Military Connections?

[Mikey P]

I was an electrician by trade in the army, and when I went on an exercise I had the use of a 16/24 Newton Derby Gene pumping out 80 odd amps. There is nothing like being stuck in the middle of a training area and still having a kettle, TV, electric fan heaters etc.
On winter exercise in Norway, everyone could see where our tent had been because all the snow & Ice had melted. Now thats when the term "Anyone can be uncomfortable" comes in.
Don't get me wrong though on FTX's all this stuff was stripped away from us and we had to rely on our issue gear augmented by bits and pieces of civilian gear.
But when it comes to bushcraft I also believe its about getting back to the basics in one way or another so I steer away from the use of alot of kit and try and get by with as little as possible if that makes sense.
I don't believe in going out dressed head to toe in DPM there is no need because there is plenty of military style gear out there in the shops and on the net that comes in OG or black.
But this is just my opinion and no-one should take offence.

Ah, we used to use 16/24s on the Wing - dead quiet and really reliable. Twin gennies
and one of those 'home-made' switch-over boxes. Ace!

 

[Greg]

'home-made' switch-over boxes. Ace!

Good old H&S in the forces...

 

[spamel]

I've found that in the last few years, more and more Officers and SSM's are saying that issued boots only are allowed in camp, P Smocks only to be worn by Para trained personnel and Arctic smocks only worn by Commando trained personnel. Absolutely stupid! So I had to suffer in crap issue gear when i owned Arctic smocks and Scarpa boots with Yeti gaiters, just because I hadn't been thrashed on a course for six weeks? Yeah, whatever!

 

[Greg]

I was with the AMF(L) for 5yrs, and although my squadron was AWT we weren't allowed to wear our smocks until we went to Norway.

 

[Mikey P]

I've found that in the last few years, more and more Officers and SSM's are saying that issued boots only are allowed in camp, P Smocks only to be worn by Para trained personnel and Arctic smocks only worn by Commando trained personnel. Absolutely stupid! So I had to suffer in crap issue gear when i owned Arctic smocks and Scarpa boots with Yeti gaiters, just because I hadn't been thrashed on a course for six weeks? Yeah, whatever!

Ah, that is so rat's c**ks it makes my blood boil. I've always been keen on the practicality aspects and if you have something that is issue kit, you should be allowed to wear it (within reason). I work in a staff HQ but, for some odd reason, even though we are a peacetime HQ, we still have to wear greens (I think it's so that the pilots can wear their flying suits - easy to wash, easy to iron, and they run the HQ). Anyway, I use Underarmour green t-shirts under my C95s, Hi-tech boots (I work in an office so I don't need steel toe-caps), and a windproof SAS smock when it's colder/wet. Practical and they all look the part. I think it's mainly jealousy by those that don't have nice kit of those who do - if they can't have it, no one should. On exercise/ops, it's yetis, smocks, fleeces, whatever.

 

[gbjim03m]

I'm intrigued now... do you know kleppers inside and out?

sorry kleppers? not heard of the term it may be called something else in jack speak?

 

[w00dsmoke]

kleppers? not heard of the term it may be called something else in jack speak?

Folding double kayak klepper aurious

 

[Greg]

kleppers? not heard of the term it may be called something else in jack speak?

A Klepper canoe is a collapsible canoe used by the Special Forces (SBS, SAS boat troops etc)

 

[Jedadiah]

On the subject of Windproof smocks, ECW boots and gucci kit in general, the only thing that gets up my nose is that, as has been said before, it is frowned upon to wear such items if you are not 'Qualified' to wear them. When i said qualified, i mean that you had to have done the course (Commando, all-arms, ML, Para, etc). The other qualification that seemed to work was if you were a supplier.

I was on ops last year and all the 'stackers' had all the kit to such a degree that an FNG thought that supply was where all the 'sneaky beakies' hung out. He was most dis-chuffed when we told him that they were REMF's.

Still, if you can get it and it's free, why not have three. One to use, one for spare and one to swap! Just because that means someone else cannot have it, why should they care!

 

[Mikey P]

On the subject of Windproof smocks, ECW boots and gucci kit in general, the only thing that gets up my nose is that, as has been said before, it is frowned upon to wear such items if you are not 'Qualified' to wear them. When i said qualified, i mean that you had to have done the course (Commando, all-arms, ML, Para, etc). The other qualification that seemed to work was if you were a supplier.

I was on ops last year and all the 'stackers' had all the kit to such a degree that an FNG thought that supply was where all the 'sneaky beakies' hung out. He was most dis-chuffed when we told him that they were REMF's.

Still, if you can get it and it's free, why not have three. One to use, one for spare and one to swap! Just because that means someone else cannot have it, why should they care!

If the kit was for handing out, it wouldn't be called 'Stores', would it?

 

[Jedadiah]

The old adage 'I have one left but i cannot give it to you because someone might need it' springs to mind! The difference between 'stores' and 'supply' is exactly that!

 

[spamel]

To be honest, I found that most people working in Stores had their own little empire and their little bit of power that they would exercise with glee. In my last unit, a 20 year Sapper that was useless for anything else was heading up the clothing store. He would speak to everybody, regardless of rank, like they were crap because he knew he could whinge to the QM and he'd back him 100%. Dekit was fun, he wanted to bill people for every little item.

