Kit Sleeping Bedding
 

Daft question I know but could you solve an argument?

Soldier about to go to Iraq, (Basrah) and he insists that he is required to purchase and take his own bedding - sleeping kit with him.
Thats what he has told his mother, who has gone out and bought sheets, pillow, and duvet for him.

Astonishing in my view, but I have been away from the front line for some years now.

I think he is talking **************

Thanks.

FISHING FOR A FRONTLINE ARTICLE IN SOME CHEAP RAG PERHAPS?

GO AND DO SOME BL**DY WORK.

During my force protection course we were provided with brand new cot-beds, sleeping bags, sleeping bag liners, and bivvy bags.

If these items can be provided for a week for a few blue-suiters on a FP course, then I'm sure as hell they can be issued to soldiers doing the job for real. If not, I'd like to know why my sleeping system was in Catterick rather than Iraq.

Sounds like bolleaux to me.

Nice little story qualifier that - having to get mummy to go out and buy the duvet.

Can I have the pink frilly ones....reminds me of my girlfriends!;)

The military provide us with a sleeping bag, so they can claim they do provide bedding. This is used on uncovered mattresses, some of which after 2 years + of multiple users are pretty manky as you might imagine. There are pillows, but most of these are pretty grim as well.

So some people are providing their own sheets to cover the mattress, and at this time of year out there where it is regularly 100+, I am not surprised that people also take their own top sheet as opposed to using the sleeping bag! Not sure I'd bother with a duvet at the moment, but people have taken them at other times of the year.

Journo fishing again. But he is right in so much as there are lots of individual bits of kit that we buy ourselves. Whether it be knifes, socks, underwear( I was issued RN underwear when I joined - bit rough)...all the way through to boots, T-Shirts, flying gloves, pens, pencils, watch, sun glasses, floppy hat etc etc.

Next time you go on a detachment, Operation just have a look at your kit and work out how much of your kit belongs to you and how much of it was issued. You may be surprised.