OK, MDN and ORG, I do understand your points of view, I genuinely do. I am liberal in my views, no doubt about that (although with a touch of the Genghis Kahn - I like to think of myself as a benevolent dictator......

), and I would like to see asylum offered to people who have suffered real persecution. However, I would like to see other European countries soldier (no pun intended...) more of the responsibility.
I am also p*****d off with the crime that some illegal immigrants are introducing into GB - NOTE, I am making a differentiation between asylum seekers and illegal immigrants here. As a great deal of the crime includes the sexual exploitation of women and children, believe me, I'd see them hang.
However, the issue of homeless ex-servicemen (IMHO) needs to be addressed separately to the issue of illegal immigrants. MDN is absolutely right about how frighteningly easy it is to find yourself in deep doodoo - and he's an intelligent, active, gutsy individual (apart from his terrible affliction of not liking red heads..

).
I'm glad you raised resettlment. The military employ, very very effectively, all the basic principles of social conditioning to turn civvies into soldiers - quite right too. However, the reversal process is more difficult to achieve than the turning process. When you 'turn' into a soldier, (assuming you don't change your mind during the process) you are moving towards a more positive psychological state. Much of the changing process is based on pride, belonging, and is very powerful (anyone who is familiar with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs will understand what I mean).
The reverse process is moving from the positive to the negative, both emotionally and mentally. And what prepares you for this painful and disturbing transition? A course in furniture restoration perhaps??!!!
I believe, that there should be included in the Resettlement process, some kind of counselling to prepare people for the change in their psychological state, so they retain their pride, their belief in themselves. And also, to the great changes that are going to take place at home, within the family.