Armed forces day

[Levin]

As I wrote into the void on twitter

"What the fuck is armed forces day? How long has it been a thing? Why is it a thing? Why is such a thing being made of it in the media?"

It's a bit odd isn't it? Oh, it was Gordon Brown's idea. What was he thinking?

[EIM]

It's just a recruitment drive, innit?

I used to got to the Royal Tournament every year as a kid. They'd speak proudly of the guy who used his finger as a pin in the field gun race so his team didn't get disqualified. His finger was ripped off in the process. Even as a 7 year old I thought, "What a dickhead."

[Guy Profumo]

Why when it was last Saturday (in Sheffield) was it a thing yesterday?

[ursus arctos]

Came into existence in 2006, name changed in 2009

Armed Forces Day (formerly Veterans' Day) in the United Kingdom is an annual event celebrated in late June to commemorate the service of men and women in the British Armed Forces. Veterans' Day was first observed in 2006. Although an official event, it is not a public holiday in the UK. The name was changed to Armed Forces Day in 2009. Armed Forces Day has so far been observed on the last Saturday of June.

[NickSTFU]

It's an excuse for people like me to get a free pint if we wear our veterans badge.

I've only worn the badge once and that was to get a free pint at one of my locals.

I'll do anything for a free pint.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

haha. A free pint is not to be sniffed at. It would be a fine institution If only it would stick to that.

[NickSTFU]

haha. A free pint is not to be sniffed at. It would be a fine institution If only it would stick to that.

Well, I'm not sure that it is really an institution.

I mean, in Shrewsbury this year there were a couple of blokes with a gazebo in the square that in the main folk seemed to be ignoring.

The PTA I'm involved in had a bigger presence when we organised a book sale in the square.

It's not like The Royal Tournament, or Trooping the Colour.

[Lang Spoon]

So it's not a public holiday, nowhere really does anything for it that might cost money. Total Gordon Brown idea of a day of national 'celebration', cost neutral jingoism.

[NickSTFU]

Indeed. I didn't even know it was on until the BBC informed me.

But, because the BBC informed me doesn't make it an institution.

[Bored Of Education]

It's an excuse for people like me to get a free pint if we wear our veterans badge.

I've only worn the badge once and that was to get a free pint at one of my locals.

I'll do anything for a free pint.

You joined the armed forces to get a free pint?

[SouthdownRebel]

To be fair that would probably be quite a successful recruitment slogan - "enlist today and get a free pint"

[Antepli Ejderha]

Rum and the lash were long associated with the navy, surely that on the lash.

[NickSTFU]

You joined the armed forces to get a free pint?

Well, actually cheap beer in the NAAFI and later on the mess....

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Rum and the lash were long associated with the navy, surely that on the lash.

you forgot sodomy. That's a major part of that slogan.