Tradition Surrounding Fallen Soldiers Kit

[Pieman]

From what I understand, kit from a fallen soldier is put back into circulation.

I am curious because there are lots of little superstitious things in army culture.

I suspect it can be viewed both ways: It is viewed as a bad omen, kit is kind of like 'dead man's gun' or it is an honorable thing to obtain kit from a fallen soldier. (That is the view I choose to take)

Traditionally, does anyone know if it is it considered a good thing or a bad thing to receive kit from a soldier who has fallen in battle? Any literary or historical examples of this would be interesting.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

From what I understand, kit from a fallen soldier is put back into circulation.

I am curious because there are lots of little superstitious things in army culture.

I suspect it can be viewed both ways: It is viewed as a bad omen, kit is kind of like 'dead man's gun' or it is an honorable thing to obtain kit from a fallen soldier. (That is the view I choose to take)

Traditionally, does anyone know if it is it considered a good thing or a bad thing to receive kit from a soldier who has fallen in battle? Any literary or historical examples of this would be interesting.

I can see your point but I ask you this...after the Stores types clean and repair the kit how would you know?

 

[HItorMiss]

The SAS have a wonderful tradition of Auctioning off all the members pers kit, usualy at inflated prices 

The money going to the Soldiers family/widow, I like this way myself

 

[armyvern]

If the kit is a biohazard (ie blood etc) it is not cleaned and put back into circulation ... rather we remove it permanently from circulation and dispose of properly.

Just so you know.

Before anyone starts thinking that occurs ...

 

[Pieman]

I can see your point but I ask you this...after the Stores types clean and repair the kit how would you know?  

Was issued a piece of kit with the arid name tag still on it, name written on the label, and it is caked with this clay like dust. Was given minimal cleaning it seems. Could be another person with the same name. Don't know for sure either way.

It has got me wondering whether or not it would be considered a good or bad thing traditionally if a piece of kit did turn out to be from a fallen soldier.

 

[armyvern]

Was issued a piece of kit with the arid name tag still on it, name written on the label, and it is caked with this clay like dust. Was given minimal cleaning it seems. Could be another person with the same name. Don't know for sure either way.

It has got me wondering whether or not it would be considered a good or bad thing traditionally if a piece of kit did turn out to be from a fallen soldier.

Did you get this kit in-theatre?

 

[HItorMiss]

Hey Vern just so you are aware,They haven't really been that good at the disposing thing....

I got my boots back that were less then biohazard free same with my TV and some other pieces of kit.

 

[Fraser.g]

Kit that is collected at the Roll 3 MMU in KAF are usualy disposed of in the incinerator if they are contaminated. In one instance, the uniform was not searched well enough before being sent for disposal...The M67 did a fantastic job of breaking the incinerator for a while ;D

 

[armyvern]

Hey Vern just so you are aware,They haven't really been that good at the disposing thing....

I got my boots back that were less then biohazard free same with my TV and some other pieces of kit.

Dude, they were yours. Did you go exchange them? I would have; and, if you did try to exchange your kit and they wouldn't do so for you ... I'd have lost it.

I'm talking about handing out your blood soaked kit to someone else. I've got no issues with sucking my own fingertip when it bleeds, but someone else's -- nah.

 

[armyvern]

Kit that is collected at the Roll 3 MMU in KAF are usualy disposed of in the incinerator if they are contaminated. In one instance, the uniform was not searched well enough before being sent for disposal...The M67 did a fantastic job of breaking the incinerator for a while ;D

Ouch. 

 

[Pieman]

Did you get this kit in-theatre?

No. I take it none of the kit comes back with the unit from theater? Makes sense.  Have they done that always? The kit was a field pack, so perhaps they used it to bring some of his stuff back?... In reality it is probably not kit from the person I was suspecting.

Still, I think it is a compelling topic.

 

[HItorMiss]

Vern I was about to add "Granted it's my own blood", but sadly it wasn't just my blood.

Though to be fair all biohazard contaminated kit is supposed to be destroyed, so really I shouldn't have got any kit back, they have no way of knowing who's blood it is right, I mean it wasn't just mine.

Though maybe it was during the time the incinerator was "Down for maintenance" LMAO

 

[HItorMiss]

I think I have totaly side tracked this topic LOL

 

[GDawg]

Pieman, PM inbound. Me and the boys I deployed with are looking for a small pack that belonged to one of the fallen.

 

[armyvern]

Vern I was about to add "Granted it's my own blood", but sadly it wasn't just my blood.

Though to be fair all biohazard contaminated kit is supposed to be destroyed, so really I shouldn't have got any kit back, they have no way of knowing who's blood it is right, I mean it wasn't just mine.

Though maybe it was during the time the incinerator was "Down for maintenance" LMAO

No, it should have been destroyed. You should have been given a receipt for it which would then enable it to be struck off your charge and then re-issued.

 

[Fusaki]

I can see your point but I ask you this...after the Stores types clean and repair the kit how would you know?

Painted rifles are like snowflakes. They're both very pretty.

I mean... uhhh... each is unique. It's not long before a new guy drawing his rifle for the first time finds out who the previous owner was.

 

[armyvern]

No. I take it none of the kit comes back with the unit from theater? Makes sense.  Have they done that always? The kit was a field pack, so perhaps they used it to bring some of his stuff back?... In reality it is probably not kit from the person I was suspecting.

Still, I think it is a compelling topic.

Actually I was thinking that perhaps someone exchanged it in theatre and the suppies didn't do their jobs and make sure it was clean when the troop turned it in.

Items belonging to the Fallen are packed up, itemized, and most often - repatriated in total (unless biohazard of course, then they are supposed to be destroyed via incineration in-theatre) - to the home unit location where the Assisting Officer or other designee from the Unit effects the return of that kit (ie "posessions")(along with other kit at member's permanent residence) on behalf of the family.

Quite often the family will request to keep "this" or "that" as a memento and 99 times out of 100, the items will be left with the family (there are some items that can not be left with them of course).

After the return from the docs is done, untrackable items (or items that can not be accounted for) are struck off charge and sent for CF152 action, but the member's IA (Clothing doc account) is brought down to "zero" holdings. A print out of the "zero" holdings clothing doc is then printed off, certified signed by the Clothing Supervisor and then given to the Assisting Officer for inclusion into the BOI file. We then render the service number "inactive" on the system, remove the hard copy docs from the file cabinet, seal them up, and send to archives.

Most clothing is then sent for destruction - save helmets, gas masks etc.

It's probably the saddest job one can do in clothing stores. Certainly makes you think how lucky you are to be there.

 

[HItorMiss]

Who's it was, what happened to said guy, the stuff said guy did with it etc etc..

Probably a really good rifle too....

 

[armyvern]

Pieman, PM inbound. Me and the boys I deployed with are looking for a small pack that belonged to one of the fallen.

PM inbound to you too.

 

[HItorMiss]

And then there are those that are wounded, and return to theater

My Doc's are a total mess I mean a serious mess even after 2 years I need to set up an appointment with the IC clothing to go through it all but I am just to bloody busy.