Leadership and Non-Issue Gear

[Britney Spears]

I'm on the AEV  Grin

 

[sigpig]

I remember that poster, I used to have it up in my civvie office at one time. Will have to see if I can dig it out now.

Once when we were shooting the old Strathcona calendar the model needed a cf tunic to wear for a picture so she wore mine! Unfortunately that pic didn't make the calendar, some old blue tunic did 

By the way Britney, congrats on the baby...

 

[Matt_Fisher]

hahahahah, the good old Strathcona nudie calendars.  Talk about the old days...how much trouble would a unit get in now for doing one of those?  ;D

 

[Michael Dorosh]

some old blue tunic

"Patrol Dress"

...ah, our fading corporate memory....

 

[Jarnhamar]

Apparently the sight of all the different Highland/Scottish balmorals (with odd maroon beret) really annoyed somebody.

I'm sure they had some fancy excuse for it.
More bullshit.

I've always said one of the worst morale killers is when troops get told something ie 'don't wear this' only to see their superiors wearing it.

It's still obviously alive and well in the CF.  I think I would rather chew my own arm off than be in meaford.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Was anyone else on pre-deployment trg with 2VP in '96?  We in the Engineer Sqn had to walk around Wainwrong with 5 (yes, I said 5!) different hats in our pocket.  Which beanie you wore depended on which part of the camp you were in.  It also didn't do much for Sapper morale that every binrat in the NSE and Bn Gp had all their gortex sniv kit, and we were left out of the loop. I got my Gucci jacket in June, came in REAL handy...Nothing to do with the topic, I know... I now return you to your regular programming....

CHIMO,  Kat

 

[COBRA-6]

During pre-training for Athena Roto 3 in Meaford, we were told we could not wear camelbacks at all because the candidates training at the base were not allowed to wear them.   Not a kit thing, but to illustrate the anal retentiveness of the SNCO's in Meaford, we were also directed for the sake of "uniformity" that the scrim on our helmets MUST be the burlap kind given out by the RQ, because thats what the recruits had.   The final kicker was, for a period of almost a month, we were not permitted to wear our regimental headdress up top.   Apparently the sight of all the different Highland/Scottish balmorals (with odd maroon beret) really annoyed somebody.   So to be "uniform" we had to wear the bush hat everywhere.  

I have buddies who were there, they said it was like doing QL3 again! There were a lot of after-action points that came out of that experiment... thank God they moved the roto 4 trg to Pet!

 

[ZipperHead]

Was anyone else on pre-deployment trg with 2VP in '96?  We in the Engineer Sqn had to walk around Wainwrong with 5 (yes, I said 5!) different hats in our pocket.  Which beanie you wore depended on which part of the camp you were in.

Ahhhhh, good times with 2 Pick!!!! Even better was Roto 7, with the jihad against fleece jackets as outerwear, v-neck t-shirts, and long sideburns. And, although I agreed with it in principle, the banning of desert boots in the winter months went over well (or not.....). When you're that worried about the minor things (and not the welfare of the troops) it's time to pack up and come home.... I'm surprised we didn't have to paint rocks.....

Al

 

[Gunner]

Ahhhhh, good times with 2 Pick!!!! Even better was Roto 7, with the jihad against fleece jackets as outerwear, v-neck t-shirts, and long sideburns. And, although I agreed with it in principle, the banning of desert boots in the winter months went over well (or not.....). When you're that worried about the minor things (and not the welfare of the troops) it's time to pack up and come home.... I'm surprised we didn't have to paint rocks.....Al

That post made me feel nostalgic for Roto 7...not.

 

[BITTER PPLCI CPL]

While we are issued good kit, I can't help but see gear out there thats cadpat or even OD (rucksacks, lbv's, chest rigs etc...) that I would rather use, makes sense, yay or nay?

 

[RangerRay]

Absolutely concur.

As long as we can be identified as Canadian Army soldiers, with CADPAT or OD, I don't think it should matter.

I believe the Brits are allowed to purchase their own kit...

Same goes with something like wearing Danner combat boots.  Far better than issued ones (at least when I was in) and pretty much have the same design...

 

[geo]

Buy or issue.... aye, that's the question
If there is a need identified then the system should do what it has to - to provide & meet that need. If individuals must buy/ fill a definite need (hole) in essential kit then there is something wrong... and the CF should compensate members for their purchase.

There was a time when the CF was working on the design of a combat bra..... (which an american journalist refered to as "the cones of death").. in the end; the CF gave up on the project and now refunds female personnel for the purchase of the sports bras of their choice.

On a practical level, if the kit is similar in appearance to what is available in the system and you chose to buy your own because you feel it fits better or the section is only entitled to 4 and you want one too.... then all fair and good, buy it & wear it.

If the kit is a radical switch from what is available from the system, but there is kit available in the system then I would say that every effort should be made to use the kit that is provided for the task.... If you buy it by personal choice and you bust it in the exercising of your duties.... you'd like the system to replace it or reimburse you for your loss......

IMHO