Rank badges
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Rank badges
I have been watching a French crime thriller,and I noticed that their policemen/women were wearing their rank 'epaulettes' buttoned onto the front of their shirts as seen on British/US soldiers.Do any of you current or ex-military people know of a reason for this change from the previous practice of displaying rank on one's shoulders ? Is it just current fashion ? (I am aware that RAF/RN still have rings on their sleeves).
You need only one badge, see it right away, you can carry backpacks and a vest and the French seem to have invented it back then.
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Two shoulders required two rank badges; the budgeteers identified that by moving to the chest only one badge was required, ergo a 50% saving in both badges and epaulettes.
I have been watching a French crime thriller,and I noticed that their policemen/women were wearing their rank 'epaulettes' buttoned onto the front of their shirts as seen on British/US soldiers.Do any of you current or ex-military people know of a reason for this change from the previous practice of displaying rank on one's shoulders ? Is it just current fashion ? (I am aware that RAF/RN still have rings on their sleeves).
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On a similar note - in the civilian world, why have equipment suppliers like North Face started putting their name on the back of the right shoulder?
How weird is that?
How weird is that?
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I have been watching a French crime thriller,and I noticed that their policemen/women were wearing their rank 'epaulettes' buttoned onto the front of their shirts as seen on British/US soldiers.Do any of you current or ex-military people know of a reason for this change from the previous practice of displaying rank on one's shoulders ? Is it just current fashion ? (I am aware that RAF/RN still have rings on their sleeves).
So what you have observed is not something new: maybe you are just seeing more combat-style kit on police and gendarmes these days?
Regards
Batco
Last edited by BATCO; 15th Apr 2021 at 14:17.
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You obviously need a distinguishing mark on the front centre of the chest to give a better aiming point in the same way that the target that we practised shooting at had the white square. I was never a fan of the big strip of white tape with personal details that went on the front of NBC jackets back in the day.
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Yes so you could see who was who from behind, you didn't carry it on the front as officers and SNCO would be targets, and you should be able to recognise their faces.Similar reason most officers etc carried the same weapons as the troops, a pistol for example would tend to make you stand out as an officer.
It’s my understanding that the French have four military threat levels. Similar to most countries, however they do not use colors. Red, Amber etc.
From lowest to highest:
1. Run,
2. Hide,
3. Surrender,
4. Collaborate.
Too soon ?
Avoid imitations
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Yes so you could see who was who from behind, you didn't carry it on the front as officers and SNCO would be targets, and you should be able to recognise their faces.Similar reason most officers etc carried the same weapons as the troops, a pistol for example would tend to make you stand out as an officer.
Yes so you could see who was who from behind, you didn't carry it on the front as officers and SNCO would be targets, and you should be able to recognise their faces.Similar reason most officers etc carried the same weapons as the troops, a pistol for example would tend to make you stand out as an officer.
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