I don’t like sleeves down either, but the way I see it is we can do anything we do in dark blues in greens, but not anything we do in greens in blues.
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Regulation Christmas jumper, anyone…?
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For those who are more ‘green’ focused:
Mandatory Velcro Christmas PCS patches - cheap and festive!
Thank you for this. I’m definitely getting
for the family.
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I like the idea - but why issue MTP PCS? If it’s the same uniform material as the Blue PCS, just issue two sets of Blue PCS and use them for everything. Range days don’t require camouflage - the targets aren’t shooting back. Then wings should maintain a stock of MPT Lightweight Jackets, Smocks and Trousers for use on fieldcraft - issue it, then collect it back in when required, just like bashers and webbing. That way we can be blue all the time.
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Back to the ‘use what is off the shelf’ argument. The RN doesn’t have a smock. They have a goretex jacket in the PCS style. Now goretex for all would be grand as others have said but it probably isn’t ideal for regular outer wear on ranges, leadership etc - fine on a ship.
There was an RAF Blue PCS trial as in other threads but for various reasons it wasn’t adopted.
In any ideal world we’d get MTP plus something more hardwearing and practical for ‘ barracks’ (such as the dark blue shirt and BDU style trousers), but there wouldn’t be the money.
The whole issue is unpick one bit and another needs changing!
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I’ve got a Blue PCS RAF Smock 
But, I’ve worn gortex on many many ranges and leadership - especially when it’s moist. So we us the lightweight jacket and the blue fleece when its cold, and the gortex to offer windproof and waterproof.
Back in my day, when the shirts were olive green, there were no short-sleeved shirts: but we got them tailored (NCOs at least, at the same time as having the stripes sewn on).
Do you have a picture, @juliet_mike?
@WestlandScout, always seemed strange to me that they never put Goretex on the PCS smocks, having them separate instead. Is the Goretex just too weak for outerwear in the field?
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That looks 100% better than navy blue, just a shame we didn’t get more RAF branding on it (like an RAF. ensign in lieu of the Union Jack patch on green backing!)
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I believe the idea was to have the Op Olympics style TRF on the opposite sleeve.
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I think the Navy had the right idea: ensign on the left, Royal Navy branding on the chest, unit identifier on the right. I’m all for replicating that, but not literally wearing a navy blue uniform.
They do/did. Goretex lined MTP-PCS. I have one. It is a good piece of kit for cold weather but I have only worn it a few times as I find the combo of the regular smock and issued goretex more flexible and more comfortable (the lined one means being dry but still having a wet heavy cotton outer layer on top to deal with).
For the odd shower or wind proofing I really like the Arktis A192 stowaway shirt.
But I think that’s topic drift 
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Indicative of the way different Sqn’s work - my Sqn, as well as the Sqn I was at before - would be in ‘greens’ every night from Easter to October.
Sure, a good wedge of that is simply about wearing something practical, but probably half involves fieldcraft to some degree or other, so you’re still talking about issuing two different practical working uniforms, which unless you’ve got a bottomless pit of cash, is just silly.
The RAF Regt used to wear blue battle dress, so RAFPCS would be fine for fieldcraft.
I mean, you’re not wrong.
But that’s like saying the Guards used to go to war in the red. So it’s fine for field craft now 
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There’s a bit of contextual difference: RAF Regt were doing it at the time the Army were wearing khaki, the Paras had an early form of DPM in the form of Denison smocks, the Wermacht had camouflage helmet covers, etc.
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And they quickly changed because blue wasn’t fit for purpose.
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In a tactical situation, which cadets shouldn’t find themselves in.
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