Have a great day.
Quote----Hi Everyone,
Quote----Hi Everyone,
>We in India take our Services for granted -- to be there as and when
> required even for matters that our civilian administration should have
> attended to years earlier.
>
> I do not know if any of us will get a chance to emulate what the
> sender of this e-mail did, but we can ensure that we add our voices
> and our votes to make conditions for our Servicemen better.
>
>
>
> A narrative I received from another Group: ( A British Experience)
>
>
> Airline Lunches
>
> I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat.
> It was going to be a long flight from Gatwick UK. ( Means Goat Farm,
> then converted to race course and now to Airport )
> 'I'm glad, I have a good book to read, Perhaps, I will get a short
> sleep,' I thought.
>
> Just before take-off, a line of British Army Youngsters came down the
> aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I
> decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you blokes headed?' I
> asked the young man, seated nearest to me.
>
> Cyprus. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then
> we're being deployed to Afghanistan. After flying for about an hour,
> an announcement was made that lunches were available for five pounds.
> It would be several hours before we reached Cyprus, and I quickly
> decided a lunch would help pass the time..
>
> As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his mate if he
> planned to buy lunch.
> 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just an airline lunch.
> Probably wouldn't be worth five Quid. I'll wait till we get to Cyprus
> .... His mate agreed.
>
> I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I
> walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a
> fifty Pound note.
> 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers..'
> She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly.
> Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me.
> 'My young bloke was a soldier in Iraq , it's almost like you are doing
> it for him..'
>
> Picking up ten lunchboxes, she headed up the aisle to where the boys
> were seated.
> She stopped at my seat and asked,
> 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'
>
> 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked..
>
> She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later
> with a dinner plate from first class. This is your thanks.
>
> After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane,
> heading for the rest room.
> An old bloke stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it.
> Here, take this.'
> He handed me twenty-five Pounds..
> Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Captain coming down the
> aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he wasn't
> looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my
> side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out
> his hand, and said, 'I want to shake your hand.'
>
> Quickly unfastening my seat-belt I stood and took the Captain's hand.
> With a booming voice he said, 'I was an army pilot a long time back.
> Once someone bought me lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.'
> I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
>
> Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs.
> A kid who looked about 18 was sitting about six rows in front of me
> reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine.He left another
> twenty-five Pounds
> In my palm.
>
> When we landed, I gathered my belongings and started to depart.
> Waiting just inside the aircraft door was a man who stopped me, put
> something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a
> word.
> Another twenty-five Pounds!
>
> Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their
> Trip up to their training area.. I walked over to them and handed them
> seventy-five Pounds.
> 'It will take you some time to reach your training area. It will be
> about time for a sandwich.
> God Bless You Blokes.'
>
> Ten young blokes left that flight feeling the love and respect of
> their fellow Brits.
> As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe
> return. These soldiers were
> giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.
> It seemed so little...
>
> .................unquote
> required even for matters that our civilian administration should have
> attended to years earlier.
>
> I do not know if any of us will get a chance to emulate what the
> sender of this e-mail did, but we can ensure that we add our voices
> and our votes to make conditions for our Servicemen better.
>
>
>
> A narrative I received from another Group: ( A British Experience)
>
>
> Airline Lunches
>
> I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat.
> It was going to be a long flight from Gatwick UK. ( Means Goat Farm,
> then converted to race course and now to Airport )
> 'I'm glad, I have a good book to read, Perhaps, I will get a short
> sleep,' I thought.
>
> Just before take-off, a line of British Army Youngsters came down the
> aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I
> decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you blokes headed?' I
> asked the young man, seated nearest to me.
>
> Cyprus. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then
> we're being deployed to Afghanistan. After flying for about an hour,
> an announcement was made that lunches were available for five pounds.
> It would be several hours before we reached Cyprus, and I quickly
> decided a lunch would help pass the time..
>
> As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his mate if he
> planned to buy lunch.
> 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just an airline lunch.
> Probably wouldn't be worth five Quid. I'll wait till we get to Cyprus
> .... His mate agreed.
>
> I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I
> walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a
> fifty Pound note.
> 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers..'
> She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly.
> Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me.
> 'My young bloke was a soldier in Iraq , it's almost like you are doing
> it for him..'
>
> Picking up ten lunchboxes, she headed up the aisle to where the boys
> were seated.
> She stopped at my seat and asked,
> 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?'
>
> 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked..
>
> She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later
> with a dinner plate from first class. This is your thanks.
>
> After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane,
> heading for the rest room.
> An old bloke stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it.
> Here, take this.'
> He handed me twenty-five Pounds..
> Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Captain coming down the
> aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he wasn't
> looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my
> side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out
> his hand, and said, 'I want to shake your hand.'
>
> Quickly unfastening my seat-belt I stood and took the Captain's hand.
> With a booming voice he said, 'I was an army pilot a long time back.
> Once someone bought me lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.'
> I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
>
> Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs.
> A kid who looked about 18 was sitting about six rows in front of me
> reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine.He left another
> twenty-five Pounds
> In my palm.
>
> When we landed, I gathered my belongings and started to depart.
> Waiting just inside the aircraft door was a man who stopped me, put
> something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a
> word.
> Another twenty-five Pounds!
>
> Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their
> Trip up to their training area.. I walked over to them and handed them
> seventy-five Pounds.
> 'It will take you some time to reach your training area. It will be
> about time for a sandwich.
> God Bless You Blokes.'
>
> Ten young blokes left that flight feeling the love and respect of
> their fellow Brits.
> As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe
> return. These soldiers were
> giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.
> It seemed so little...
>
> .................unquote
