Kit, beautiful Kit!!

[Bombe Suprise]

I agree with Plumber, we need to have the equipment that best suits the role(s) we are expected to carry out. If that means procuring US, German, Czech or even (god forbid) French, so be it.

I suppose that the storeman fellow has to return all equipment (used or unused) to the DSA because they handle all of our surplus sales. The money eventually makes it's way back to the Treasury, with the military only seeing a fraction of the booty, IF they can outline a strong enough business case. Its wrong though and perhaps the last box on any clearance chit should be the crewroom to pass out any no-longer-required goodies?

Any thoughts on CABs? I hardly see anyone wearing them these days.

Don't think we need much from the French, I mean those nice white cloths they have and keep waving at the slightest sign of trouble do make good handkerchiefs, and who wants a rifle that is constantly dropped on the ground to allow them to wave the white cloth with both hands??

 

[rest have risen above me]

cabs

cabs

Any thoughts on CABs? I hardly see anyone wearing them these days.

Forgive my ignorance what's a CAB??????

(And I'll make a guess you're not talking about a Taxi. )

 

[Flt Lt Badminton-Squash]

Lumpy jumper!

Lumpy jumper!

I believe it has nothing to do with whether you have lumps in the front of your jumper, more that your attitude will ensure a far greater response. If you attend any store be it clothing or whatever, if arrive with no manner's it is little wonder no one is prepared to go out of thier way to help you. Now, I am not for one moment trying to imply that any of the above who have left threads are gulty of using adverse attitude however, I for one have witnessed such behavior in amazment. I watched with anticipation at the outcome of an idividuals request for a 'windproof jacket' without a please, thank you or even 'can I have'. His reason was that his mate had one so he should have one and that was that. Needless to say he never received his request... I digress, attitude...attitude...attitude, not gender, that is a sure fire way of obtaining the very best out our over worked and under paid storemen/women...

Just a thought...

 

[Twonston Pickle]

Have to agree with you Badminton-Squash; a positive attitude gets positive results and vice-versa.

I do remember though, just prior to an OOA, I asked to take an SA80 and a 9mm (qualified on both) due to the nature of my job out there (travelling lots, pistol is good for in the car (riots), rifle for ambush drills) but was told I could only take one or the other as they might be needed in the UK!! Unbelievable and I know it was civvy armourers but I was utterly gobsmacked. What happened to supporting the front line? And no, before you ask, I'm not a walt, I just wanted all the equipment that I am qualifed to use to protect myself and my colleagues.

 

[Inch High PI]

I do remember though, just prior to an OOA, I asked to take an SA80 and a 9mm .

What were you going to do? Throw the browning at them???

 

[Twonston Pickle]

Good point, Inch High, but some of the "targets" were only 2/3 feet away and some were right next to the vehicle; it's hard to swing a rifle around in a crowd or car but much easier with a 9mm.

 

[Flt Lt Badminton-Squash]

Twonston-Pickle.
It does seem on occasion that no matter how you try converse with certain people, no matter how polite you are, they still insist on installing barriers and reasons for not helping, this I do agree. It beggers belief that an item you are scaled to carry is not made available to you in order for you to carry out your duties.
One can only imagine that there could have been a civil war between short sighted people (taking the range and accurasy into account!) or something in the off'ing for the individual to suggest a browning might be required. When will the military leaders learn that if they wish for thier 'miltary might' to fight on as many different fronts as they make us; then surely they need to invest in the correct tools for that specific job. If that requires side arms, as in your case, then side arms should be issued. However, there would then be little left in the ever decreacing budget for the MoD building to be lavishly decorated. Maybe one day they will discover this fine website, read some of the threads placed here and realise the plight of its service personnel. They would then be able to understand the real circumstances that we, and I mean all of us, have to endure. I fully believe that if it were it not for the 'lets get on with it' attitude that is evedent throughout the services, there would be a lot of red faces around number 10, and many questions being asked as to why our military are expected to work under these monetary restraints. Once again I think I have gone on a little bit too much and off slightly on a tangent so I will leave it open to the rest of you to have your comments.

Anyway, just a thought...

 

[The Helpful Stacker]

Being scaled for an item and being trained on an item are two very different things.

I'm one of those ex-Wing Mongs that thought jumping out of serviceable aircraft was a good idea and can still wear the little badge to prove should I so wish yet I don't expect top be furnished with one of Her Majesty's finest silk let-down apparatuses should I deploy to Iraq 'just in case'.

Although I agree in principle that a pistol would be much more useful in vehicle where does in stop? Sniper rifles for the guards on airside at Basrah because after all you can see so much further? Gimpys for us few 'blunties' that had to travel up north from the APOD standing in the back of a Land Rover?

Personally I'd rather have a nice armoured vehicle to drive around in than a 9mm pistol. As bitter experience has shown in places such as Iraq you are the one likely to set off the device that kills you, not some crowd in a town. Also as those two signallers unfortunately found out in Ulster a few years back, non-specialists (ie: anyone who doesn't still visit RAF Hereford regularly) are more likely to get themselves killed if they start waving pistols out of the window of their car in a crowded street than do anything meaningful.

 

[dolphinops]

Combat 95...fantastic. Got mine last year.
Still waiting for Gortex

 

[Twonston Pickle]

Helpful Stacker,

Whilst I agree with the scaled/training arguement, I was trained and scaled for both (Media Ops role requires a pistol as well - looks better on camera apparently!) I do agree that you should stick to your scaling, however, the muppet who denied me both endangered my life and that of others.

I also take some exception to what you say ref the signallers. I as I recall, they were not waving their pea-shooters around but had actually hidden them underneath their backsides. Unfortunately, when they came to use them, they had sat on the mag release, the mags dropped off and valuable, life saving seconds were lost. I stand by to be corrected but I do not think this story is appropriate to a "Kit" thread.