I disagree with a few comments about military kit being ropey- these days i find the majority of it top notch. What you get issued varies, and i imagine most kit that can be picked up at army surplus stores isn't too recent and therefore isn't the best, but its pretty good. I'm lucky enough to be issued windproofs which are great and would be cracking for bushcraft if only they weren't DPM...!
Not quite sure about the earlier comment that much military kit is designed to 'carry explosives or cartridges'. Generally speaking this is limited to ammo pouches.
The issue basha is a good bit of kit, and if pitched on the diagonal is just about big enough for most hammocks. Whats more, it doubles as a stretcher... Its true, people do augment their issued kit with a few private purchases, but these days you need to shell out on a lot less than you did- perhaps a smaller sleeping bag (Snugpaks being the most popular), and an ortlieb dry bag to line the bergen. Perhaps sealskinz or neoprene gloves to replace the heavy leather ones, and an MSR gas stove to replace the smelly, noisy and bright hexy burner.
The crusader cooking system BTW isn't on general issue- it was trialled but not liked. Only the mug element is.
There are a few chaps who are big bushcrafters in my squadron. One lunatic even carries a pukko in his webbing and a GB axe on his bergen.
Frankly though during the average exercise you don't get the opportunity nor have the need to practice any bushcraft skills (except SERE training). It will only come into its own in the unlikely event something goes significantly wrong on ops- when of course the first action is to create a woodland sauna.
