Morning All,
Looking for a little guidance.
Im due to attend a SAAI Course, as a CI the dress regs state MTP/PCS can be worn in line with APC1835C. Looking at these it says a beret need to be worn with relevant beret badge, as am a CI I don’t have these.
I but do have my own Multicam combats and jackets, would it just be easier and less hassle to go in jeans / 5.11 gear than potentially upset a station officer due to not wearing a beret ?
Not on a range so civvies…
Plus even when on a range stick to your civvie kit - prob more comfortable and efficient than MTP etc
You are a CI - why wear uniform and you really don’t want to be wearing a beret with an ATC badge looking like the oldest cadet in existence
Para 0224 is your guide here
In terms of Beret - when CIs are in uniform they adopt the ATC badge (ie the same beret the Cadets wear) as seen in para 0224 “When worn CIs will conform to the full dress regulations as per cadets” (you wear the uniform as if you are a Cadet)
As for wearing Greens - as indicated in para 0224 “during training periods and ranges only.” ie once the lesson is over and moving to the mess for lunch you need to get changed.
This is as much a ballache as it sounds, as it would require you to get changed anytime you leave the training room/building.
The workaround I have seen is a Smock is worn over the top of civilian wear - this is acceptable and practical. it meets the expectations of a SAAI being a uniformed member, while making it usable to comply with removing the uniform when moving outside of the training environment
Thanks for the input and advice.
On my SAAI course there was a CI whose day job was as a Police armed response officer: he wore the jeans/civvy outdoor gear combo and none of the course instructors mentioned it.
That course was held at Barry Buddon range and training area so we were self-contained for our messing and accomodation, so there were no issues with getting changed for leaving the building.
There’s no live firing on that course, so range days aren’t a worry either.
The standard of instruction expected of course students to pass your assessed lessons is as high as if you were doing a week of the course in the regular armed forces. I was a SAAI in the RAF Regt - I had to do the CFAV course because that qualification lapses two years after leaving the forces - and I prepared for my ATC course as thoroughly as I did for my regular one. The regular course is much longer only because there are more weapon types used on it. Therefore on the CFAV course one does as many lessons on the L98A2 rifle as a regular would do on the L85A2 rifle. A regular would then prepare lessons for the GPMG in the light role as the next weapon, for instance.
Basically my preparation was to learn all the L98A2 lessons verbatim, write out all the lessons and crib cards, and practice and rehearse in an empty classroom how I would conduct the lessons on the course. On my Sqn we have no firearms or qualified staff: if you have them both they can help with course pre-training. When I did the course the first time in the RAF, we students did a couple of practice lessons with a qualified SAA Instructor (any RAF Regt NCO above the rank of Cpl).
We don’t usually let CIs wear uniform on our SAAI courses, our JIs say suitable civilian attire.
You are correct. Acp1358c does state this dress for ci on shooting range. However as a ci myself who has attended a range some time ago, I wore civvy equivalent such as outdoor/hiking gear.
Not sure where to put this …so will ask here!
Just seen this pic on the BBC website …Has Prince William qualified to wear the Submariners Dolphins…I always thought from watching various programmes over the years that the dolphins were not awarded until you had completed a minimal service / completed your probation period?
Maybe they are just a Standard ‘Royal’ thing …but interested to know if he has done some underwater time, but I was not aware if he had!
They might be honorary, like Prince Harry’s RAF Regt mudguards?
Yep, that would be my guess
Update …Google is my friend!
He was awarded them at the same time!