 

[loz.]

To be honest, I found that most people working in Stores had their own little empire and their little bit of power that they would exercise with glee.

Must agree with that !,

Oddly I found the worst to be bedding stores , When i demobbed, i had to sign out of bedding stores, - and like who ever uses her magists sheets, and wolly blankets ever ( aprt from basic ). As if i could find sheets from 8 years previous ! lol

Clothing stores let me keep my desert boots, boots, loads of greens


L

 

[Tourist]

The old adage 'I have one left but i cannot give it to you because someone might need it' springs to mind! The difference between 'stores' and 'supply' is exactly that!

I nearly choked on my French Army Rations......

I was notionally a stacker and generally seemed to have problems getting kit. I had some 'Boots Urban Patrol' and a winproof smock, pucka issued and signed for, that an GSM did not seem to think I should be wearing one time(stacker cap badge everyone thinks they are all REMF's). I had to get a copy of my docs from the QM to stick up his nose to prove I was entitled to wear them and avoid the extra's he seemed to think I wanted to do. Then to add insult to injury I had to explain to him that I may be in his Garrison but I was exempt duties (including Mess Meetings) because of my role.

I remember doing an exercise where we had a real numpty of a S/SGT umpire (RCT I think). He was wearing all the latest kit wandering around pointing and grunting and peeing people off. We had a WO2 with us (wearing CPL tabs to live with the boys and not in the Mess when out of the field) he was mighty piddled with the behaviour of this chappie so took it upon himself to find out where he worked and what he did. Turned out he worked in some war reserve stock holding thingy place and that he had raided the kit to make himself look all war'ry........OOps, he got into trouble - to put it mildly.

Re: French Army Rations, for those who know they are like having Raymond Blanc prepare a lunch box for you to take into the field. 1 French Rat Pack = 5 MRE's for swap's.

 

[Sleepy Weasel]

I started out as a kid in jeans and wellies and a wooly jumper as a kid in the 70's. then I found the joys of ex army gear, cheap, robust, and made you stand out in the high street!

Never been in the army, was in the air cadets for 3 years but I don't feel that counts

Got into biking in a big way so all my gear was black leather for a while and being outdoors took a back seat.

Then, I was drawn back to enjoying the outdoors again, this time in old boots, jeans and a Belstaff jacket. Mostly bought at car boot sales

Then got in with a mate who had a small business running a survival school teaching military based survival, so all my kit ended up being green/dpm again, but higher spec as I could get anything I needed new, Assault vests, boots, DPM etc

Then the survival school folded, so that left me with the option of looking like something out of Dog Soldiers running around the wood, or tailoring kit to something more suitable.

Ended up with a Swanndri Mosgiel(which I love), merino base layers, Olive lightweights trousers, and goretex boots, oh, and a leather bush hat(which I'm still not sure about) Crusader mug, Zebra Billies, own carved spoon, GB axe, MOD survival knife(1950 vintage) DPM goretex(cheap and hardwearing) MOD waterbottle, Magmor beltpouches to carry it all in, Olive bergen, Goretex bivvi, with a Katmandu expedition basha(purchased around the 90's before it was trendy)

As to the skills side of things, a lot of what I know comes from tramping around in the woods back in the 70's. I found that the instructors at ATC were ok, but I felt I could do better. Even watching Ray Mears during the 'Tracks' program I soaked up information, to be used outdoors. The time spent with the survival school was interesting, to be honest I felt that some of the techniques were doing things the hard way, but it wasn't my place to say. Now I feel as though every time I'm out there I'm still learning, but still having a whale of a time doing it!

I'm also a member of the local Search and Rescue Team(please donate generously, we are a charity after all!) The kit and skills involved have a few things in common with bushcraft, but we're only expected to be out for a few hours when we're working. All the kit in that is either red, black, or red and black with the exception of what we have to buy ourselves.
..... time I ended this ramble!

 

[Greg]

Why does this same post keep repeating when no-one is posting on it?

 

[Goose]

Why does this same post keep repeating when no-one is posting on it?

It happens when people vote. It does get annoying though!

 

[Fin]

Agreed,

Mods, would it be possible to have a poll where you can't vote without posting a justification? Or am I being draconian?!

 

[Greg]

I can't see the reason in voting if your not going to state why!

 

[SCOMAN]

Currently serving but I wear the Dark Blue. I use a mixture of kit but do avoid DPM if at all possible. Which ever bit of kit is good for the job and the right price I'll use it. I've done nothing with the Senior Service except hillwalking in Scotland, Malaysia, Norway etc nothing bushcrafty except a 2 day stint in the Malaysian Jungle with a privately organised trip. The guys were ex Malaysian Army most of them had served or remember the Malaysian Campaign (and they did not look their age). They give us a few hints and tips on jungle living and moving but not a lot unfortunately. On the theme of why people join it varies I joined at 16 to get out of Belfast in the late 80's, one of the guy's on here said he worked in Girdwood I lived up the street from there. As to the people we are getting in we have to take what society produces, an armed force cannot say it is there to protect society if it does not reflect society. On that note after 20 years in I think I might be knocking it on the head and go off to pastures new, anybody wanting to employ an ex RN O let me know. Cooks, cleans and keeps good kit!