone DOES want them.

The ritz!!
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No Memory foam jonnym 😕

mate who's a copper is most upset she had her leave cancelled as she was supposed to be going on her hols !

I know someone in the know

I have a mate who's sisters brother in law's uncle is a bus driver, he's well chuffed with his bonus and is gonna get a 3d tv and sky hd to watch the Olympics on, swings and roundabouts.

And you may have noticed there's a big event on in a few days so hotel rooms are probably at a bit of a premium

Hotel rooms are at a premium, probably why they are less full than in a normal non-olympic summer.

Using the police and army to fill in the gaps, I thought they didn't like the public sector.

Yeah, lol - so the inefficient, lazy, wasteful public sector, ie the police and army have to be brought in to bail out the super-efficient private sector security company?

Who'd have thought it - [i]perhaps[/i] the private sector isn't actually the magical wonderland of competence and efficiency we've been lead to believe.

have you ever actually been a soldier spacemonkey?
Unless they've all gone soft in the last 10 years, this kind of thing is completely standard, in fact, I'd say they're very fortunate not to be in tents.
I know who has gone soft in the last 10 years, and it isn't the Army 🙂

think the main thing for the lads is it aint 50 degrees c at night, and they aren't at risk of getting shot...

Not just the army. On South Today last night it was revealed that police around the Weymouth venue would have to make do with spartan coverted shipping containers.

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Camp Bastion...

Yeah, doesn't sound that bad and I don't expect the squaddies themselves will be that bothered.
Also these stories get wildly exaggerated- there was a headline a couple of days ago about soldiers having to sleep in plastic chairs. Maybe one or two of them did but it's a long way from that to Our Brave Boys being pi$$ed on for the Olympics and McDonalds, which is the angle these stories seem to be trying for.

I sometimes wish people didn't try so hard to be outraged- save it for the stuff that is actually outrageous.

kimbers - Member

mate who's a copper is most upset she had her leave cancelled as she was supposed to be going on her hols !

Ask her how she'd feel if she was just back from Helmand, wouldn't be staying in a hotel, wouldn't be getting overtime and wouldn't be getting £80 per day on top of her usual pay...AND had her leave cancelled and was supposed to be going on holiday.

I remember all those threads on Chinese forums 4 years ago. Man, the citizens were so concerned about their troops' sleeping conditions.. 😆

Ask her how she'd feel if she was just back from Helmand, wouldn't be staying in a hotel, wouldn't be getting overtime and wouldn't be getting £80 per day on top of her usual pay...AND had her leave cancelled and was supposed to be going on holiday.

Ask the guys you're talking about above how they'd feel if [insert something worse than that here].

It's not a competition. Other people having it worse than you doesn't mean you've no grounds for a moan.

Meh, as others have said its better than a foxhole. And that warehouse doesn't look very derelict to me, maybe our expectations vary but I read derelict and think the roof has collapsed and it is dangerous to enter.

But as for not being shot at, I'm sure there are some places in London that they would get shot at and happily shoot back.

My nephew, who's currently serving in HM forces, informed me that he is booking troops into hotels because most of the bases have been shut and there is no available space for them. He said its costing the Govt. (ie us) a LOT of money. Cost cutting is soooo effective.
Will be bringing in the troops in 5 years to sort out the NHS.

The girlfriend works in the events industry, many of the dedicated companies that are best suited have been walking away from the Olympics as "it's just not worth it" And more than one have gone bust as a result of the strict contractual obligations before the things even started.

Her boss was asked by a major several months ago where he could get 3000 staff, said boss replied by saying he could get 3000 people but said (in jest I add) they wont have any training or relevant qualifications. Response was "I'll take them" You can probably guess the company involved.

I'm sure it'll be fine, they'll muddle through some how

shame g4s couldn't have sorted out some decent accommodation for them given it was their **** up in the first place

Anyone know if they are going to be standing around like armed guards, or just working events like civvies in non-army uniforms?

The Army'll be OK - we always cope with sh1t accommodation, even in barracks. It's the RAF who'll be up in arms at the state of where they've got to sleep, not up to their usual standards - "why dig in when you can check in..." 😆

They should send all the teachers down there. They've six weeks to spare.

😆

(I say that with a very stressed teaching better half 😉 )

LOL @ Davetrave!

How's it going? Long time no see!

Alright John! In Nottingham for now - bit of a no-man's land for MTB so laods of road instead with the odd foray in to the Peak.

Still keeping an eye on the TIMBER forum, as usual, seems to be a bit of a rollercoaster. How's everybody down there? No doubt lots of new faces and change since my time...

Will G4S be made to foot the bill for these guys? Their flights/travel? Their cancelled holidays and stuffed up leave?

They'll get on with it and probably be least vocal of all the complainants.

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i have load of mates working there. they said its all right. not to bad. we have all served in some holes and this is quite plush TBH

obvious potatoshop is obvious

that is 100% real. the photo was taken by a mate of mine. (or do you mean it needs photo shopping?

Your mate should sell that photo and the story which goes with it to the Sun. They'll pay good money for stuff like that.

there is no need, G4S got put in there place and this wont be happening again!

still would be funny to ring the number and make a load of prank calls

Severeal of my colleagues, at various different venues, have all posted exactly the same photo on Facebook claiming it was their vehicle at their venue...

Did they also get advanced warning that their vehicle would be removed ?

And did they leave it parked were it was so that it could be taken away by G4S, and later collected by them after the £400 fee had been paid ?

I would rather be policing the Olympics and be billeted in a warehouse than be shot at in Afghanistan

Several of my colleagues, at various different venues, have all posted exactly the same photo on Facebook claiming it was their vehicle at their venue...

I heard it was on a bus that was supposed to be taking a load of nurses to the regimental dance 😉

This Oui-lympics are really taking the liberty ... not only are they causing inconvenience to all, they even have the guts to hold people at ransom sort of like 'too big to fail' mentality ... heads should roll after this fiasco.

Several of my colleagues, at various different venues, have all posted exactly the same photo on Facebook claiming it was their vehicle at their venue...

I heard it was on a bus that was supposed to be taking a load of nurses to the regimental dance

I didn't make it to that, forgot my 3 and 6... 😆

send 2 and 6 going to a dance?

Anyone know if they are going to be standing around like armed guards, or just working events like civvies in non-army uniforms?

What is 'like armed guards'? You are either armed, or you are not. They will be in military uniforms.

got a close family friend who has been sent to london to clear up g4s mess he said the worst thing is being board sh**less managed to watch all of the starwars films the other day mind you he also told me the foods not bad and as much as you want plus the gym is out of this world 😀