Serviceman threatened with knife outside RAF base
 

See

Police hunt two men who threatened airman with knife at RAF Marham

BTW Since when did stations start adding tacky company advertising to the main gate signs?

Tacky? Or is it the sad fact that enough people from each of those companies now work on the base and each logo is just like the unit patches above? At least it doesn't say "Cillit Bang and the terrorist is gone".

Anyway, good to hear no one hurt

I'm guessing since they companies started doing most of the work and providing most of the manpower to run the base?

Over at ARRSE, a poster claiming inside info says two "dusky chaps" were involved. The victim, who is a Rock, fought them off and police have tested him for DNA traces.

I'm sure the rock will pass the police test.

Hmm.Kudos to the Rock if he did fight them off but I'm suspicious of this story.

BBC is Tweeting that it's not terrorist related. No further details.

Now being reported as an attempted abduction.
An altogether more chilling prospect.

Definitely not terrorist related - just two innocent assailants of middle east appearance.

The report says he was out jogging, one man tackled him and he knocked him to the ground. The second had a knife but went to the assistance of his associate. The Rock sensibly departed.

Not that the guy involved was wearing uniform but I never understood why the relaxation of uniform off base came into effect after the IRA threat diminished.
Never used to wear mine off base, Tesco and Asda is full of guys and girls in uniform these days and always saw it as a risk.

If that Rock had sorted those two assailants out 'good and proper' (there are a few I remember who could easily have done so..), who do you think would have been prosecuted?

Yep, thought so. Salaam Alaikum.

Wearing of uniform in public
 

I like to see the uniform on display outside the wire, reminds the public the Armed Forces exist. You all know they exist because you frequent this website, but, given the attention span of the public is more limited than my brain damaged goldfish, if the Armed Forces aren't in the face of the public they will be forgotten about. TBH around places like Colchester, Marham or Portsmouth you can pick out a serviceman in civvies at a hundred yards as poor Fusilier Rigby found out. Put it on, wear it with pride, and if you're aircrew don't slouch round with your hands in your pockets.

The wearing of uniform off duty clearly poses a risk to the wearer in these **** times.

I never served in uniform, but spent most of 41 years service alongside the RAF. Living near Stamford, I often see lads and lasses in uniform in town and in the shops. I feel the better for it, but I don't want someone to die for my buzz.

**** times indeed.

And those linking it in their own posts as well

Gawd, you couldn't make it up, no doubt it all came from a photograph of the document some MP was carrying into Drowning Street. :p

If it wasn't so serious, it would be a farce.

You can almost guarantee to see RN and other military personnel from Culdrose in uniform in the Helston branch of Tesco. I am always pleased to see them, and if time and circumstances permit I try and have a word or two with them (I exchanged a cheerful "good morning" with a captain, USAF the other day), although when this involves chatting with attractive female personnel (can't call them Wrens any more) it usually results in a few black looks from Mrs TTN!

Common sense has to prevail, of course, but I'd hate to see the services go back to the days of the 70s when we never wore uniform in public.

According to the latest from the BBC, it sounds like the Rock in question 'dealt with them accordingly'. If we are 'at war' with terrorists, maybe the time has come for our service personnel to be armed at all times. That would nip this in the bud.
RAF Marham: Serviceman threatened with knife treated as abduction - BBC News

This incident also calls into question the advisability of using headphones on both ears at a volume level that, in effect, renders the runner deaf to any audible danger signals - not to mention friendly or hostile calls from passers-by.

Arming all service personnel at all times!! that's a joke right?
Get off your high bloody horses about posting docs online, this thread is about a serious attempt to capture an Airman by probable terrorists.
Is it right posting it? no, is it dangerous and is the document important? no!
Chill out and look at the real story here.

Probably not going to happen. But an accidentally 'leaked' secret document outlining how all service personnel and high risk civilians 'are' going to carry concealed weapons until further notice would be a stop and think issue. Add to that the high level, "We can neither confirm nor deny that such an order has been issued, but be assured that our personnel are all prepared for such an attack."