Oh “DPM” gash bags with emphasis on the former.
We’ve had a few mismatched bits of MTP. Some cadets have bought it but the majority are in 95 and will remain that way, until we get the dribble of kit through.
I can empathise with @Paracetamol with respect to being nowhere near a station let alone the parent one and agree with @bigmalcmk, we should be issued with it and not the postcode lottery of parent stations nor the requirement for cadet’s parents or staff to spend their money on it. Especially knowing the growth rates of teenagers.
So squadrons on ARCs are not at risk.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1323948/TA-cadet-in-bomb-blast-loses-sight.html
That’s why our cadets are not allowed to travel home in uniform
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Still in CS95, as are all my Cadets. One member of Staff has MTP. As others have said, a right faff on many levels to get hold of it, or its expense which I and many others cannot justify. Plenty of CS95 in thr stores too!
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That’s what I heard, however when I spoke with a NI cadet last year they claim it was just their OC Wg being a bit funny! They can now wear MTP if i’m not mistaken.
The cadet injured by a bomb would hardly have fared any better if he’s been differently dressed, would he?
I’m not sure a terrorist act has actually targeted cadets of any colour. I remember the one about the lad and he was just very unlucky.
I see Army Cadets walking home in uniform all the time as do our cadets. Both our HQs are in plain sight with signage as are a lot of cadet HQs.
I remember travelling to camp in uniform as a cadet and then, can’t remember when, we were told not to travel to camp or other activities in uniform … happy days!!!
Its shocking how much good kit is disposed of to the likes of Field Textiles for a pitance then our Cdts have to buy it from them and other surplus stockists for inflated prices.
It was mentioned at Cranwell last week that Defence Disposals wont issue PWS MTP to Cdt Units as it has an intrinsic disposal value to the MOD!
Apparently MOD get £60 a ton for it! Surely far better value is to use the old kit for Cdt use?
Especially as a lot of MTP PWS clothing in the returns/disposal system is new’ish and some of it still in wrappers!
Apparently also theres a standing instruction to Clothing Stores on Stations that all returned PWS MTP must be back-loaded and not given to Cdt Units. Dont know how true that is, but shall not hold my breath.
I’ve seen a chest high, pallet size box get back-loaded to field textiles before now from a none RAF Unit at our Parent Station, which was full to the brim with warm weather MTP shirts in a multitude of sizes, a good 50% of which were still in the original plastic wrappers.
I could have kitted out every Cdt in my Wing with an MTP shirt with that box!
All kit such as this should be sent to a central store at HQAC then when a Cdt joins or grows out of it, Sqns send the Cdts sizes to the central store and they send down MTP for the said Cdt.
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Hmm. Can I see a charitable business venture here? (for someone with more time and business brain than me)
I’ve always said in an ideal world there should be a function that allows cadets to buy the kit they"need" at basically cost price with maybe a low GM% (I.e. £1 per product).
I’m sure if the option was out there to buy a full set of MTP for cadets in good condition for £15 a set you would get a huge pick up and maybe Sqns purchasing bulk kit to issue!
While there are lots of all the right noises about Air Cadets it does seem we get the spikey end of the pineapple inserted and twisted, for which we should be eternally grateful for, along with whatever crumbs fall off the masters table.
What we need is a CFAV with a massive lottery win to buy all this stuff off the MOD and just make it available to cadets and staff and cut the surplus rip-off merchants out of the loop. We’ve got a couple of shops near to us and I wouldn’t trust either of them as far as I can spit. They lie all the time about what they’ve got.
NI wing did get a new commander last year.
I’ve said it before on other threads, we should seriously consider the Scout Association model of running our own “Air Cadet Shop” as the official location for buy all uniform / badges / cadet branded civvie gear.
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Those articles are old and are not necessarily relevant today. Hell, the bomb one is 18 years old. The advice about not wearing uniform in public was rescinded about 24 hours after it was issued, so that particular article is very out of date.
If it’s £60 a ton how do we buy it?!?
Would happily pay that and take a van to MOD disposals to pick it up.
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Thats what I mean a ton of kit would kit out my sqn for several years and I’m fairly confident in could get the civ com to splash out!
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We have approached our local town council who are funding 50 sets of complete MTP uniform for the squadron, wish we could get it by the tonne but still able to get a good deal through field textiles
I’ve just had a quick look at their website (if they’re getting it all so cheap)…
£100 + VAT for a new waterproof smock! That’s no doubt been in the cheap £60 per ton pallet!
Anyone know of anyone in a high echelon that can raise a stink about this?
Is that this:
https://www.fieldtextiles.co.uk/shop/clothing/jackets/mtp-waterproof-mvp-jacket-1123794.html
Thats £100 for a pack of 5. Which at £20 +vat a jacket isnt bad going
They’re all in packs… 
that’s why you get paid the big bucks!