Assault vest v webbing

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

What would you says good and bad about each, im more of a webbing guy myself cause i dont like lying on top of a hexi burner and canteen and rations etc. What does everyone else think? Im thinking of changing over to an assault vest soon so i need some input

[Jagger]

If I was in a role where I was spending alot of times in vehicles i'd use an assault vest for the extra comfort/accessibility, otherwise i'd just use webbing. You can heat up alot if you're doing loads of phys in assault vests also, so to be honest i'd just go with a chest rig instead of an assault vest because chest rigs don't cover your chest and back totally i.e. more room to breath!

[mike_B]

[quote]Im thinking of changing over to an assault vest soon [/quote]

For your Super-Duper-Top-Secret 'missions' as a CCF Cadet?

CCF/ACF Webbing:

2 x Magazine pouch
1 x Water Bottle
1 x Utility pouch with survival kit + hat/gloves.

Worry about anything else when you actually need it. They say soldiers always carry too much - you should see cadets! I caught one with a blow-up pillow, wet-wipes and a pre-made pasta salad by his mum! And he was 17. Hilarious.

Mike

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

you offend me by assuming im an ACF cadet

Im ATC anyway the reason i wanna know is were currently undergoing conversion to use L85A2s and L86s on exercise with blanks and pyros (thats right air cadets dont just talk about planes while wearing blues, some do but i like my greens more personally), i have two twin mag pouches two utility pouches and a GI pouch. I basically carry food and water and any mags. Im actually asking this to see why people use assault vests and chest rigs because im giving our youngest cadets a lecture on fieldcraft and i want to be able to explain the advantages (and disadvantages of both.

They say soldiers always carry too much - you should see cadets! I caught one with a blow-up pillow, wet-wipes and a pre-made pasta salad by his mum! And he was 17. Hilarious.

This is called being a numpty, unfortunately you get a lot of them with cadets. Wet wipes i understand for removing cam cream but that should be in a wash kit squared away in a bergan, the rest though... we get issued rat packs so i dont know what the hell he was doing with a salad.

Im embarrased frankly because not all of us are that bad. Unfortunately you get at least a few in every cadet unit. Just dont even start me on army cadets.

[Aldo]

Im ATC anyway the reason i wanna know is were currently undergoing conversion to use L85A2s

What? My TA unit isn't even getting them for a while! Please tell me that you're just borrowing them off a TA unit or something. I don't want to think we're getting shafted now.

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

yep were borrowing them off the army our wing has some good contacts so we get pretty lucky, you really think theyd trust a cadet unit normally based in a village hall or similar with assault rifles? especially someine like the cadet mentioned above? Were meant to be gettin some crossbred L98 (cadet version of L85 which has to be hand cocked) with an L85A2, which basically means we get a semi auto rifle, but thats not going to be introduced for a few years (why we cant just use L85A2s is a mystery)

[mike_B]

You said 'I'm thinking of changing over to an Assault Vest.'

'Numptees' - wow, you must be a real hero because you can slag off younger cadets.

The worst part about it is the kids who think they're IN the frigging army. People join for different reasons, but most join for a bit of a laugh with their mates and get to learn military skills and do adventurous training/keep fit. And for this it is great. It embarasses ME when you get Cdt. WOs who expect the same amount of repspect an ACTUAL WO gets.

Little story: Last summer Camp it was the final day and one of the big schools (over 100 cadets) did their own little parade. Apparantly as they were marching along the playgroung a kid walked slowly infront of their Cdt. CSM doing the w*nker sign. Funny in itself.
I was sorting out our section when this jumped-up CADET CSM bursts into my room - sash, cap, yardstick 'n all - accompanied by 3 rather gly girls , all taking the matter very seriously, demanding I tell him if I knew who had done it. 'Who the f@#k are you?' I said, He replied 'I'm CSM- something-or-other, and show some respect when you're talking to a senior NCO'; 'Great' I said, I'm RSM *****, now get the f@#k out of my billet'. He spent the rest of the day charging round the whole camp looking for the culprit (we all knew who did it but weren't spilling the beans'.
Then another CSM from a school we befriended made a sash out of toilet paper, grabbed a broom and a basball cap and some glasses (the CSM wore glasses) and walked round the place ripping it out this bloke. Now THAT is what cadets is about. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen. Cracks me up every time I think about it.

