Uniform at UK airports
 

Having recently arrived back at BZN from somwhere sunny in company with a lot of tired but stoic troops from the various sandy wars, we were told by the unusually helpful mover over the PA that personnel were not to wear uniform at UK airports as the operators had 'agreed a policy' and we would be removed from the premises (presumably forcibly if necessary).
I must admit, I found myself a little outraged that guys who are coming back from theatre (especially many of the Army guys who have put up with a lot and are hero's in my mind) should be treated in this way if they need to travel through a UK airport. Before I start writing to my MP is there anyone out there, movers, Mil Pol, anyone else who knows the background to this 'policy'? Has it come down from the govt? Or is this just a company policy - if so is it legal and discriminatory?
If there is a good reason then fair enough - neck wound in - but I can't think what that could be other than some kind of PC embarassment (which is not a good reason). In my humble opinion the UK public, and foreigners arriving from overseas should see more uniform in public not less. If we can't be proud of our troops and our uniforms then who is going to be?

Speaking purely as a civvy I think we should be proud to see the services in uniform, in public if they are happy with that. I've seen the forces of other countries in uniform in public & I think it creates a good impression not a negative one.

Stealth
 

My understanding of this issue is that that the airport operators do not want bods in uniforms on their patch, presumably from a security standpoint. I believe it has been agreed at MOD level. The theatre commanders (whichever one you may be in) have been told that part of the return brief is to have a set of civvies to change into if you are moving onward through a civil airport (not that the suntans and nice green sandy luggage wont give the game away).

:mad: outrageous!!!

Or the weapons, assault vests, kevlar, ECBA etc. All coupled with a plane full of guys, even the most polite of which, will have undoubtedly developed the usual case of detachment Tourrettes Syndrome that won't start to wear off until after a couple of weeks leave. Makes it all a bit academic really doesn't it :E

But then a detachment just wouldn't be a detachment without the pointless REMF rules and regulations to dick you around and push you just that little bit closer to having your very own Private Pile moment!:ugh:

Contrast with THIS.

Yes I know it's only a commercial, but the sentiment is there!

Totally outrageous.

As if the overstretched, underfunded forces don't have enough buggering about as it is, for some faceless pratt to have decided that they may not be seen in uniform in a UK airport is scandalous.

This policy MUST BE ****CANNED NOW!!

That commercial pretty well sums things up - the contrast between the way the US treats its forces and the way the UK MoD does......

Return the favour,send the mandarin (who thought of this 'dog toss' idea!!) over to Basra in civvies, then get him to change into DPM!

Playing devils advocate - I think it is not unreasonable to expect military personnel to wear civvies at civvie airports. This "request" is not made lightly and you should respect other peoples rules on security too! After all, many of the management genuinely love the publicity of an Armed Forces presence at airports.

Wearing Uniform, in the present situation, is no different from hanging around the Ticket counter at Luton/Stansted with a banner stating who you are and where you all mainly congregate on a regular weekly basis.

Awaiting the (thankfully written) Flak.


(Edti spelin)

Those are actual US soldiers in the commercial, but you will notice their uniforms were devoid of any insignia. The commercial was shown during the 2005 Super Bowl, and was ranked as the best ad among the nearly 60 shown during the game.

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave...

Cheers! M2

MightyGem, that commercial was the first thing I thought of when I started reading this thread. Unfortunately, as Brits, you go and live in the desert heat for months, getting shot at, and when you come home you are treated like a third class citizen, a warlike embarrassment to this tree-huggy nation, or even a threat.

Incidentally, I was chatting to a cab driver last night. He drives cabs as his second job, being a university IT techy by day. He takes home 50% more than me in a good month, the same as me in a bad month, from his cabby job alone. He was also very proud to tell me that he only declared about 10% for tax purposes.

Sometimes it makes you wonder why you bother.

Rigga,

I see your point, but only to a certain extent.
On the way home from some hell-hole, you'll only pass through a civvie airport as a one off. It's not as if it's a regular thing. Catching the train every weekend to go home whilst wearing the uniform should definately be avoided, what with creating patterns and predictability and all that.
I know everyone is concerned about security but common sense has to come forward at some point.

Disgusted,

what should be happening at Airports is being asked into the VIP/exec area for a drink or two and then being escorted to your flight.

All provided gratis of course as after all it would hardly dent the profit these places make!

It seems we are to be treated as the Americans were upon return from Vietnam. A forgotten group of personnel that the Government use to appease the US which in turn are using us to appease any US civil unease by allowing troop reductions.

I remember getting a bollocking for not wearing a civvy jacket on the bus that ran between two RAF bases every weekday morning.
I mentioned that it was unlikely that a terrorist would think "Hmmm... that bus full of young men with short hair leaves one RAF base and drives to another everyday but they can't be military as they're all wearing civvy jackets" :confused:

Certainly we could learn something from the "cousins" and it's not often you'll hear me say that!

Indeed, I think I've had more respect in uniform in the US than in this country ... apart from one petrol station in Kidderminster who thought I was an ambulance driver! RAF Wings = Redditch Ambulance Force??

And don't those playing the "security" card know that the current baddies will target you if you're a Brit, in or out of uniform??

Bl:mad: dy hellfire, I'm agreeing with BEags again!

US military travelling on orders have to wear uniform on civilian flights within Conus.

So, I assume that you have to lug a set of (unusable) civvy togs around the sandpit for three or four months, just in order to satisfy this load of cobblers should you transit a civvy airport when you come back?:hmm:


Kin barking.:mad:

Flew on Dec 27 from Chicago to LHR for an onward flight to Middle East with an American carrier. Lady asked if I was military and was upgraded to Business class. In there were 5 uniformed US military personnel. Not that rank has anything to do with it, but all Private / Corporal rank.

For all the bad said about the Americans, they treat the ir boys and girls right.

Think that would happen in BA ? My ar$e it would !!

IN FACT !!!! The Bl00dy BA MOD Leisure line is more expensive than logging on as a civvi on their website !!!!

This country and it's attitude to those that fight for it sucks. It's embarrasing and as Max says, it makes you wonder why you bother.

Perhaps our government is further hoping to keep the embarassment of this £ucked up and ill advised campaign to a minimum. :rolleyes:

Perhaps they hope that the public will forget, if they don't have to see the uniforms at airports to remind them, that our personnel are still being sent into harm's way? :rolleyes:

Perhaps they are further hoping that a terrorist organisation is stupid and will fail to realise that our personnel travel are obliged to travel civvy air if they aren't actually seen wearing uniform? :rolleyes:

SNAFU. :ugh:

That's my take on it too.