If Barak Obama is really keen on being a friend of ours, maybe he could lend us a few snowploughs?

Harry Ganz, London, UK

If you go to ANY London borough council website, conduct a search to see if ANY offer advice for ex soldiers on getting accommodation you will get zero results. Shameful. Single mum-council house? of course you can. Asylum ? have a home. Those who serve should be served well. Of course they arnt.

andrew, dubai, uae

The fact that British Troops have been requested not to wear their uniforms when entering British Hospitals so as not to offend minority groups says it all. There in lies the problem. Government created the lack of respect for this country and its forces.

Barry, Liverpool, Australia

God Bless Tommy Atkins.

Steve.Cameron., sydney., Australia.

Recent comments about troops in Basra remind me of underfunded support services. Also, and with great respect to the US military, I am reminded of US retreats out of Lebanon, Somalia, etc, even with proper helicopter backup. These jobs are desparately difficult.

John Cullen, Cork , Ireland ex Liverpool

Remembrance Day is not enough. I am in my 50's and I have lived a pleasant life due in part because of others sacrificing themselves for my common good.
We live in an age where games of mass destruction are common on the Internet. Which can be taken into our homes and switched off when sated.

William Ford, East Grinstead, England

Its not just the Government that treats our forces with lack of respect look at the USA they give troops massive discounts on cars, flights, holidays days out, food here its pants, Big business do your bit and give to the troops that protect your life style.

bill foy, Liverpool, UK

Sir, Our citizens must be made to understand the special position our servicemen hold. This goes the same for 999 servicemen. If this requires a government campaign, then so be it. No solider should be made to feel ashamed or unable to wear his uniform in public.

Simon, Edgware, UK

Sir, We need to show support for our armed forces every day. Practical, outward support can be financial e.g. better accommodation, half price fares on transport, no TV licence, half price meals etc. Maybe half price drinks in pubs is not a good idea!

Simon, Edgware, UK

Sir Having watched the TV coverage of the Armistace,Iam in no doubt that the vast majority of the populationof the UK caresdeeply about our service personnel,both past and present.Given the chance both young and old would, I am sure, welcome any parade,in any town to welcome the local Regiment home.

Gill Ellison, Clitheroe Lancashire, Uk

Even if Prime Ministers do not send their children and grandchildren to war, they have to chat (I think) weekly to a 'Head of State' who did and (when and if permitted) does.

Steve, T Wells, England

F Kimbal Johnson clearly thinks he/she is something of an academic by quoting von Clausewitz, however if he/she had read 'On War' he/she would know that these theories apply to policy makers and commanders, not the unfortunate soldiers on the ground.....

kevin bailey, london,

It is not just this government and this crop of politicians and the present bulk of the British population who have no interest and show no respect for our servicemen and women, it has been happening for the last 3 decades with the failure to improve accommodation and provide replacement materiel.

Kenneth Armitage, Suffolk, England

For those of you who think Iraq is somekind of illegal war, then what would you call the genocide committed by Saddam throughout the 1990's? It's estimated that he murdered nearly half-million people. Have any of you though for a minute that those British Soldiers who served Iraq ended these horrors

D. Foster, USMC (Retired), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

As a retired career military man,I think it is absolutely appalling how Labour treats HM Forces .
Sending troops to war without the proper equipment,,requiring them to buy their own gear or borrow from their US allies is a national disgrace.
Repatriation respect ? None !
Kipling's "Tommy" applies.

Bill Thompson, Great Missenden, England.

Corporal Tomas Stringer,

You may not be welcome in Surrey, however, you're welcome to come stay with my family in South Dakota anytime you'd like to visit the states.

Staff Sergeant Paul Rankin
United States Army Reserve

Paul Rankin, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States

Surely the 'problem' the public have with the military is the wars in which they are engaged. We are a more cynical peole looking for two sides to every issue and especially ready to smell oil at every turn.It must be very frustrating for those men and women who serve.

cmitchell, bridgwater, u.k

Even as an ex-soldier I fully understand the public's antipathy towards our military. It is a force carrying out an unpopular and bloody war. It is apparently underfunded but receiving multi-billion pound air, sea and land investment. The institution, its industry, and not its individuals are blamed

David Martin, London, United Kingdom

It is not the soldiers fault ,but the war in Iraq has led to loss of respect for our troops,of course quite a lot of soldiers seem to have been involved in brutal acts...not in defence of our country at all..bring the troops home ..the soldiers of the two world wars are respected still,however.

Jean , London, England

When will Tony Blair tell us if he has suggested to his children that they might join the army and fight in the wars he is so keen on, or say how much of the mega-millions, currently rolling in from his US sinecures and lecture tours, he is donating to the Army Benevolnt Fund?
Some hopes!

