The Dangers of Guard Duty

[Quick note: the base I'm at is shared between 2 units - 1 corp and 1 Inf Reg]



Why is it that people fly off the handle so easily?


Today I was at my unit helping out clean up some of the gear in the armoury, but before the PSI turned up, one of my comrades and meself stood at the gate letting people in (we had a self-defence class going on at the unit and some contractors doing work). Simple stuff - hello, who are ya and what you doing here? (obviously with a courteous tone).


Every single person that went through that gate was fine, until...


Some random bloke approaches the gate (in civis), don't recognise him and he storms through.

Usual business - "Excuse me, can I ask who you are please?" *Doesn't react*

"EXCUSE ME - WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR?"

"What am I here for?"

"Yeah, security check"

"I'm fcuking X Squadron, I'm a fcuking Corporal!" *storms off*



So I chase after him demanding to see his MOD 90 and when i catch up with him he starts bollocking me for shouting at him "what if I was an officer, etc, etc" completely disregarding the fact that I had asked him politely at first.

After a heated discussion he finally showed me his MOD 90 and threatened to go to my superiors.


Please - tell me if I'm wrong here:

1) How the fcuk was I supposed to know who you are?

2) The guy burst through the gates without responding to my polite call. How the hell else am I going to get his attention other than by shouting?

3) He told me to call everyone who approached the gate Sir/Ma'am yet the last time I did that the person was a Sergeant and I got a huge bollocking for calling him Sir (again in Civis and no idea who the hell he was). Am I really going to risk that again?

4) Fcuk off - I'm not getting paid extra for this, I'm doing because our Company is very security conscience - I don't give a toss what your unit does. (Irony of it is that the caretaker was praising us for our actions and saying how lax their security is).

5) I couldn't give a toss whether your General Sir Mike Jackson, himself: show me your ID or fcuk off! Wrong?!



Alright - fair enough, I'll get over it. But what really gets my fcuking goat is that I volunteer to do something without orders from superioir ranks and then get bollock3d for supposedly doing it wrong...


And people here wonder why I'm so cynical and hateful towards personnel?

 

You could stop crying like a bird.

 

You volunteered to do guard ? I know it's near the end of the month but....

 

When you are on guard you are responsible for whoever comes through the gate. If you don't know them then you have to stop them. Simple, end of story.

Mind you I don't usually bother with "Excuse me" or "Please"

I once had to be the barrier technician in my last post, as I was detached from the main camp I knew nobody there, so I stopped everyone. Cue much whinging of "I come here every day" etc

Tough shit sir, its my gate now.

 

It's only a small unit and it was only casual, checking people's ID. With so many people coming in and out (and considering we had sod all to do...)

 

You did right mate.

One of my old camps was a car ride away from civilisation, even the pads.

My ex RSM, a fine chap, used to insist that everyone was stopped at the gate and their MOD 90 produced, even himself. This was to prevent a situation where the guard would wave the in known personalities, razz man/CO/mates etc. For all the guard knew, he explained, whoever they were waving in might be under duress.
I dutifully complied with this order, as did most of the guard, and one day stopped a Sgt (who in my opinion was a bit of a pr1ck, but that didn't cloud my judgement). When I asked him for his ID card he told me to foxtrot oscar, fair enough I thought, but this gate ain't opening till I see it.
Cue teddy bear getting flung about, ranting, threats etc and eventually the ID card came out.

As he drove off he said he was going to report me to the ROS, which he did.

I believe he was fined some port for his little outburst against an upstanding member of the regiment, who was trying to ensure his and everybody elses safety.

 

Let me get this straight, you and your mate decided to stand at the gate and check everyone's ID off your own bat?

If you weren't supposed to be doing it, I can understand that the CPL was p1ssed off.

And people here wonder why I'm so cynical and hateful towards personnel?

What is that supposed to mean?

 

CB has a bit of an infeariority complex and should be treated as you do a small child!!

 

Made to stand in the corner with a dunce hat on?

 

If you are guarding the gate, you are God and no one, be they in uniform or civi's can command you to let them in unless they have the correct form of ID ( not carrying ID is an offence i believe).

 

Actually an ID card is not a pass: they also need a reason/permission/pass to be entered.

 

Use common sense but don't be pushed around. If he pushed past you and entered the building then you weren't doing your job very well - had he been malintentioned, you might well have contributed in a major way to an incident. Not only would you have that on your concious, but you'd be up on charges.

 

I'm with BF on this one

 

Anyone who fcuks the gate guard about deserves to be fcuked about in return. I was the scourge of sending arsey types in to the vehicle search lane: bonnet, boot, rubber glove ***********... the lot! You did well, but not well enough. He should've been flat on his face with an SLR muzzle in the back of his neck! HE could've been checking YOU. Nobody ever gets in trouble for doing a thorough job. Except if you do a thorough job of doing the badge's wife!