Any idea why ACM Jock Stirrup is wearing a RM Stable belt? might be a simple answer but I am clueless
His batman probably packed the wrong one
Guessing he was CDS at the time of the pic and trying to represent the entire armed forces by making up his own dress regs - whose going to tell him off ?
Should really be wearing RAF or MOD Tri-service stable belt though. He has also been spotted wearing RE beret (acceptable as he’s Hon Colonel of 73 Regt) but with his ACM rank slides.
MB
One theory is that he may have been required to observe regulations and traditions regarding seniority and precidence for dress orders when in the post of CDS. The seniority of the Royal Marines has changed in recent years…
[quote=“wiki- Precidence in the British Armed Forces”]As of April
2008 the Royal Marines
are considered to no
longer be a separate
arm of the Royal Navy,
but rather an integral
part of it. Therefore they
no longer have a place
amongst the (Army)
infantry regiments and
now take their place as
part of the Royal Navy
and parade on the right
of the line. Even if there
is no other Naval
contingent present they
are the senior formation
on ceremonial
occasions. If other
contingents of the Royal
Navy are on parade, the
Royal Marines take their
place after them, but
before all army
regiments and corps.
(“The Royal Marines are
no longer in the Army
order of precedence,
but now assume
precedence within the
Royal Navy at all times.”)
[/quote]
Maybe not. It isn’t a formal inspection, as he’s in an undress order of uniform, inspecting or presenting in the field, to a detail of personnel wearing tactical SF assault kit. Perhaps they’re members of the SBS, which I believe has always included a high proportion of Marines…this could be an RM squad?
My working theory here is that any CDS, on appointment, might now wear the RM stable-belt when in barrack dress combats. Isn’t the tri-service belt just for wear by those personnel at formed joint headquarters, which would now only be PJHQ? Not sure that all 3/4* top brass at MoD now fall into that operational category anymore, but CDS is likely to be a combined strategic/tactical role.
So if Sir Jock had been acting (and photographed) as (say) CAS and not CDS, he’d’ve been likely to be wearing an RAF stable-belt.
Also- this picture was probably taken in either Gibralter or Cyprus…Gib is very-much an RM port-of-call. And that would explain why CDS is wearing No8 rather than No3.
[quote=“Mike Bravo”]He has also been spotted wearing RE beret (acceptable as he’s Hon Colonel of 73 Regt) but with his ACM rank slides.[/quote]Again this may be a combination of precidence and a personal courtesy, particularly with the early aeronautical companies of the RE and their founding link to the RFC and the RAF.
Just a few possible explanations- happy to be disproven.
wilf_san
(ps am on hols, no computers only unsmart phones and lack of 3G/wifi)
[attachment=80]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372958026.590090.jpg[/attachment]
Seems to be standard attire for the ACM. Here he is again, this time in Iraq, sporting the same stable belt avec RE beret and RAF rank slides.
Anyone know his unit history was he once a marine? Not sure if that could be reason
maybe he just likes the colours?
couldn’t find anything in his history to suggest any Booty connections, and presumably, if he did have Booty connections/service, he’d wear a Dagger instead of an RM stable belt.
given the the, err… ‘interesting’ outfits one often sees VSO’s wearing, perhaps its more likely that he he just made something up from his fancy dress box, and if Anyone says anything or cocks an eyebrow, he just whispers ‘OJAR’…
True about the dagger! I really have no idea why he would wear it then turn coat 
I seem to remember this coming up somewhere else years ago and it turned out he was trying to show how ‘joint’ and purple he was. He had the RE beret because he was honorary Colonel of an RE(V) Regiment and wore it to represent the Army, the rest of his uniform being RAF and then the RM stable belt (which I think was a gift at some point in his career) to represent the Navy.
PS: who is he inspecting? They look like a bunch of Indonesians or something…
Actually, let me guess…Malaysian Special Forces?
[quote=“tango_lima” post=9025]I seem to remember this coming up somewhere else years ago and it turned out he was trying to show how ‘joint’ and purple he was. He had the RE beret because he was honorary Colonel of an RE(V) Regiment and wore it to represent the Army, the rest of his uniform being RAF and then the RM stable belt (which I think was a gift at some point in his career) to represent the Navy.
PS: who is he inspecting? They look like a bunch of Indonesians or something…
Actually, let me guess…Malaysian Special Forces?[/quote]
The clue is on the big red fire truck in the background
[quote=“zinggy” post=9030][quote=“tango_lima” post=9025]I seem to remember this coming up somewhere else years ago and it turned out he was trying to show how ‘joint’ and purple he was. He had the RE beret because he was honorary Colonel of an RE(V) Regiment and wore it to represent the Army, the rest of his uniform being RAF and then the RM stable belt (which I think was a gift at some point in his career) to represent the Navy.
PS: who is he inspecting? They look like a bunch of Indonesians or something…
Actually, let me guess…Malaysian Special Forces?[/quote]
The clue is on the big red fire truck in the background :P[/quote]
Original photo. Not the one in Iraq. The one with the ninjas.
[quote=“zinggy” post=9030][quote=“tango_lima” post=9025]I seem to remember this coming up somewhere else years ago and it turned out he was trying to show how ‘joint’ and purple he was. He had the RE beret because he was honorary Colonel of an RE(V) Regiment and wore it to represent the Army, the rest of his uniform being RAF and then the RM stable belt (which I think was a gift at some point in his career) to represent the Navy.
PS: who is he inspecting? They look like a bunch of Indonesians or something…
Actually, let me guess…Malaysian Special Forces?[/quote]
The clue is on the big red fire truck in the background :P[/quote]
Presumably, TL meant the photo attached to the first post! I’d say, Royal Thai Army.
Opps my bad didn’t even look at that photo sorry!
[quote=“tango_lima” post=9025]I seem to remember this coming up somewhere else years ago and it turned out he was trying to show how ‘joint’ and purple he was. He had the RE beret because he was honorary Colonel of an RE(V) Regiment and wore it to represent the Army, the rest of his uniform being RAF and then the RM stable belt (which I think was a gift at some point in his career) to represent the Navy.
PS: who is he inspecting? They look like a bunch of Indonesians or something…
Actually, let me guess…Malaysian Special Forces?[/quote]
According to this…
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?75559-TNI-in-Gallery-(the-New-Photos)/page92
…looks like you were right first time!