Rob Bryant, Bromley, England

Treat the troops well, Pay them and give them good fringe benefits but do not blame them for the decisions that have been made by the politicians. They are not responsible for the decision to deploy.

Alan Battenburg, El Paso, Texas , USA

Killing our enemies, slaughtering animals, cleaning the streets - taking care of the insane and the orphaned and old and the sick - we don't want to know - let it all happen far away - all we want is the advantage not the commitment.

Kevin Straw, Leicester,

Every person serving in our armed forces demand very little - however what they require and deserve whilst they are back in this country is quite simple- better standard of living accomodation, better wages , respect not only from the general public but most of all from ivory towered politicians!

dsb, colchester,

We should remember the Guys and Girls in our armed forces are working and fighting so the rest of us can walk our streets in relative safety,as they did in the second world war to avoid us being lead by a dictator,we are being protected fromhidden and cowardly tyrants who would undermine our freedom

Dave Farmer, Broxbourne, England

We should be proud of our forces and commend them at every oppertunity, they visit hell holes daily we could not begin to imagine,and regardless of our politions motives they bring honour and dignity into our society no matter how tough it gets in war zones or peacekeeping! I am proud to be British!

Dave Farmer, Broxbourne, England

If we show wholehearted support for the troops, our thoroughly dishonest and cowardly politicians will interpret that as support for their policies, which are opposed by a huge majority of the population.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

A unjust war will bring scorn on the men coming home but it is the politicans that should hang.

kevin, Lincoln, UK

Last year I walked the streets of New York in my RN uniform on Independance day 4th July when my ship was lucky enough to visit. The New Yorkers were wholly inviting and hold armed forces in high esteem.
A year before I wlked through the streets of London in uniform and was heckled! Work it out.

Leading Seaman CIS, Fareham, UK

Wrong place, wrong time, wrong cause, wrong army. Since WWII it's been bad guys and worse guys. Not sure soldiers today can still lean on King Henry's justification, as in disguise he moves among the troops on the night before Agincourt. (Henry V, W. Shakespeare)

Andrew Milner, Karuizawa, Japan

My father and his father served in the world wars. A shattered man, my grandfather died in poverty in his 50s. My father also bore the physical and mental scars of the War throughout his life. Neither man ever requested help, nor was it ever offered. Their service done, they were simply abandoned.

Mark, Aberystwyth, Wales

As von Clausewitz reminded us 'War is the continuation of politics by other means' . Those who implement immoral and stupid politics are mere apparatniks and lose any entitlement to respect. 'Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do or die'?
And get condemned to death at Nuremberg?

F Kimbal Johnson, Louth,Lincs, uk

Bring back national service.

M Wilson, Bidache, france

Let us show our respect for our Armed Forces by paying their junior ranks as much as we pay traffic wardens and by housing them in warm clean modern houses rather than the chilly damp hovels in which some of them live with their families.

ajor (Retd) Michael Hamilton, KOSB, Kelso, Roxburghshire, Scotland

P. Ryder refers to "those who, thinking themselves strong, attack those ... weaker. " That what we did in Iraq. Weakened by sanctions and systematic destruction of their defenses Iraq had no effective weapons at all. A British soldier terrifying an Iraqi prisoner on a fork lift - gratitude? - No!

David Seed, Cholsey, UK

Respect for the members of the armed forces is closely linked with the war that they fight.
Defeating Hitler was as a noble cause for which they desvered great respect.
Fighting an illegal war in Iraq with tens of thousands of innocent casualties does not deserve respect but raises questions...

joseph parmetler, Bad Gleichenberg, Austria

There will always be those who, thinking themselves strong, attack those they think are weaker. The world will always have places where such people come to power, even in more enlightened regions as we know to our cost. Therefore we need our excellent armed services and should show our gratitude.

Peter Ryder, middlewich, UK

As a former marine Des Browns recent comments made me sick.
I and many of the lads I served with, left better paying jobs and prospects to serve and were treated like second class citizens for our trouble. Almost to a man my collegues were articulate and intelligent men even before joining.

Harry Theadpigs, Exmouth,

Maybe we should stop war altogether? I don't know that's only one teenager's opinion. However it's true that what Soldiers out in Iraq are doing is their job regardless of what people think. I think that the Iraq war is unnecessary but I still appreciate their intentions. At least they protect us.

Tommy, Wellingbourgh, England

I'm afraid there has been "disconnection" between the armed services for nearly 40 years. Ever since the cessation of National Service the numbers of the civilian population who have any remote idea what it's like to be in the Army, Navy or RAF has rapidly dwindled to almost nothing.

Gordon Burgess-Parker, Foxt, England

Christopher Ellis is wrong - it would, for example, be absolutely right to celebrate the success of defeating Argentina in the Falklands, to name but one campaign. This should not be simply be a remembrance day, but a true celebration of a righteous military victory.

Nick, Rotherham, UK