Airline Travel in Uniform
 

Sat waiting to go home from LGW to MAN last night and was a little gobsmacked to see a Naval Four Ringer in 3As, and wearing his cap indoors, getting off the inbound GLA. What ever happened to officers not wearing uniform on public transport? I would have loved to have seen airport security giving him the once over up north. ;)

Part of the policy of showing the military as part of, rather than apart from, society. About bl@@dy time too. I'm fed up with slinking about in civvies as if I'm ashamed of what I do.

No doubt we'll get posts saying that the risks are too great. My view is that there are plenty of Service personnel going round in uniform in AFG and taking the risks associated with that, us lot back home just need to grow a pair and do the same!

He is supposed to wear his headdress indoors in public. QRs!

Can you quote the QR?
In my day, (admittedly long ago) hats were only worn indoors at courts martial and funerals.

Are you sure it wasn't John Travolta?

NR, not sure if it is in RAF QRs but in dress regs. How else would one salute on entering an office?

I have been on several units where it was mandatory for people visiting SHQ to wear headress. This is in contrast to US practice of uncovering when indoors. Indeed at the Commisary in Kef there was often a sailor instructing us to remove headress when we entered.

In UK this has crept in too, mainly to get round the need for ORs to salute Officers when they are out shopping in town. Now that would get certain shop assistants all righteous with people snapping to attention all the time.

As for travelling in public in uniform, it was one occasion when a junior officer was entitled to 1st class travel - when wearing uniform.

Oh goody it's the bi monthly "wearing uniform in public" thread, with the QR Bores spouting ..................well QR's.

Travelling in Uniform
 

I would never have travelled by Commercial Air while in the RAF, but I have done with the Canadian Forces. I was "upgraded" to my own double seat on a packed ac and the Canadian Customs Service were actually quite civil to me when I re-entered Canada from the US.

Here in Ottawa it is very usual to see military members in uniform in public; I've even had people thank me for being in the military while I waited for a bus (public transport in Ottawa is actually reliable) what a difference to the UK!

Or, thanks to some daft pongo ideas, in the DeathStar at MPA....:\

I think the wearing of uniform in public is an excellent thing, and was only stopped in the 70s because of the IRA threat. Clearly, we face a different threat today, but I suppose the risk to us, on the streets, is low.

But why, oh why, do individuals serving in MOD London have to wear civilian clothes? The controllers of the Services are a bunch of suits!

If you go to Washington, and travel on the underground there, you will come across many service men and women, in smart uniform, heading to and from the Pentagon. Let's see the same in London.

Probably an urban myth; Army don't wear hats in-doors, we have alternative ways of paying compliments. :=

That idea was abandoned over the millenium at MPA, Josephine SWO decided it was a stupid idea and switched everybody over to the RAF habit of (generally) no hats worn inside.:ok:

When I last travelled across the pond, my RAF colleague and I decided to don civvies to make life more comfortable and wondered why the Navy 1* we were bag carrying for decided to stay in full white regalia. Our question was answered when he was swiftly invited to sit nearer the front of the aircraft by the cabin crew...

Our tame naval officer got us through international arrivals with great rapidity. They thought he was a customs officer!

We get told in the RAF hats off indoors unless your going into an office for a one way chat!

I flew to Inverness on Sleazy Jet last week as a pongo in C95 and wore my side hat inside, shock horror. There was a crab on the flight in his no 2 dress and he wore his headress; mind you it was a turban. For flip's sake, stop bleating about it and just wear it. It's our uniform and whilst C95 and RAF no 2s hardly cut a dash, I feel proud and the public seemed to like it: lots of chat and a free Daily Telegraph from the stewardess!!

Hmm, when I was there in Oct/Nov 2000, I'm sure that the pongos were still ar$eing about wearing hats and saluting each other inside the DeathStar....

But glad to learn that sanity ultimately prevailed!

Maybe he was HMRC? Rubber gloves perchance?

At the Covert Oxonian Aerodrome, the flying club is (not for much longer) next to the cargo hangar.

One day a chap from Kidlington, on his way home, popped in to do a routine instructor check ride - still wearing his white shirt with 4 gold rings, black tie, navy blue trousers etc.....

The Movers $hat themselves as they thought he was the head of a rummage team from the local HMRC gaff.....:ok:

We didn't let on, of course........:E

AP1358, Chap 1 Al 8
 

OK I'll be the sad g*t who posts it. Latest amendment available on the internet here

0112. Occasions on which the wearing of uniform is encouraged (subject to local commander’s direction and including security and threat assessments):
a. Visits to civilian amenities e.g. bank, garage, shopping, coffee shops.
b. Travelling from place of duty to place of duty. Uniform should be worn irrespective of the method of travel e.g. public or private transport or on foot2.
c. Travelling to and from residence to place of duty. Uniform may be worn irrespective of the method of travel e.g. public or private transport or on foot3.
d. Travelling to and from leave.
e. Transiting through civil airports when travelling to and from residence to place of duty, from place of duty to place of duty, and to and from leave.
f. Service Approved Category 2 Un-established Commitments e.g. official steward duties at Wimbledon.
g. When deemed appropriate by the Commanding Officer, attending events whilst off duty or on leave e.g. civil or Service wedding, graduation ceremonies.
h. When deemed appropriate by the Commanding Officer, individuals can wear uniform when attending civilian court as a defendant, witness, or representative of the Service.