Supporting the troops in the UK

Just a wonderful heart-warming story from England. From The Sun:

Garage wouldn't serve soldier
An Asian worker at a BP filling station provoked fury by turning away a soldier because he was in uniform.

The shocked Army officer � wearing combat fatigues � was told to go away and change before he could buy beer from the service station shop.

But witnesses claimed the snub was due to the attendant�s antiwar views.

The incident is the latest in a series of blows to Forces personnel, who feel neglected by the nation.

The officer is a captain with 16 Air Assault Brigade, whose 5,000 troops fought heroically against the Taliban in Afghanistan last summer.

He said the public snub � at Wisley South Connect station on the A3 near Guildford, Surrey � left him humiliated and shamed in front of a dozen other customers.

He asked to remain anonymous in case of reprisal attacks by extremists, but reported the incident to BP and to the Army Families Federation.

The federation�s spokeswoman Melanie Pullan told The Sun: �I talked to this officer, and it was very disappointing to hear his experiences. It made our blood boil.

�We would ask the nation to get behind their troops, considering the sort of sacrifice so many are making.

�Their war has never been against Muslims. It�s a shame people can�t respect their service to the country, whether you agree with the politics behind it or not.�

Make that line: "An Asian ex-worker at a BP filling station" please... BP did issue an apology but:

BP last night issued a grovelling apology to the officer, claiming it was a bungle over the licensing laws and NOT a result of prejudice or politics.

A BP spokeswoman said: �We apologise sincerely to the Army officer for the inconvenience and embarrassment that has been caused.

Too bad - BP is an otherwise good company regarding the environment...