CAN Enhanced (Permanent?) Fwd Presence in Latvia
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markppcli
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They had developed cased ammunition by the time you were in your 20s? I assumed smokeless powder had been a new thing for you.Not until you've worn the brown one and used weights made out of nine millimetre bullets in your pants.
FJAG
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The weights we had only has the bullets sewn into a little cloth sleeve to create that oh so perfect drape over your puttees. I never asked where the bullets came from. And yes, my first helmet was the British-style flat-top with 51 pattern webbing.
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The pieces all fit eventually…
RangerRay
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Yes…eventually…
Now, going back to what started this, if the Italians had melmac plates shoved into their webbing, then they wouldn’t have had to eat out of hay boxes with their hands like savages!
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Honestly the individually issued Melmac plate had to be the stupidest piece of kit ever.Yes…eventually…
Now, going back to what started this, if the Italians had melmac plates shoved into their webbing, then they wouldn’t have had to eat out of hay boxes with their hands like savages!
I can’t recall the number of ones that I constantly was attempting to gather up the pieces to return for a new one. Definitely over 50, and frankly probably over 100.
If Hayboxes are coming it makes 150x more sense for Melmac to go with those.
Probably would have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in plate replacement.
GK .Dundas
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Melmac =food poisoning , it never seemed to occur to various units that the ability to clean and sanitize said dish and flatware wasa good idea.
And melmac plates seemed all but designed to provide the perfect surface for all sorts of bugs to grow on .
And melmac plates seemed all but designed to provide the perfect surface for all sorts of bugs to grow on .
MJP
Army.ca Fixture
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Oh yes it was a horrible germinatore.... Didn't stop dinosaurs from saying that dipping it in bleach and then shoving it one's buttpack was gtg.
Ignoring the fact a plate is the last thing one should be carrying in their fighting gear but that kind of concept skipped that sort of that individual. They were the sort to argue that folks should hold their weapons contrary to a person's dominant side while patrolling to keep a left right left right orientation across the patrol.
GK .Dundas
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Mind you I wish I had a set , and I am not entirely sure why .
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Blackadder1916
Army.ca Fixture
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No. If the "various units" had just followed rather simple protocols for a clean up line (basins for wash, rinse, disinfect, then air dry) then there's no problem. But the use of individual's personal plates and utensils were not intended exclusively for hayboxes. In the days of yore, flying kitchens were the norm whether on "concentration" or even a company sized exercise. Even before we shelved the aluminum mess tins (did we? can't remember) and started using melmac, a field kitchen set-up would include a clean-up line (cooks knew it, medics/PMeds knew it and good Sgts Maj knew it - just as they also knew the proper placement, depth and coverage for latrines and grease pits). But I guess, in the same manner as some pers apparently never see the need to wash their hands after wiping their ass, some couldn't grasp the logic that if a unit/sub-unit/sub-sub-unit wasn't able to provide a wash-up line if their meals were sent forward in hayboxes then disposable plates and utensils should be provided. Perhaps blame CQs for being cheap?
Maybe it was just easier to blame scratched melmac as a "perfect media for bacteria".
Full place setting?
MJP
Army.ca Fixture
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There is all that and the realization that fighting folks should not carry plates and utensils as part of their fighting order. That is better supplied to them and allow them to carry warfighting things.
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They just finished their 1630hrs supper at the Legion Villa and are headed to bed with a glass of warm milk. In their melmac cup no less...
GK .Dundas
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I still remember my second world war veteran Father staring at it when I unloaded all the gear I'd brought home from the Armory.
And inquiring on the place setting. " Why the heck did they give you that. Didn't I see a set of mess tins ?"
I explained that they gave both but I wasn't permitted to use the mess tins because they weren't considered safe to use something about lead solder.
I can still remember him shaking his head over that one...me too come to think of it.
markppcli
Army.ca Veteran
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TBF I was caught out in exchange with the Kiwis and was eating meals out of the Nalgene se fitting canteen cup I bought at mec. “That’s a small tin for a big man” stopped being funny after three daysYes…eventually…
Now, going back to what started this, if the Italians had melmac plates shoved into their webbing, then they wouldn’t have had to eat out of hay boxes with their hands like savages!
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Melmac goes in the buttpack.
Soft drinks and snacks in the gas mask carrier.
Soft drinks and snacks in the gas mask carrier.
FJAG
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Didn't have butt packs in those days. Even had to use my mess tin carrier for my rain jacket - yup they were that thin. 64 Pattern was webbing-light and mostly useless.
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