I did four months in the sandy wastes of Als garage, and before going out there I was issued with the required kit which included a full set of goretex, a rather comfortable sleeping back and liner and a Bergen to carry it all in. When I got back I I was told it was a pretty good chance I would be going back again so I was to keep the uniform kit, but they wanted the Bergen and sleeping bag back pronto. Somehow they forgot the goretex, but about three months later I got called into stores to be issued with something that was a replacement for something else. As everyone on site was getting rekitted they took the old one back at the counter, signed off your blue book as having returned it, handed you your blue book and told you to go through the door to the other room and pick up the new stuff which would be added to the blue book there.
I am not suggesting that between being handed my blue book and handing it back again there was a point where the signatures for a couple of choice items in the "returned" were filled in with a meaningless squiggle, but when it came to hand back all my kit when I left there was no request for the goretex to be returned.....
Handing back the kit consisted of rocking up at stores with several black bags of mostly blue uniform, and a "well I'm going into the reserves" excuse. I'm still wearing a set of high leg boots for gardening, and there are a few items in cupboards, but at least I keep dry when I walk the dog in the rain