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RANT - What's the deal with troops at the mall with the small packs on?

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Bzzliteyr

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<rant>

Okay ladies and gentleman, I have about had enough of this.  I once again saw a selection of young whippersnappers at the Regent mall in Fredericton with the small pack as their "get around town" bag.  Is this piece of equipment not an issued item that should NOT be mixed with civvies?  I understand there is a directive that instructs how to wear a civvy pack with military gear, but there must be something that instructs these youngsters that the CF didn't just buy them a cool new bookbag/backpack to hang out in town with?  If not, why isn't there an order somewhere?

I really don't mind seeing the new kids in town with their dogtags hanging out, BMQ platoon shirts on, thinking it's the first time an army guy has been seen in Fredericton, etc.. but those bags.. they sure do rub me the wrong way!!

</rant>

Bzz
 
I'm going to have to agree with Bzz on this one.

I hate seeing people wearing Civvies with the smallpack.

I like my small-pack. Think it's a good piece of kit. But If I go to work in civvies, change into uniform, and change back into civvies for the trip home, I'd rather pack everything in a black knapsack.

If you're going to be travelling around in uniform, fine. knock yourself out. But you might as well be walking around in shorts, t-shirt, and CADPAT field cap, as you look goofy enough.
 
i see that all the time too at the Regent mall, i also seen a couple guys with CADPAT on too walking around AND DND vehicles parked in the parking lot for a few hours....
 
Going from memory here, so I might very well be wrong:

What I remember reading was that you can not wear clothing\kit that has insignia/badges/markings that labels you as CF. The small pack might be distinctively CF kit, but if it has no CF markings/nametags on it, it would be TECHNICALY allowed. Look at it this way, when I travel in civies for military puposes, I use my rucksack. Should I be disciplined for using miltary kit in civilian clothing? What if I was training for my BFT on my spare time?

I do understand the situation is different and that troops seem to be using the smallpack for purely personal puporses. So I doubt many units/RSM's would appreciate kit being used this way.
 
who gives a shit? It's a handy bag, it's free, and I have much more important things to worry about. Like what's on TV.  ::)
 
Bzz,

I'd agree but in this case, the small pack is also authorized to be worn as a "day pack." I think the original intention of that was so that CF students all over NATO weren't walking around with pink (yeah I've seen a hot pink one in Gagetown with the bearer in cadpat), blue, yellow etc backpacks on with their uniforms. It is authorized to be worn with civvies, although I think they had PT strip and the gym in mind.

Xfire,

I'm pretty sure the only rule in Gagetown for wearing your cadpat in the communities of Freddy & Oromocto is that you can't be in any drinking establishments after 1800hrs in uniform, other than that you are good to go. Lots of troops live in Freddy & New Maryland, nothing wrong with picking up their groceries after work like the guys in Oromocto do. The ones that kill me are the ones walking through the parking lots or gassing up) without their headdress on. I love bumping into them!
 
What if they are troopies on course and are away from home? Now if they only have enough room for one backpack to bring with them on course, no doubt it is going to be the comouflaged small pack which can be used for trips into town and is also legal to use in the field.
 
"when I travel in civies for military puposes, I use my rucksack"

If you are using the bag for a military purpose (travelling, etc) then I see no problem with wearing it.  The people I am referring to that burn my butt are the "look at me, I'm in the Army!" kids that have about 3-10 months in.  The only reason they are wearing this in town is for the LCF (look cool factor).

I'm sorry, for $20 bucks you can buy a much more versatile bag to walk around town in at Bentley's and they have a store at the Oromocto mall so you save the taxi trip to town.  Get over yourselves, girls in Fredericton do NOT think it's kewl that you have those bags, nor are they impressed with your dogtags or course t-shirts from this year!!  If you are a pte basic in the forces you must be making enough to afford a civvy backpack, no excuse.

Dissident, there is the possibility of markings being on the bag if they have left their velcro nametags on (pending them having any!)

Xfire, as for military persons in CADPAT at the mall and military vehicles in the parking lot, I suspect they are making "local purchases" for work as it is how the forces buy things nowadays.  I say if they're wearing it all correctly (as Vern alluded to) then I have no problems with them.

Fighting Irish, go hijack a different thread please, you comments have nothing to do with this discussion.

carreer radio checker: you bring up another point.  What could they possibly be carrying in that bag that they need to take it to town with them?  I know when I go to town, all the stores I shop in give me free bags to carry the purchases in.

BBJ, in Ottawa I am sure the people wearing them in civvies have "punched in" and are doing so for the sake of not wearing CADPAT, not for looking cool at the mall...

Whew!!!

