As if wearing civvies does any good.....remember US Navy Diver Steathem who was tortured and then shot to death. His crime....being a Navy Salvage diver heading home after doing a Det in the Middle East.


http://www.stethem.navy.mil/stethem.asp

Just because it doesn't work everytime for everybody doesn't mean it doesn't do any good. If you thought like that you wouldn't wear your helmet because some guys have been killed despite wearing them.

Surley his aircraft was hi jacked so they would target Spams anyway.........

CC,

Fair play, I might have been slightly out of order with the name calling. Therefore, I can only apologise and rescind my reference to you being a tw#t. However, I fully stand by my assertion that you employ a sanctimonious and patronising tone.:p

ALWAYS assume NEVER check

Why do those senior officers who travel to MOD on a daily basis not travel and work in uniform?

That was just yet another murder by the Islamic Jihad organization that has never been paid for. Seems we have lots of rules that have nothing to do with the reality of today's world. After that hijacking and murder the government adopted a lenient hair policy and directives to wear civvie clothing when travelling outside the USA so as to lower your profile. Shame we did not go after the killers but then we did not go after the group that destoyed two embassies and the Marine Barracks in Beirut. Weakness only earns contempt.

Apology accepted with no hard feelings. Sorry to hear you can guess the tone of my posting by the words I wrote. I can assure you I was intending to be neither sanctimonious, or patronising, was merely trying to give the facts to those who may not have looked into the deeper reasoning beyond the policy.

13 days too late :rolleyes: - this question was raised at page 4 of this thread
Still what goes around...:ok: ;)

My wife (also serving) phoned BA to check their policy on carriage of pax in uniform. BA were more than happy to carry service personnel in uniform however she did subsequently have to put up with an 80 year old man ranting at her that she was a "terrorist risk on his aircraft". Given that neither she nor I knew when she was due to return until 3 hours before her flight one has to wonder how the terrorists would know.....

Stuff
I hope your lady comes home in uniform with her head (justifably) held high. Tell her to tell the old knacker she spoke to sod off. My Mrs is out there also. It makes me mad to think of what we do to our serving personnel.

Cheers Tigs,

On the subject of the US treating their personnel with the respect they deserve, we'd booked a holiday there on my wife's return from the sandy place. When they found out she'd just come back we got a discount on our hotel room and a free upgrade to the best suite in the place. Now all we need to figure out is how to get her OOA pay sorted!!

This would be the same '80 year old duffer' that no doubt served this country with honour in the Second World War I imagine. The same 80 year old duffer that people here would be up in arms about if he'd been set about by a gang of hoodies or treated badly in any way shape or form by society today.

I see your logic, your missus SHOULD be able to come home in uniform, head held high etc etc etc, but as I mentioned already, I don't think the British public actually LIKE to see 'us' in uniform as it takes them out of their comfort zone and makes them paranoid about bogeymen in suicide vests.

I'm pleased to see someone has mentioned an airline that DOESN'T have a problem with servicemen in uniform. :ok:

Comp Charlie.

Excellent posts all. :D

I have had cause to use your services in the past (to change a ticket) and had excellent service.

One other point about the Americans in uniform. They take pride in their appearance, we don't. We are the scruffiest bunch of sods on the planet.

Also, worth remembering that our (working) uniforms are the cheapest, tackiest pieces of clothing money can buy.

Where we excel when it comes to flag waving, and should continue to strut our stuff, is in the ceremonial side. Nobody does it like us and it is there that we should concentrate our efforts to win hearts and minds.

Yep, absolutely, just what the troops need after 6 months in Afghanistan - a parade - that will make everyone feel wonderful!

Comp Charlie,
well written posts with valid points but if you are not going to name the airlines that do not allow uniform on their flights then at least tell us where we can find that information so sasless can do his stuff!:E

Comp Charlie,

Thanks for your post. Gave an insight that many of us needed to put things into perspective.

I agree with and understand the points you made, and realise that you post as the messenger, not the policy maker.

I think it's just the fact that having gone through an OOA det and now back home, the troops perceive this bureaucracy as another thing to screw them around. SAC mover on the desk or SO2 is an easy target for their frustration.

Again, a good post. Have PM'd you on a separate matter :ok:

Regards

Thanks for your message FFP, I will get back to you with an answer as soon as possible as I mentioned.

CC

Good posts Comp Charlie - it seems you're dealing here with idealists and realists. I tend to side with the latter. The only uniform I want to see is in controlled environments, looking its best. God forbid someone makes it policy to travel everywhere in the bloody thing!

Even back in 1965 we had to wear civvies to travel to Singapore by British Eagle trooping flights from LHA so not such a new rule. Flying to the States by RAF VC10 in the 1970 civvies was the order of the day. Whilst appreciating that things have changed today there has to be times when uniform is acceptable and yet in spite of reading this tread from the beginning not one person has actually stated that they have been refused permission to fly because they had been wearing uniform.
The question was asked earlier “Do the US Services wear uniform when working in the Pentagon” certainly at the beginning of the 70s uniform was always the order of the day and worn proudly. There again they had a summer working uniform that looked smart not the bag of rags (60s FEAF style) that I was kitted out to wear.
Looked so bad that I was sent to the BX to purchase USAF uniforms and used Canadian Chevrons on it.
Discrimination against serviceman doesn’t end when you leave, many Local Authorities especially in the Midlands and the North refuse to employ ex service personnel or have to get special dispensation because they are in receipt of a Public Service Pension. Its allowable discrimination too. but I suppose that should be a seperate thread

dwhcomputers

Was that because of liability for reserve service?