New RAF Uniform
Perhaps if the views and experiences of older people were (at least) listened to, there would be fewer cock ups. I have often found people trying to reinvent the wheel, usually at great and unnecessary expense.
Old Duffer
Old Duffer
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The beard issue is a great recent example, and to be fair I wasn’t sold on it… but I have heard of no aircraft failing to launch because of a beard!
We ALL have a shelf life.
While working at an "Operational HQ", which was just another nondescript suburban office block we all had to wear CADPAT ( Canadian Disruptive Camouflage Pattern) that is the pixelated many pocketed uniform worn by the professional pedestrians Army when they were out camping fighting in the woods. As a Naval Officer I found the idea of having to wear the relish suit rather offensive.
One day a memo made the rounds asking for input to the "uniform advisory committee". I recommended that a new uniform be commissioned. It would be called "OFFICEPAT" and would be decorated with segments of office furnishings including a stapler, desk corner , fragment of a safety poster, edge of a water cooler etc etc. This would allow staffers to hide in plain site when the big boss was on the rampage. Strangely my idea was not adopted and I was given a stern lecture about not wasting the important committee's time with frivolous suggestions.......
One day a memo made the rounds asking for input to the "uniform advisory committee". I recommended that a new uniform be commissioned. It would be called "OFFICEPAT" and would be decorated with segments of office furnishings including a stapler, desk corner , fragment of a safety poster, edge of a water cooler etc etc. This would allow staffers to hide in plain site when the big boss was on the rampage. Strangely my idea was not adopted and I was given a stern lecture about not wasting the important committee's time with frivolous suggestions.......
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
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I've mentioned this before, but whatever ... Callout Exercise at HQ 11 Gp in the 80s. I turn up, fully booted and spurred in DPM, Green Shirt/Sweater, LFO Webbing with filled water bottle and Respirator, and eventually brief AOC on airfield states. After the briefing I was told I should have been wearing a blue polyester shirt and blue sweater. Because the RAF didn't issue Green kit, unless deployed.
I wonder what they would have said if I'd been carrying my own [private] 9mm Browning with filled magazines from my own [private] stock? "Oh, you can't shoot intruders with that, it's not Gov't issue"?
Priorities? Been mentioned up-Thread. Bloody stupidity still rules.
I wonder what they would have said if I'd been carrying my own [private] 9mm Browning with filled magazines from my own [private] stock? "Oh, you can't shoot intruders with that, it's not Gov't issue"?
Priorities? Been mentioned up-Thread. Bloody stupidity still rules.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,815
Received 141 Likes
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65 Posts
I've mentioned this before, but whatever ... Callout Exercise at HQ 11 Gp in the 80s. I turn up, fully booted and spurred in DPM, Green Shirt/Sweater, LFO Webbing with filled water bottle and Respirator, and eventually brief AOC on airfield states. After the briefing I was told I should have been wearing a blue polyester shirt and blue sweater. Because the RAF didn't issue Green kit, unless deployed.
I wonder what they would have said if I'd been carrying my own [private] 9mm Browning with filled magazines from my own [private] stock? "Oh, you can't shoot intruders with that, it's not Gov't issue"?
Priorities? Been mentioned up-Thread. Bloody stupidity still rules.
I wonder what they would have said if I'd been carrying my own [private] 9mm Browning with filled magazines from my own [private] stock? "Oh, you can't shoot intruders with that, it's not Gov't issue"?
Priorities? Been mentioned up-Thread. Bloody stupidity still rules.
As an aside, my lad has been in the RAF Cadets for 3 years and has never worn anything other than Army kit-and very smart he looks.
Last edited by toratoratora; 7th Feb 2022 at 09:20. Reason: Poor grammar…
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Thread Starter
While working at an "Operational HQ", which was just another nondescript suburban office block we all had to wear CADPAT ( Canadian Disruptive Camouflage Pattern) that is the pixelated many pocketed uniform worn by the professional pedestrians Army when they were out camping fighting in the woods.
Meanwhile we wandered down the road between the mess and the main site in DPMs getting strange looks from the passers-by
It was pointed out they stood out like sore thumbs and would have been better disguised as skips etc whilst we would be better wearing civvies - as did those working in MOD because of the IRA threat.
But rules were rules and that was what the manual said….
Which leads back to hats and rank tabs - which at Staxton Wold, as soon as we got to any alert state, we were told to remove, because snipers would automatically go for the officers….
I wonder what they would have said if I'd been carrying my own [private] 9mm Browning with filled magazines from my own [private] stock? "Oh, you can't shoot intruders with that, it's not Gov't issue"?
Ah yes, I used to get funny looks at my annual range qual when I pitched up with my Colt .38 auto (worn underneath the flying suit) or, in latter days my short-barrel .357 Magnum which fitted neatly into Her Majesty’s shoulder holster. Ear duffs definitely needed for the latter, which drilled laser-like holes in the Fig 11 target. That was before the madness that was Dunblane required us to surrender our pieces.
Mog
Ah yes, I used to get funny looks at my annual range qual when I pitched up with my Colt .38 auto (worn underneath the flying suit) or, in latter days my short-barrel .357 Magnum which fitted neatly into Her Majesty’s shoulder holster. Ear duffs definitely needed for the latter, which drilled laser-like holes in the Fig 11 target. That was before the madness that was Dunblane required us to surrender our pieces.
Mog
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