# Use of Non-Issued Boots?



## Storm1 (7 Apr 2012)

From what I have been told through the grapevine that I am allowed to buy and use non-issued sea boots if they are steel-toed and spill proof boots?
Or do I need a medical chit?

As well, can someone link me to the CFAO/QR&O/DAOD on use of boots?

Thanks in advance.


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## SeaKingTacco (7 Apr 2012)

Instead of relying on the grapevine, or random advice from the inter web, can I perhaps suggest that you ask your Divisional PO?

This is precisely the sort of thing that they get paid to deal with.


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## Occam (7 Apr 2012)

Plain and simple - if your boots have not been handed to you at clothing stores, or have been arranged by clothing stores through an authorized supplier on civvie street because you have excessively small/large/misshapen feet, or because you need custom footwear to accommodate orthotics, etc...then they're not authorized.  Don't expect that to change...ever. 

Clothing stores will be happy to explain what your options are if the standard sea boots won't work for you.


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## Eye In The Sky (7 Apr 2012)

If you REALLY want the ref, AFAIK, it is CFSM 3-13G-002. _Special size personal allotment clothing, footwear and orthopaedic furniture_, Para 5(a) to 5(d).

But, even IF I am correct, its not important.   8)   First question is "why";  do you need special, or do you want special boots.

(1) If the reason is "because I like these gucci boots", as indicated you are SOL like Occam said.

(2) If you have a legitimate medical/fitting issue, you'll likely be sent to the foot clinic on base, assessed, and then that will go to Supply, who will kit you out with the approved 'special size' boots that will become your issued boots.

As SKT said, though, talk to your Div CofC;  they'll get things rolling IF you fall into (2).  

Not sure about Esq, but in Halifax (not sure what coast you're on) there used to be a foot clinic on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 3rd Floor, CF H Svcs C (A) aka Stad Hospital.  IIRC, time was 0900-1100, no appointments needed but you could make one anyways.  That is the starting point for people in Hfx; Special Sizes on the dockyard couldn't do anything without the referral from the foot clinic.  Now, that info is dated 2 years ago when I got my last set of orthodics and boots, so very likely has changed.  All of which your CofC can find out or verify when you talk to them.  

If your West, I have no idea how this works there.

If you have a _legit_ medical / fitting issue with the standard boots, you should be able to get 'special size' issued ones.

 :2c:


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## Occam (7 Apr 2012)

EITS and SKT:  The need for special size footwear isn't a Divisional System issue;  like routine medical/clothing/pay/administrative issues, you have the freedom to deal directly with the appropriate office - in this case, clothing stores.  Of course, if you encounter problems then you would engage the Div system.

Just before I got out last September, there was a change in national policy on special size footwear.  According to the Sgt at my local clothing stores, nobody will be going to buy civilian pattern boots anymore.  If you require special size footwear, you'll be going to the winner of the local contract to have custom footwear manufactured for you, whether that be safety boots, sea boots, or whatever.  I wasn't around long enough to see anything written on the matter, so take this with a grain of salt, but I do have the e-mail chain coming from the materiel people setting this policy.  Whether this was promulgated via other means, I have no idea.


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## SeaKingTacco (7 Apr 2012)

Occam,

As a general rule, Ordinary Seaman should always engage the Div chain whenever they have question.  Besides, the OP said nothing about special sizing or medical issues.


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## Occam (7 Apr 2012)

SeaKingTacco said:
			
		

> Occam,
> 
> As a general rule, Ordinary Seaman should always engage the Div chain whenever they have question.  Besides, the OP said nothing about special sizing or medical issues.



I didn't say it was wrong to engage the Divisional chain.  I merely stated that this isn't going to be a Divisional system issue.  After a very short time on ship, you learn very quickly what you need to go to your supervisor for, and what you don't.  I made that very clear to my subordinates on ship, and I'm sure that hasn't changed.


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## Eye In The Sky (7 Apr 2012)

Occam said:
			
		

> EITS and SKT:  The need for special size footwear isn't a Divisional System issue;  like routine medical/clothing/pay/administrative issues, you have the freedom to deal directly with the appropriate office - in this case, clothing stores.  Of course, if you encounter problems then you would engage the Div system.



Well, I'm assuming the Div CofC would like to know where OS Bloggins is before he/she disappears for 2-3 hours.     

Not all units/C'sofC do things the same way.  I've been in units where, as an example, a pay problem went from Tpr Bloggins, to Tp WO, to SOR, and SOR went to ROR.  Bloggins didn't wander in and start talking to the CClk directly.  I also found alot of my Sgt-Majors liked knowing what issues their troops had going on, particularly pay & admin.   There are countless different unit/sub-unit SOPs I am sure.



> Just before I got out last September, there was a change in national policy on special size footwear.  According to the Sgt at my local clothing stores, nobody will be going to buy civilian pattern boots anymore.  If you require special size footwear, you'll be going to the winner of the local contract to have custom footwear manufactured for you, whether that be safety boots, sea boots, or whatever.  I wasn't around long enough to see anything written on the matter, so take this with a grain of salt, but I do have the e-mail chain coming from the materiel people setting this policy.  Whether this was promulgated via other means, I have no idea.



Thats how it worked for me 2'ish years ago;  they told me what local contractor "won", as not all the local suppliers carried what I needed (full leather, CSA Grade 1, etc) to replace the AF CEMS project issued Temperate and CW boots.  Once they told me, I called the company to set up the appointment.


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## Occam (7 Apr 2012)

Eye In The Sky said:
			
		

> Well, I'm assuming the Div CofC would like to know where OS Bloggins is before he/she disappears for 2-3 hours.



Well, now you're just being silly.  It's normal SOP for the operator community to scatter from the ship to attend "Command Team Training" immediately before a truckload of groceries shows up on the jetty.   ;D



> Not all units/C'sofC do things the same way.  I've been in units where, as an example, a pay problem went from Tpr Bloggins, to Tp WO, to SOR, and SOR went to ROR.  Bloggins didn't wander in and start talking to the CClk directly.  I also found alot of my Sgt-Majors liked knowing what issues their troops had going on, particularly pay & admin.   There are countless different unit/sub-unit SOPs I am sure.



Again, there's nothing wrong with consulting the Divisional chain if there's any doubt as to what to do.  That said, if you have a problem with pay or admin, you go to the ship's office (not the CClk).  If you have a problem with your clothing, you _might_ pay a visit to the ship's stores office first to grease the wheels, or you might take your chances with the dockyard clothing stores directly.  Trusting my folks to bring problems to me, or praise/criticism of outside organizations was always welcome.


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## q_1966 (7 Apr 2012)

Occam said:
			
		

> Well, now you're just being silly.  It's normal SOP for the operator community to scatter from the ship to attend "Command Team Training" immediately before a truckload of groceries shows up on the jetty.   ;D



Not funny.


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## Occam (7 Apr 2012)

Get Nautical said:
			
		

> Not funny.



Nope, it certainly isn't funny being one of the people left on board after consistently seeing the same people going ashore when "Clear lower decks of MS & Below to the foc'sle - storing ship" is piped.  That's why the black humour, long-running joke got created long before I joined the Navy in '85.


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## Franko (7 Apr 2012)

Well this has spun nicely around the drain. 

Locked with the usual caveats.

*The Army.ca Staff*


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