Don’t lump me in with the UBACS brigade. MTP is very much a barrack uniform for me and I hate that wicking material, which always seems to end up getting pulled within a couple of wear and wash cycles.
For this reason, I would never wear UBACS without body armour: the wicking material is not an outer later and would catch and pull on the first twig, splinter, screw head, nail, etc, that I brushed past.
By its definition, a new policy is unlikely to. Policy normally brings about change. That’s why a huge part of what we’re trying to do is incorporate transition periods.
For our organisation, a transition period of 1 or two years for most things will cover off a generation of cadets anyway.
It may seem like a small thing, but the problem with making the argument that it’s worrying about a small thing is that the solution is often just as small.
Yes, it might be a fuss about not be wearing that random camp t-shirt you have, but then the solution really is as simple as not wearing that camp t-shirt.
You also can’t throw “someone doesn’t like it” as the reason, when your objection is basically the reverse. There needs to be more to it.
I don’t like all the decisions that are made, but unless someone is breaking the law or otherwise endangering cadets I get on with it.
It’s about being a team and facilitating progress by supporting one another. Until you’ve been an SME (which you may have been) navigating the reality that everyone has an opinion, it’s difficult to truly appreciate that you can’t please them all — that’s when sticking to some core principles for decision-making becomes much more important. Because at least then people can better appreciate that you’re consistent and fair in the decisions you make, even if they’re sub-optimal.
Edit: Take my badges stuff, for example. My core principle is that I’m not wedded to any particular way of doing things, provided the way we do things draws its legitimacy from the Inspectorate of RAF Badges, so that it is definitely being done correctly and therefore in a way that won’t leave any ticking time bombs for future generations. It’s been a bit painful, but more and more people now understand why it’s been so important to sort it out once and for all.
I very much understand being an SME, having previously been SME in representing the services to ensure airworthiness of equipment. So that meant dealing with decisions a bit less petty than saying you’re not allowed to wear that old team t-shirt - and that is my view of the decision. You can try to pull it apart any way you like, but you’re not changing my view on this.
I’m rather glad that I chinned off the uniform - it’s so much more liberating in what I can wear!
TBH we traditionally wear a non standard t-shirt colour with Sqn badge under MTP that doubles up as a sports team shirt and also makes hearding the cats at museums etc in civvies but Sqn t-shirt easier.
When the stick wavers point this out to me I reply ‘Noted’ and carry on
We are not operational, it looks smart as all in the same and being coloured makes us very identifiable on those odd occasions (although becoming more frequent} when the temp is high enough to require jackets/barrack shirts off.
If you are doing fieldcraft then maybe, but how many cadets get to do that these days. If it is so important then issue the kit - if anything is private purchase then you can not control what you get
We have gone all in on allowing individuality with facial hair, ear rings, nail varnish etc but some people want to die on the hill of tshirts!
Curious to know whether there’s any particular reason to avoid OG/brown/khaki?
You make the point about being identifiable but what merit does an individual, essentially corporate identity bring to a local unit other than just trying to be a bit different to anyone else? You wouldn’t see a sqn parading in mint green trousers, how’s it any different?
So which camouflage uniform do you use then, since that has not previously been issued?
As for recognition in civvies in museums, what if they’re wearing coats? Or do you give out a non standard colour of those too?
And to me, a tan or green t shirt is as identifiable across a museum crowd as possibly one of ours as much as something “non standard”.
You’re arguments in favour of your choice aren’t as strong as you think.
If you want a sqn t shirt suitable for MTP and sports and civvie wear them fine, but there’s no reason it can’t be of a standard colour.
Whatever they can buy - same for boots, shoes, and any number of other non issue kit
Choice was made before my time but have been happy to go with it - at the end of the day it is really small fry - having been on stations recently everyone inside was in tshirt order and most were of some form of section or event/activity/deployment type but did not see any standard issue ones
I have much more important issues to concern me - like no Sqn Hq , small staff numbers and a major intake that I have no home for waiting to join
I have much bigger problems to worry about
Yeh but you’re choosing to create this problem.
Whenever people wilfully deviate from regulations, it’s a choice. Whatever the rule is, and t-shirts just happens to be what someone started talking about here, you could just follow the rule and then you’re free to worry about the bigger stuff.
By all means have a transition phase, provided you’re actually transitioning with your next kit purchase.
I don’t think that’s true. I suspect you mean “whatever they can buy that’s an approved pattern”.
I doubt you have a squadron that looks straight out of an Ali G skit.
We’re also not dealing with a scenario where the cadets haven’t bought or worn the correct type of t shirt; they are wearing what you’ve given them. So it’s not the cadets who aren’t meeting the requirements, it’s you providing them the incorrect thing and totally something in your control to remedy with very little effort.
it is very much closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.
tying down the options to such a small tolerance of acceptance when there are already a dozen or more “suitable” options available is barmy.
it is a knee jerk reaction, and a rule to tackle the 2% that isn’t suitable, but instead of targeting just that 2% it removes 90% of what is “suitable” as well…
this!
The big issue for me (not just in relation to this), is the people in this organisation obsessed with enforcement.
There needs to be a policy and “plain” is far easier than “you can have X and Y but not Z”, I totally get that.
However in the real world it would just be ignored and everyone would survive, discipline wouldn’t fall apart, but the unenforced regulation would be available as an enforcement tool if someone went too far.
In this organisation however someone with nothing better to do with their time will insist on enforcing for no reason other than because “it’s the rules”.
Yep, black Sqn tshirt.
But now not acceptable.
Ours is hardly bright purple
Bright purple is a reasonable adjustment for those who are colour blind. 
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head right here.
People in the RAF were wearing barrack shirts long before they were officially written into AP 1358, tri-service stable belts are commonplace (despite still not getting a mention), and tan t-shirts are still as common as the light olive ones (despite the former not being mentioned as an option in the AP and the latter being issued).
With all this hot weather and warnings…. maybe time for No 7A AND 7B SD (WARM WEATHER AREAS) MALE ALL RANKS (and female of course!)
as RESIDENT SQN STAFF AND CADETS AT OVERSEAS UNITS ONLY (CYPRUS AND GIBRALTAR) do 
The Average CFAV body shape in those shorts and long socks
SHUDDDDDDERRRRR
Id have shave my legs probably
actual footage of Alex’s legs
It’s where he got the hair for his glue on beard so he would stop getting ID’d for his Red Bull.
Part of the problem with those whose role is to enforce policy, is the policy in the first place. On the barrack shirt scenario, there was an understanding that this item though not in policy (but was briefed out) was still acceptable, because supply chain is non existant and when you send someone not in the know out to source “MTP lightweight jacket" that we also refer to as a shirt, especially if one is cheaper than another, there will be mistakes and it really doesn’t matter that much as long as it’s MTP.
Another part is the “give an inch take a mile” problem they face which is rife. One Sqn gets to breach this t shirt policy by having a sqn logo on light olive (which I think most here agree should be deemed appropriate), when another gets picked up for having a non standard colour and their number in yellow on the back they have other allowed breaches to point at in defence. It might be a poor defence, but it’s a hill that many would die on.