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Officers to the front of the line at clothing?

Jarnhamar

Army.ca Myth
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Did a new edict come out  to the effect of officers  by-passing  lineups at clothing stores?

I heard a couple troops complaining about it last week and brushed it off as BS but I just heard about  it happening for the 3rd time including an snco saying he was going to make a complaint.  One of the supply techs apparently said it's a new rule that came out (where officers can just skip to the front)?

Apologize if it's erroneous info.
 
Where this is happening may help determine the truth of the issue.
 
I just really hope this doesn't happen while I'm in line for an hour to get 5 pairs of boxers... this isn't the 19th century British army, we're not from a different class.
 
I was in clothing stores in Shilo not long ago with my OC and we both waited in line to be served. There was no preferential treatment of officers (nor should there be).
 
Up to until 2013 (IIRC) in Valcartier there was one counter for WO and + on top of the other 3 or so counters. I'm not sure why that counter disappeared (it would serve other ranks if no WOs and up were present). TBH I know my opinion will be met with mixed results but it kind of makes sense, the OC's (or even a senior capt like an Ops O) time in an operational unit is very limited in a work day. More so than MOST cpls.

My  :2c:
 
Why don't these Officers just get their Stewards to go to stores for them?









[:D

Can we please get a Navy/Sailor emoticon?
 
slayer/raptor said:
... the OC's (or even a senior capt like an Ops O) time in an operational unit is very limited in a work day. More so than MOST cpls.

I find planning ahead and making an appointment works well...
 
Not all bases allow appointments... For example, Valcartier if you have to exchange 9 items or less, you can't make an appointment.
 
slayer/raptor said:
Not all bases allow appointments... For example, Valcartier if you have to exchange 9 items or less, you can't make an appointment.
You will find that is true in most (if not all) large Army owned bases.
 
dapaterson said:
I find planning ahead and making an appointment works well...

That's what we do at clothing stores in CFB Esquimalt. Most never have a problem with line ups, Officer or otherwise.

Thank Gawd we have a Navy (supply section).
 
Lumber said:
Why don't these Officers just get their Stewards to go to stores for them?









[:D

Can we please get a Navy/Sailor emoticon?

No Army officer has a steward.

Ever think that maybe officers who are standing in a line up waiting to be issued something or exchanging and item,that their time maybe be better spent on actually doing what they are paid to do?
The troops will complain that the officers don't wait in line, but then will complain when the officers can't meet time lines...when they are waiting in line at clothing, or the OR, CDUs etc.

There has to be a balance. A Commanding Officer should not be expected to wait in a line to exchange a shirt. He has far more important things to do. Just my two cents.
 
dapaterson said:
I find planning ahead and making an appointment works well...

In a busy op tempo, planning ahead for things like this doesn't always work and flexibility from the support system is essential. 
 
SupersonicMax said:
In a busy op tempo, planning ahead for things like this doesn't always work and flexibility from the support system is essential.

In those cases, rank does not matter.  The young Cpl may have a more restricted timeline to get things done and out the door than a higher rank.  Queue jumping can happen for any rank depending on what kind of priorities may be in place.....Limiting it to officers is BS and not a good precedent.
 
Hamish Seggie said:
No Army officer has a steward.

Ever think that maybe officers who are standing in a line up waiting to be issued something or exchanging and item,that their time maybe be better spent on actually doing what they are paid to do?
The troops will complain that the officers don't wait in line, but then will complain when the officers can't meet time lines...when they are waiting in line at clothing, or the OR, CDUs etc.

There has to be a balance. A Commanding Officer should not be expected to wait in a line to exchange a shirt. He has far more important things to do. Just my two cents.

Concur, here in Gagetown, COs have always been waited on first but they also have their EA call ahead for Clothing Stores expect them.  High paid help is useless waiting in lines. 
 
Hamish Seggie said:
No Army officer has a steward.

His batman then  [:D.

Nevertheless, there is no blanket CF policy on this issue.  Any front of line privileges given out to any rank level are locally promulgated and may be done for any variety of reasons.

Years ago, the Pay Office at Stadacona gave front of line privileges to CPOs and LCdrs+.  This same building also had separate officers' and "men's" washrooms.  The Weapons Building across the parade square had separate officers' and men's entrances.  The Base Gym had separate change rooms for officers.  All of these things have since disappeared.  The argument though that officers and senior NCMs should spend less time waiting in lines is reasonably valid, however.

The one  place where this kind of policy really bugged be though was in Borden years ago where staff took priority over students.  In other words, the staff, who had much more control over their schedules and could go while the students were in class, skipped past students, who generally only had their lunch breaks (often shortened due to overruns in class) to conduct personal administration.  :facepalm:
 
Maybe I didn't take my sensitivity pills today, but I can't remotely imagine a CAF where things run so smoothly that that's  the biggest issue I have to address on behalf of the troops.

Running a Weapons Det course where I could use another 4-5 x C6s... to say nothing of SF kit.... now that's ass-pain.  But that's merely 'training troops' stuff -- nothing of egalitarian/kumbaya value.  ::)


/bitchin'
 
COs, have EAs, hmmmmm must be the new CF. Batmen went out in 1971 or so.
 
But you're missing the joy of waiting in line for over an hour while two supply techs work away only to have a LT talk about just how much work they have and how busy they are  ;D

I wasn't looking to start a debate on entitlement or privilege or anything I was genuinely just curious though reading the responses here I do admit if that is infact a rule somewhere I'd question the optics of it at the very least.  I'd say there's a difference between a CO/RSM and a junior officer when it comes to being so busy they can't wait in line.
 
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