There is an example of one bloke who takes it far too seriously, and another who has a good laugh. Before I get a rant about me not taking it seriously enough: I run my Army section on my own with little help from teachers or SSI because that help is unavailable. I just take it for what it is.

Mike

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

dude first of all ok that cadet is older than me, second we always have our fun thats what i think cadets is about and i believe in that strongly. Its about taking the piss out of each other around a brew and having a laugh in general. We do interesting stuff and we have fun doing it.

I didnt start this topic to debate cadets or what we do, i started it to get some opinions on assault vests and webbing so that i can teach some of our younger cadets and allow them to have fun on an exercise. This is my first time teaching and i want to know other peoples opinions, especially about assault vests because i havent used one before.

[El Prez]

Not for inclusion in webbing but..............

Wet wipes i understand for removing cam cream but that should be in a wash kit

When the lads were out on their spring jaunt last year we were sending packs of goodies to supplement their supplies. I always included a resealable pack of moist arse wipes. Have a chuckle, tough guys using Andrex wet wipes.
Then think about using them as sterilising wipes for your hands after a crap; they were short of water and decent cleaning facilities, anything that made life cleaner and safer, especially before eating has to be good. The most debilitating illness in a hot climate is diarhoea, caused by poor hygiene. Result, dehydration and withdrawal from service.
Any fool can be uncomfortable.

[mike_B]

What does everyone else think? Im thinking of changing over to an assault vest soon so i need some input

i started it to get some opinions on assault vests and webbing so that i can teach some of our younger cadets and allow them to have fun on an exercise

Which one?

Mike

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

the PLCE and the webtex ones. Whats their advantages and disadvantages compared to webbing?

[mike_B]

No, what do you want it for? You said you were thinking of 'changing over', and now you say it's so you can teach younger recruits.

Are you one of those kids who buys £40 knives and their own cothing so that they can look like real soldiers? I saw one bloke (A C/Sgt. mind) who had SAS webbing. Cost him £80! What's wrong with the standard. I repeat, you/we are not 'in'.

I heard this story of a guy who was in cadets and when he was 16 went to join the army. When he went into the QM Store to hand in his kit, two of the cadets were there tutting and shaking their heads saying 'Going back to civvie street eh?' WHAT!? Firstly he was going to join the army, and secondly: How is cadets not 'Civvie Street'. (I think i read that story on here somewhere)
These are the type of things that make me embarassed to admit i was/am in the CCF.

Mike

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

No, what do you want it for? You said you were thinking of 'changing over', and now you say it's so you can teach younger recruits.

Its for teaching younger CADETS were not the army, Its my first time teaching and i want to be able to explain to our lot the advantages and disadvantages of assault vests because i am largely ignorant about them.

Are you one of those kids who buys £40 knives and their own cothing so that they can look like real soldiers? I saw one bloke (A C/Sgt. mind) who had SAS webbing. Cost him £80! What's wrong with the standard. I repeat, you/we are not 'in'.

You seem very paranoid about me being one of these cadets, this sergeant is doing something called taking it too seriously although sometimes its justified if a squadron doesnt have good access to kit or funding (the magic word).

I heard this story of a guy who was in cadets and when he was 16 went to join the army. When he went into the QM Store to hand in his kit, two of the cadets were there tutting and shaking their heads saying 'Going back to civvie street eh?' WHAT!? Firstly he was going to join the army, and secondly: How is cadets not 'Civvie Street'. (I think i read that story on here somewhere)
These are the type of things that make me embarassed to admit i was/am in the CCF.

That kind of stuff embarrases me too again its called taking it too seriously. Anyway all im asking for is information on something that i dont know about so i can help out our cadets.

[Aldo]

I repeat, you/we are not 'in'.

I thought you were in the army?

[friendlyfireaintfriendly]

who me?