Revisiting the Military Covenant

ACA Festive Auction raising funds for JUSTICE FOR ARON SHELTON

A Call to Arms is a new and unique charity that campaigns on behalf of military
individuals who are subjected to unjust government policies or laws.

To give a insight into the kind of injustices I am talking about, I turn to the well publicised story of Lance
Corporal Baker of the 3rd Regiment of the Army Air Corps and the family of Afghan refugees. In short, Cpl
Baker was refused a council home for his family following his retirement from the Army. Cpl Baker had been
serving in Afghanistan and other places for a number of years and subsequently was considered by the council
in his hometown as ‘having no local connection’. He and his family suffered the indignity of having to camp on
the lawn of Cpl Baker’s parents. At the same time, on a nearby street, a family of Afghan refugees was sitting
comfortably watching their large plasma TV screen in their tax-payer funded house, without a single person in
the family employed. To further highlight the injustice purported and even the contempt for the military by
Bracknell council, they continued to ignore Cpl Baker’s pleas when the facts were presented. Only after an
exhausting personal campaign did the council buckle under public pressure and provide a council home for Cpl
Baker and his family.

On the whole these unjust scenarios are usually encountered by former serving personnel. This is partly due to
the fact that personnel are catered for in the military, but also because of the code of conduct and restrictions
imposed by the Ministry Of Defence. I’m sure you have never heard of the Army pursuing industrial action to
demand a pay rise. Well these principles apply in all aspects of their dealings with government.

I encountered these restrictions when I made a request to announce the ACA

Festive Auction on the MOD intranet. This is nothing out of the ordinary as I
have successfully advertised auctions in the past on their system. But they
kindly explained there is simply no way they would be allowed to promote
anything criticising the government irrespective of the noble nature of the
cause. This possibility had never occurred to me as I assumed the government
would be big enough to take some flack and allow their employees to make
their own minds up and even so this issue in the grand scheme of things is
relatively minor which could easily be amended without causing any damage to
the government. After all I have no intent on attacking the government but to protect the rights of our heroes.

I was wrong. In fairness, I recognise that it is imperative for the military to function as a cohesive unit in the
exceptionally sensitive scenarios facing them. We have seen the kind of damage done recently when one
person or one part believes he knows better and undermines the sum of all its parts. Without rules, without
unquestioning obedience and without hierarchy a machine like the military could not work with a unified
purpose, becoming fragmented like a poorly moulded phalanx - ultimately incapable of fulfilling its purpose.
With lives at risk a failure of discipline, of structure, of chain of command would be catastrophic to our men
and women whose lives are in the hands of those next to them but also those above them. Our brave men
and women of the military recognise this and forfeit their free will for the greater good.

This is fair, especially in a democratic society where we do have a right to exercise our dissatisfaction with the
leadership style and direction. But that this must be done at the right time. In Winston Churchill’s words;

‘Democracy is the worst type of government except all others that have been tried.’

A Call to Arms . PO Box 65524 London N3 9DA . +44 (0) 208 2487 487 . info@acalltoarms.org.uk . www.acalltoarms.org.uk
This summarises the inconclusiveness of our society’s structure of governance and should quell our Utopian
ideals. We simply do the best we can to maintain order, keep safe and promote liberty. Inevitably there will be
bumps along the way but we pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and
continue moving forward.

But what is as obvious a distinction as night or day, or Yin and Yang is the
treatment that our brave heroes deserve and the way they are often
actually treated from the very governments that send them to war. To
quote one former soldier experiencing the type of unjust government
policy mentioned;

‘I didn’t expect, nor want anything as a reward. I just wanted to enjoy my

life as a veteran back at home. What I was greeted with was a battle with
the government I was not trained for.’

This is from the story of Private Aron Shelton, who ACA is raising funds for through our auction. His story can
be read further down, but like Cpl Baker’s echoes countless tales whose voices are suppressed.

These actions defy the principles of morality, of fairness and of compassion - the very foundations which
supposedly brace the weight of our culture and society. Having been at the forefront of promoting liberty
throughout the world from the time of William Wilberforce and the abolition of slavery, to emancipating
women with voting rights followed by universal suffrage, the equal rights movements and now fervently
promoting the rights of the disabled and the discriminated, it is a crying shame that the scenario confronts us
where those prepared to die for what we as a nation believe in are not given the justice that our society claims
to be the proponent of.

