they look like fkn idiots, moulding their beret's into ridiculous shapes and having unfashionable side burns, the Army's version of Chavs.

Originally Posted by SUNRAY_MINOR

It's like this belt buckle with a black belt

Cool belt, chav buckle.

Originally Posted by Pink_Ops

they look like fkn idiots, moulding their beret's into ridiculous shapes and having unfashionable side burns, the Army's version of Chavs.

I cannot believe that a Beret can be worn exactly as one pleases and that tucked in shirts and jackets are an option to the wearer's comfort.

Dress regs are there for a very good reason. Do the RSM have no say anymore; has his job been completely diluted?

Originally Posted by verticalgyro

Bit touchy aren't you?

Before you go any further in this thread Mick, let us know which side of the argument you're championing, Deacon (shaped normally) or Hawkins (like a flat cap).

I have a £10 on you being of the Flat Cap wearing fraternity. My reason for this guess? You're a bit of a cunt.

I'm not championing anything, my time is done and now its pretty much up to the likes of you and whoever is the guardian of the way the army operates these days.

Why is it that you and the other obnoxious arse have to take this hostile attitude, are you beyond comment - or sharing opinions, or is it just that you believe the conflict that you are engaged in to be some kind of defining war, that only heroes like you are capable of fighting?

I was simply trading back the kind of lack of respect that I was given, I'm sure you do the same when someone is condescending or rude to you, with no reason to do so. And you call me a cunt?

From a personal perspective I find it sad to see the army has been reduced to guys having to buy their own gear because the issue stuff isn't as good as the stuff that's available elsewhere (although I believe that situation is improving) but I did it when I was in, so I guess things don't change much over the years.

One thing puzzles me though, why is there this undercurrent of hostility toward people of my generation of army service? Is it because the Falklands wasn't enough of a war for you, or the first Gulf war wasn't a hard enough challenge?

Where is the dividing line, between what is real service, and what doesn't count as service? Do you think that service in Afghanistan is any harder than the guys doing tours in Ireland in the 70s and 80's for instance - is it a more worthy war, with better soldiers?

Most of my service was in BAOR, the subject already of much derision amongst your generation. Sure, I spent 10 years and didn't even get involved in a punch up in the bars in town. I lived for that time 40 miles away from an army of a million men with atomic weapons, tanks and sophisticated weaponry, you get to fight a bunch of semi trained goatherders who shoot at you and run, and maim you with IEDS. Are you criticising me and all of the generation of soldiers like me, because the Russians didn't have the decency to attack? Or are you criticising me because the politicians of my day couldn't come up with anything better than a tiny island 8000 miles away, defended by an army with a 10 to 1 numerical advantage, with air cover?

I'm not, and to the best of my knowledge - nobody of my generation is - telling anyone in todays army that you are any less worthy, than we were. I for one would be the first to say that I'm dead pleased that I didn't have to fight the war that you guys do, just as I'm rather fucking pleased that I didn't have to do street patrols in NI, where my generation of army not only had to fight people who blew us up and hid behind the civil population, but they looked like us as well, and in some cases were in the same army as us.

But I'll tell you something that you would be wise to consider. If we had been put in the same position as you, we would have gone, just like you, we would have served, and learned and adapted, just like you, we would have gone beyond the wire, just like you - and we would have soldiered on, just like you.

Because we volunteered to do so, just like you.

I just think that we did it with a bit more respect for those that went before us, if you and laughing boy are examples of your generation.

Who'd have thought the shape of a beret could cause such emotion!

So what's the "17" in Roman Numerals on the belt buckle about? In my day it was 264 Sqn.

Originally Posted by CaptainPlume

So what's the "17" in Roman Numerals on the belt buckle about? In my day it was 264 Sqn.

Serious or are you just Wah'ing everyone?

Originally Posted by jack-daniels

Serious or are you just Wah'ing everyone?

Just failing to "wah", obviously. Bah.

Originally Posted by CaptainPlume

Just failing to "wah", obviously. Bah.

That's ok then.....I was going to put you on remedial Roman Numerals lesson Centurion!

Originally Posted by jack-daniels

That's ok then.....I was going to put you on remedial Roman Numerals lesson Centurion!

Fuck, not heared a "Wah" for ages.. must admit, nearly fell for it, well for about 4 pico seconds then returned my TURF and was back in comms.