RAF Personnel Told: 'No Uniforms In Town'

Updated:09:58, Friday March 07, 2008
The Prime Minister has stepped into the row over military uniforms after personnel at RAF Wittering were told to wear civilian dress on off-duty trips into town.


RAF officers march in London
Senior officials said they were concerned that personnel in uniform could become targets of abuse from residents of nearby Peterborough who oppose British involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Gordon Brown said Britain's armed forces should be "encouraged to wear their uniform in public and have the respect and gratitude of the British people".
He added: "I condemn absolutely any members of the public who show abuse or discrimination to our armed forces."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the RAF Wittering decision was a local one made by station commanders.
He said soldiers, airmen and sailors were generally encouraged to wear uniforms in public.
Defence Secretary Des Browne described the move as a "great shame" and called for an urgent investigation.
"We must defend our forces' right to wear their uniforms in public," he said in a statement.
"It is a great shame that some individuals in this community don't respect our forces who are daily doing a great deal for this nation.
"This is not a situation we should tolerate.
"We learned about this today and are investigating it as a matter of urgency.

Gordon Brown
"I hope that by working closely with Peterborough City Council and the local police, service personnel at RAF Wittering will soon be able to wear their uniforms freely about the town with the support of the local people."
Air Chief Marshall Glenn Torpy echoed the remarks.
He said: "Whatever people's views are about specific military operations, everyone should be able to recognise the bravery and professionalism of our Armed Forces and respect the difficult job they do."
British soldiers stationed in Northern Ireland were similarly advised in previous years, an MoD spokesman said.
A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire Police, which covers Peterborough, said she was not aware of any incidents involving military personnel being attacked or abused in the town.

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It seems though that the RAF police have received recent reports of low level abuse in shops etc. Forces personnel have ben made to feel very uncomfortable.
In view of the recent conspiracy to kidnap and behead a british soldier in Britain, who is right here - The Commanding Officer or The Prime Minister?

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we are encouraged to wear our uniforms out and about

I'm not sure how the British military system is set up as far as who the Commander in Chief is, etc., but if it's similar to the US system, then the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary set the policy, and the local commander implements the policy as s/he sees fit subject to local conditions.

How can you pick up the gals if you can't wear your uniform

The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation.
--George Washington

Any nation ashamed of their uniform shames their flag, their country, and their reason for existence.

Originally Posted by Missileer

The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation.

--George Washington

Any nation ashamed of their uniform shames their flag, their country, and their reason for existence.

That about sums it up for me!

Originally Posted by Missileer

The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation.

--George Washington

Any nation ashamed of their uniform shames their flag, their country, and their reason for existence.

I passionately agree; but of course, these abuses come not from our nation, but from sections of our newly imposed multi-cultural divided society. For example, the Students Union at University College London have voted to severe all ties with the military because of Iraq and Afghanistan. The UCL motion calling for the ban was proposed by student Sham Rajiyaguru 21, activist and anti-war campaigner. The ban means that the universities Officer Training Corps will not be able to carry out recruitment drives etc. Our university campus have become, because of growing Islamic student placement and staff appointments, breeding grounds for terrorist support in this country.

At the age of 11, a young sea cadet has learned that multi-cultural Britain is no longer a land fit for heroes. Every time she goes to drill practice in Peterborugh city centre she has to brave vollys of abuse and jibes from gangs of louts and taunts from adults of 'murderer' and 'scum'. The gangs are from local Iraqi and Afghan communities and sparked by the deployment of personnel from RAF Wittering to those countries. This is where troops were ordered to wear civvies.

On the other hand, our indiginous population loves our forces; remember that as a small island with a empire, we have always needed to rely on our soldiers, sailors and air-men.

There has been uproar here, and our newspapers are heart-warming, full of photographs and details of our latest decorated heroes and heroines from the middle east battles. I believe we will be seeing a much greater prersence on our streets of uniforms.

Personally, I feel like recommending that we all buy ourselves camouflage fatiues etc. and wear them outdoors! Just as long as I don't have to get out in my old regimental Mackenzie- McLoud kilt!

The situation there reminds me of our own Vietnam days. At times, we were also told not to wear our uniforms on the streets when on leave. The misguided people who opposed that war would attack the military personnel because they disagreed with decisions that politicians made. We were called baby killers, murderers, and other less savory names. I had young people spit on me in the airport. Mind you, this all happened to me before I went to Vietnam. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. The "activists" and "agitators" get them riled up and they target the wrong people. They act like sheep and can't seem to figure out how to voice their own opinions or make their own decisions.

Originally Posted by DTop

The situation there reminds me of our own Vietnam days. At times, we were also told not to wear our uniforms on the streets when on leave. The misguided people who opposed that war would attack the military personnel because they disagreed with decisions that politicians made. We were called baby killers, murderers, and other less savory names. I had young people spit on me in the airport. Mind you, this all happened to me before I went to Vietnam. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. The "activists" and "agitators" get them riled up and they target the wrong people. They act like sheep and can't seem to figure out how to voice their own opinions or make their own decisions.

And that is a black eye this country should be ashamed to sport. The whole mid-/late-60's is, in my opinion, America's most embarrassing time in history - when civilians ran around smoking dope and screwing anything anything with 2 legs, spitting on soldiers; and politicians had their heads so far up their butts that, yet again, the soldiers bore the brunt.

Missileer's post sums it up nicely.

I, sir, honor you and respect you for your service. Yes, I'm a vet, but even if I wasn't I'd still hold you in that same regard. THANK YOU for all you've done, my friend!