When I was a cadet in the Royal Air Force, we were told we would be brain-washed into doing what the Air Force wanted of us. And no, it was no joke. Make what you want of that; as I am sure the general public will.

Howard, Sussex, UK

Servicemen don't want to be lionised, merely understood. I volunteered to join up and am paid for it. I don't need discounts and parades in return. What I want is to change the perception by some that we are all soulless killing machines, mysteriously different from normal people. We are not.

David Burke, Manchester, UK

Andrew Milner's comment sums it up.
Elsewhere in the world the armed forces are awarded the laurel of the hero.
In the UK we are all tarred with the brush of the scoundrel.
In nearly 30 years service, I've seen things get progressively worse.

Andy, Plymouth, UK

"Support Our Troops", the pick-up truck and SUV driver's bumper sticker of choice. "What, even if they are war criminals, child murders, torturers, rapists ...?” Would that I could be that charitable.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Japan

Its the lingering folk-memory of Cromwell's Major-Generals when the country was in effect "occupied" by its soldiers that explains why there is such an ambivalent attitude to the armed forces.
The New model Army was stood down at the Restoration : never again should its like be instituted.

H J Callaghan, Plymouth, Devon UK

I'ver heard it said before that the British have a 'healthy disrespect for authority' and who represents the authority of the state more than a soldier in uniform? George Orwell said it in the 'Lion and the Unicorn' - that's why militarism would never flourish in the UK, we are inately anti-uniform

James Carter, Huddersfield, United Kingdom

You cannot just blame the general British public for their apathy and lack of respect for British Forces, the politicians are even worse. Those soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are doing so with sub standard equipment due to budget restrictions created by the politicians.

Mabon Dane, Haverhill, UK

Respect evaporated when Blair made mugs of them fighting his Iraq war.

jasper, chelmsford,

It isn't the general public that doesn't care. Local councils, utility companies, the NHS, and of course, the government itself, all couldn't give a monkey's, about veterans in particular. When structural violence reaches this level, it has a knock on effect on the public's perception.

Jennifer Hynes, Plymouth, England

I think you put your finger on the problem when you mentioned the MoD. Our forces, through no fault of their own, are associated with that useless, hypocritical, spendthrift, self-centred shower. Also, it's hard to love the soldier and hate the war (and the war crimes). Not their fault, though.

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

It is not true, we respect our soldiers it is just that we also recognize that they are being sent to war for political purposes instead of defending the weak or the UK.

Our soldiers are still the best but under resourced and in the wrong places.

Joe, Edinburgh, Scotland

The general public support the forces. It is the liberal left - the BBC Guardian schools universities many public bodies - plus a fair proportion of muslims and muslim bodies who are against the forces. If you identify the perpetrators you are in a better position to tackle the problem

David Cartright, Birmingham,

Ben our Armed Services have always been required to be little seen or heard.It's the way we do things
Do not get carried away by this lack of respect , emanating from Browns spinners.This is a device for Gordon to claim the troops as his" own" and wave the flag.
He needs to cover his Scottish flank

robert everitt, wolverhampton,

This is a very cynical ploy to regain the respect the government has lost by sending working class youth to die in pointless and morally repugnant military adventures. It is nothing to do with the public's feelings toward the military and everything to do with the wars we are fighting now.

Dave Humphrey, Manchester,

Maybe it's down to the fact these people are doing a job that few men nowadays have the guts to do. Perhaps we should be lamenting the decline of masculinity as we are left with men like Marcus who is willing to screech his side of the argument but lacks the capacity or bravery to fight for it.

Claire , London, UK

Support democracy and a free world and the military will look after itself.

We need to dump the UN, which is mainly comprised of dictators and despots and have a union of free and democratic states in its place. This might even shame counties such as Ireland and Switzerland onboard.

George Ball, Diss,

While I still respect the people who are in the Armed force but I find it difficult to support them in the "illegal" war that they are being force into such the like of Iraq War in which I don't support at ALL!

Least so with Afghanistan...

Marcus Collins, Nottingham,

Rubbish, the respect is still present in this Country the only people who dislike the military are the Government who sends them off to wars but treats them like muck and our every increasing immigration population who seem to think they can live in our Country and then criticize our traditions.

Roger, Surrey,

If we really want to honour our armed forces we should insist they are properly resourced, paid, kitted out, and housed. The Army needs more soldiers, the Navy more and better ships and the Air Force more helicopters and transports. That, and Rememberance day, is the way to respect these heros.

Steve Grum, Marlborough,

It's a shame to hear of this happening. In the US we love our men and women in uniform and civil service. It wasn't always the case though... during and after the Vietnam War we were absolutely terrible to returning servicemen/women. We're still trying to make amends for that. Support your Military!

Holly, Kenai, USA