I believe they should be lauded with parades, with gifts, with privileges unavailable to the common man for
their sacrifices are beyond that of the common man. But the humble soldier simply seeks respect. Well this is
exactly what we intend to provide. We will fight side-by-side in the battles we are capable of fighting and we
would welcome all believers of justice and supporters
of the military to do the same.

If you are in the media, use your audible voice to spread

our message. If you are in the legal industry then
manage the vital task of logistics. If you are a celebrity
rally the troops with blistering, adrenaline-fuelled
speeches. And for everyone please support our
campaign and get behind us, as you are the ones that
can determine the changes we desire just as you have
the power to make or break governments. We must
never forget that every society receives the government
it deserves and it is all of our responsibility to do our bit
in shaping that government we desire.

For more info see; www.acalltoarms.org.uk

Continue reading to find out about our Festive

Auction raising funds for the campaign
JUSTICE FOR ARON SHELTON

A Call to Arms . PO Box 65524 London N3 9DA . +44 (0) 208 2487 487 . info@acalltoarms.org.uk . www.acalltoarms.org.uk
 Auction
As they say ‘charity starts at home’ and so we are hosting an auction of festive
goodies and military memorabilia to raise funds for one existing campaign that
echoes the type of injustice we are determined to defeat...

Private Aron Shelton was the victim of a bomb

explosion in Afghanistan and after losing one of
his lower legs, retired from the military to live
the life of a civilian.

He received disability allowance and was offered a specially-adapted car

which he chose instead of £180 per week to be able to maintain living a
fulfilled and independent life. Following the overhaul to the benefits system
by the coalition government, Aron was reassessed and because he could
walk 400m unaided, albeit in excruciating pain, he was deemed as no longer
requiring the allowance and had his car taken away. The fact that Aron has
progressive arthritis in both his legs was completely ignored.

Personally I think a hero who has lost his leg at war in our country’s name
should not have to justify his need for assistance when his sacrifice is plain
to see, however the rules are the rules and must be obeyed in a civilised
society, irregardless that they were implemented with complete and utter incompetence.

However the rules do offer an appeal which was duly made. Aron was offered a poultry £18 per week to
compensate his losses. ACA believes this is an utter disgrace especially when there are families that are
institutional benefits claimants who have not worked in generations. Considering that there are young men
claiming disability in their teens who will most likely never work in their life. And to really put this into
perspective, for the time being teenagers are paid £30 per week to stay at college so they can improve their
education and ultimately their own life. This brave, unassuming and humble soldier who has sacrificed so
much for our way of life, for our flag, for our Queen and for all of us is treated in this way is as damning an
indictment on our way of governance as I can realistically imagine.

This injustice needs to be rectified and I welcome all who recognise this to place a bid on
one of the items we are auctioning to support the campaign fund for Aron’s case, and to
sign the online petition showing your support for Aron and his case.

Festive Auction http://acalltoarms.org.uk/festiveauction/

Online Petition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/justice4aronshelton/signatures?page=14

Read on to see a glimpse of the auction items

A Call to Arms . PO Box 65524 London N3 9DA . +44 (0) 208 2487 487 . info@acalltoarms.org.uk . www.acalltoarms.org.uk
 Here are just some of the great items we have available that will brighten up your Christmas...

10x Wasps v Saracens Tickets

Wembley or any Home game Signed Arsenal FC Team Photo 2010-11
Original signed etching of Harry
Patch by Dan Llywelyn-Hall

Signed London Wasps Replica

Pol Roger Champagnes Rugby Ball 2010-11
Bespoke chocolate artistry Paul Wayne Gregory

Al Waki by Stuart Brown

Typhoon Scramble by Michael
Turner
Indiana Jones and the Staff of
Kings Wii

To see full selection follow this link: http://acalltoarms.org.uk/festiveauction/

A Call to Arms . PO Box 65524 London N3 9DA . +44 (0) 208 2487 487 . info@acalltoarms.org.uk . www.acalltoarms.org.uk