 
I've seen it a few times at Regent...It seems to be a good hangout on the weekends especially. It's a peeve of mine, but I let it go. It would bother me a lot more if they were downtown Kentville/Aldershot wearing them, just for safety's sake. I wouldn't dare walk around with my pack, you're just asking for trouble on a Saturday evening.
 
I just find it frustrating.. maybe it's just from teaching too many DP1s in the last couple of years, but I am pretty sure my troops have never pulled that crap.  I have briefed them well on the fact that they are NOT the first soldiers to bless this wonderful area.  I also give them the heads up on how to not say "hi" to their DS in public (these aren't the driods you're looking for..keep walking).

Don't even get me started on cadets and their representation in public...
 
I would suggest, if you feel this strongly about it, to take it up the CofC so the RSM can take it to the Base CWO. He'll make a decision. It will either be allowed, or it won't. If it is, the Base CWO doesn't mind.......and then, neither should you. If it's not, then you have the power to enforce the policy. Don't just come here bitching about it, use your initiative and deal with it.
 
who gives a shit? It's a handy bag, it's free, and I have much more important things to worry about. Like what's on TV.  Roll Eyes
ROFL.
 
recceguy, thanks for your two cents.  As I have already stated I took the initiative of instructing my troops not to encourage this practice.  I understand there are policies... I am currently on leave and posted as of Monday so I have no chain of command that I care to bother with this right now.  I am merely stating something that bothers me and as it would seem, something that bothers other people too.  I highly suspect I will not see this occurring in Valcartier as I am sure they have limited "poseurs" there.

It bothers me to the point that I am embarrassed by these "soldiers" and the way they act.  Does it not bother you that people are making opinions based on the actions and looks of these very young (and new) troops?  I hope you're just playing devil's advocate and you do realize that this practice is somewhat "wrong"..

Bzz
 
I don't know what 'somewhat wrong' is. It either is or isn't. Also, the consensus of a few posters here doesn't make the opinion proper either. If there is a policy, and they're in contravention, as an NCO, you should deal with it as you see it. If there is no policy, then there's no contravention and your personal opinion doesn't make it wrong. If your in your rotation slump, and don't want to deal with it, perhaps it's not that big of a problem after all. Just personal bias. I don't put much stock in rants. Your tne one that perceives a problem, if you don't deal with it, it perpetuates. Telling one group (your's) NO! because you personally don't like it, while turning a blind eye to other potential offenders, doesn't solve the problem. Ask yourself what you would have done if one of your soldiers had questioned you at the mall about it, while observing these others. "Do as I say" is an answer....just not the right one in this instance.

 
Vern mentioned the policy.. it is kind of a grey (gray?) subject.  It is allowed, yet as suggested, not in the "go to the mall" context.  To go to and from work with the bag holding your military gear, no prob.  But to wear it as you wander through the mall in your hip-hop gear, is not a good representation of the only people who could probably own that type of bag, the military.

It's not that I am avoiding the job of disciplining all of CFB Gagetown but rather I am complaining that these troops have been let go by their chain of command with no guidance as to what is "not cool" as it may be.  I will go pay one last visit to my chain of command on Monday, just to see if anything can or has been done about this.

One thing I have noticed with all this new clothe the soldier stuff, is a slight lack of modification to the dress regs in regards to it.  It seems to be a reactive order usually instead of an order that comes down as the item is released so we don't have any greay area in regards to what is "wrong" or not.

 
Lawful or not, it just sort of looks lame... but no worse than the down-a-litre tanline, the whitewall haircut, the OD watchbands, or the farmer's tan.  Anyone who's walked through West Edmonton Mall during a summer weekend can attest to just how creatively stupid army people can be (such as combat boots in shorts).  Besides, anyone wearing any backpack in a mall is going to look retarded.  Trust me, I cycle everywhere I go, so I have a MEC pack with me.  I look retarded.

I've seen a few instances where the smallpacks are carried into a coffe hut by haircuts carrying military course materials for a study session while in civies.  With the reserves, I've been on a few trips in civies that had several other troops carrying their smallpacks as day bags (including the sergeant-major).  It hasn't occured to me to be concerned, and I have to admit, I'd still have to stretch to be concerned.
 
uhhh, it's a backpack.  It's not like they're wearing the flag like a diaper, or anything.  If they were stylin' the babes at Sweets in their TV and balisto-specs, I'd see a problem, but I think this one is pretty minor. Just an opinion, not an invitation, feel free to pass on the left...
 
paracowboy said:
who gives a crap? It's a handy bag, it's free, and I have much more important things to worry about. Like what's on TV.  ::)

+1 Para. I fully agree. Here too we have small packs of both issue and aftermarket jobs, no one cares.

Wes
 
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