"The stuff the army issues is useless" and "no non-issue kit over seas!"

[KevinB]

Ironically I was speaking to a former South African SF guy today - and the issue of drill, attention to detail and discipline came up.  He beleived in garrison life at a certain standard -- and combat work taking lessons from it -- but entirely focused on the mission.

 

[MG34]

One only need look at archival footage of the Selous Scouts of the Rhodesian heyday, the best looking regiment in the Army on parade drill and deportment wise , but knew enough to allow their troops to tailor their kit to the mission at hand when in the field.

 

[vonGarvin]

Attention to detail is vital for the profession of arms.  Having said that, attention to detail does NOT imply sameness among many.  Imagine if you will a section of soldiers in Canada, on parade, in Fighting Order.  The sergeant comes by, and they all look the same.  Finding faults would be easy.  Now imagine the same section on parade, C9 gunners wearing C9 "stuff", same with riflemen.  This rifleman has an M 203, that one doesn't.  This rifleman has a special med kit, the others don't.  Big friggin deal.  The sergeant doing the inspection (imagine it's at WAATC, or any other battle school for that matter) checks each soldier's kit.  Not for sameness, but for functionality (and cleanliness, of course, and all that other jazz).  So-and-so has dust in his pistol grip.  Big deal, right?  I mean, it's not going to affect his weapon's function.  Having said that, given that it's a garrison parade in barracks, that soldier just demonstrated that he didn't pay attention to detail (see above).


And as MG 34 said, functionality of kit is also important.  Looking the same is "okay" if you're on parliament hill on a sunny Saturday, parading for the 125th anniversary of the founding of your respective regiments, but looking the same for sameness' sake in the fields of Panjwai is a potentially fatal error.

 

[KevinB]

Pretty sad that this issue need to be explained since the Army has technically been at war for over 6 years...


The land of "I went to war, and a garrison broke out" 

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Its taken that long to get the dinosaurs weeded out.

 

[PuckChaser]

Just saw a picture relating to Op Rolling Thunder on ctv.ca with someone that had a vest on that was not a TV. Is there someone from the current roto kicking around that can quietly confirm the absolute no non-issue kit rules have be laxed?

 

[Bzzliteyr]

I'm pretty sure it's somewhere in this thread that the tour was going to be allowed to "play" with their kit once the RSM switch was made.  I am also pretty darn sure that they started right from the beginning out in the FOBs...

 

[OldSolduer]

Not all the dinosaurs have been weeded out....they now occupy positions of influence at various HQs across the country. Let's hope the troops outside the wire have the sense to filter out the dinosaur crap.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

The= guys from 2VP where trialing 10 different rigs.  If you were in 2VP you could get away with using one of the trial rigs even though you may not have been picked.  Or at least that is what I would have done.

 

[PJOsborne]

So is that trial finished now? Or are they still 'collecting data'?

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

They (to my understanding) are collecting data up to the end date of the Roto.

 

[Spartan]

I'm pretty sure it's somewhere in this thread that the tour was going to be allowed to "play" with their kit once the RSM switch was made.  I am also pretty darn sure that they started right from the beginning out in the FOBs...

Having talked with a member from my unit currently over: Inside and Near KAF = STRICTLY Issue kit; Fob's = Free game. As applicable to people based out of KAF (as he is Force Protection/Gate) Perspective.

 

[blacktriangle]

Are troops in the PPCLI (any of the Bn's) allowed to wear personal rigs, rucks etc during field ex's and at the range? When I was in Petawawa I saw only issued stuff with the RCR. I had heard the PPCLI were very modern thinking in this area, so just checking.

Thanks

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

All depends on who is running the show at the time.

 

[prarie chimo]

when I touched down it was issued kit only, but as soon as we left the hole they call kaf, we've been wearing whatever, its all about being combat effective. our issued kit isnt.

chimo

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

when I touched down it was issued kit only, but as soon as we left the hole they call kaf, we've been wearing whatever, its all about being combat effective. our issued kit isnt.

chimo

I've seen and heard that song before.  Hopefully common sense has come around full circle again.

 

[Bzzliteyr]

Well, from the images I have seen in the news lately with the whole prison incident it seems that even the PRT are relaxed on kit.. or they are in their "trial" rigs.. At least I can still recognise them as Canadians.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but TF 3-08 Battle Group (if not the TF complete, i'm not totally sure what the other elements were told) have just been given the green light on non-issued load bearing equipment. The only stipulations were that the kit has to be brown or tan, able to accommodate the kit list, and it has to work. I'm pleased i'll be able to wear my own kit, but i can't help but wonder if those arcs aren't a little too wide. I guess we'll just have to wait 'till we see what people show up with after summer leave. It'll be up to the NCOs to discriminate what kit makes the grade, and what's a piece of shit that's going to fall apart.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Any reason given?

 

[Ham Sandwich]

TF-3-08 BG just got the go-ahead for non-issued lead bearing kit. The CSM delivered the policy personally on pde so we know it's credible. The only restrictions are that kit has to be brown/tan, able to accomodate the kit list and has to "work".