Cardinal - if blokes want to cut there sidies short as a rebellion, they can. As you said, they will look like spaccers.

I know that recent PORs have said that the Afghans have no time for our 'warrior chic' of long hair, beards and sidies, wanting us to look like a professional Army. If the people we are trying to mentor think we look like a bag of shite, it might be that CGS has a point - apart from which, he has given an order, why not just get on and enforce it!

Originally Posted by really?_fascinating

Cardinal - if blokes want to cut there sidies short as a rebellion, they can. As you said, they will look like spaccers.

I know that recent PORs have said that the Afghans have no time for our 'warrior chic' of long hair, beards and sidies, wanting us to look like a professional Army. If the people we are trying to mentor think we look like a bag of shite, it might be that CGS has a point - apart from which, he has given an order, why not just get on and enforce it!

Heard at the end of our tour:

ANA Kandak Comd: "The new team commander has not been to see one of my company commanders for three days. This is unacceptable."

New Mentor: "Hmm, well I know that the team commander has been to see him every day. I will check on it and get back to you."

ANA Kandak Comd: "Yes, please do that. Some man has been introduing himself as a Captain, but he has not shaved for three days, he is clearly not a real officer".

The whole issue of unshaven unkempt mentors was raised at a recent 19X brief that several senior officers attended. Watch this space :D

With regard to rules and regulations. If individuals choose to ignore ones that they disagree with (however petty they regard them), they shouldn’t be surprised when others ignore rules that they themselves deem important

Originally Posted by really?_fascinating

Cardinal - if blokes want to cut there sidies short as a rebellion, they can. As you said, they will look like spaccers.

I was being a wee bit tongue-in-cheek to be fair.

FFS people, get a grip. A 4* General has spoken. even issued orders. If you want long sideys, become a matelot otherwise chin up and get on with being a soldier.

For those whom have not walked around a higher level HQ recently, you are in for a shock.

When he arrived at HQ LAND 2 years ago, he was shocked by the appearance of more than one senior officer. Ill-fitting uniforms (code for FAT), long hair, out of shape and so on.

I would like to point out to all that sideburns are gods own way of telling us the pecking order.

Would the Afgan officer complain to Flashman?? Would he bollocks...

Originally Posted by SeahorseSpanner

FFS people, get a grip. A 4* General has spoken. even issued orders. If you want long sideys, become a matelot otherwise chin up and get on with being a soldier.

Ooh, get her!

Just do what usually happens. Top corridor decide they have had enough of the unruly, enlisted scum cavorting about with unkempt sideburns and the order comes down to "get a grip of them". We do as ordered and they get them chopped. Top corridor lose interest, the enlisted scum grow them back and everything carries on as normal. Well, until Top corridor decides to have a purge again, 8 months later.....(Repeat ad infinitum)

Sideys are no big deal. As long as they aren't excessively long or bushy, they have no negative impact on anything.

Originally Posted by Boogieman

Originally Posted by SeahorseSpanner

FFS people, get a grip. A 4* General has spoken. even issued orders. If you want long sideys, become a matelot otherwise chin up and get on with being a soldier.

Ooh, get her!

Just do what usually happens. Top corridor decide they have had enough of the unruly, enlisted scum cavorting about with unkempt sideburns and the order comes down to "get a grip of them". We do as ordered and they get them chopped. Top corridor lose interest, the enlisted scum grow them back and everything carries on as normal. Well, until Top corridor decides to have a purge again, 8 months later.....(Repeat ad infinitum)

Sideys are no big deal. As long as they aren't excessively long or bushy, they have no negative impact on anything.

no negative impact on anything = positive impact on everything

Sideys are not be a big deal - so get them where the man wants them!

If even the ANA think we look scruffy, it must be time to sort it out.