Velcro ID badges and MTP

[Interrupto Bastado]

Deploying soon. First tour. Just got my MTP gear. Are the Velcro ID badges you pop onto your uniform (blood grp etc) a waste of space or are they worth getting hold of?
Bone question agreed but I'd like advice before I spend well earned shinies.

 

[techie_tubby]

Depends what job your doing. If your off to Sandy places and your going to be behind the wire for your tour then probably not. On one of my tours, instead of getting tour t-shirts we got custom Zap badges for our MTP rucksack. Handy name badges and they also affix to osprey and the sleeves of MTP.

 

[dozyscopie1]

Wouldn't bother if you are staying on base, but you should be able to blag one of the ISAF ones, but if you do want one you can get them rattled up by a local tailor on the bases. You can also get the jungle hat tailored so you dont look like a chod, only costs a few bucks. A lot of the shops especially at KAF can make anything you want up, det t-shirts, patches, flight bag labels etc, lot cheaper than in the UK too.

 

[Interrupto Bastado]

Thanks for the advice. By the way "chod" is an awesome word. I've already ****ed myself laughing at the "driving miss daisy" hugeness of that wide brimmed MTP swede cover.

 

[spike7451]

Have a look here mate;

http://www.military-badges.co.uk/ZAP-BADGES-RAF.htm

 

[FOMz]

Quick question...

How many of those badges are authorised to be worn?

 

[Interrupto Bastado]

Have a look here mate;

http://www.military-badges.co.uk/ZAP-BADGES-RAF.htm

View attachment 12449

Excellent link. Thanks.

 

[techie_tubby]

Quick question...How many of those badges are authorised to be worn?

Last time we deployed it was in PJOB Orders at Bastion that they where locally allowed to be worn as an OOA exception to dress regs, that's where we got the idea to get them created instead of det t-shirts, but it might be one of those things that aren't allowed but people tend to look the other way as it does no harm and it serves a purpose. I never wear it in the UK as I would look like a complete tool pitching up to CCS with it on my sleeve, it just stays on my MTP rucksack.

 

[spike7451]

Last time we deployed it was in PJOB Orders at Bastion that they where locally allowed to be worn as an OOA exception to dress regs, that's where we got the idea to get them created instead of det t-shirts, but it might be one of those things that aren't allowed but people tend to look the other way as it does no harm and it serves a purpose. I never wear it in the UK as I would look like a complete tool pitching up to CCS with it on my sleeve, it just stays on my MTP rucksack.

I suppose it's like the old Det Tee Shirts,powers that be didn't like us to wear them under our overalls but it was overlooked,same as badges on the overalls.

 

[duffman]

I wouldn't bother with the blood group badge, if anything went wrong the medics would ignore it. Badge for your bag might be some use especially if it's issued. I'm not sure how how much use it would be on your arm?

 

[Downsizer]

Badge dorks remind me of the nobs who wore UBACs shirts in Oman....

 

[Interrupto Bastado]

Good mixture of comments here. Just wanted an idea of the general feeling before I made myself look like a potential bellender.
The Velcro ID that incorporates blood group/rank/zap number looks idea. Thanks got the link.

 

[Climebear]

Deploying soon. First tour. Just got my MTP gear. Are the Velcro ID badges you pop onto your uniform (blood grp etc) a waste of space or are they worth getting hold of?
Bone question agreed but I'd like advice before I spend well earned shinies.

IIRC TFH SOPs do not now permit such badges. BritFor SOPs (and RAF direction) are clear what badges are worn on PCS CU's arm blanking plates - these do not include zap badges.

The new TFH SOPs give clear direction on where ZAP numbers should be placed on various items of uniform and protective equipment. As far as I understand, these are likely to be extended across BritFor.

So save your shinies.

 

[UlsterExile]

Why would you spend your own money on something that is not issued. These days a lot of kit is given to you wether you need it or not. And if it's not issued you obviously don't need it.

 

[Interrupto Bastado]

Fair one. Thank you.

 

[FootTapper]

I'm not sure how how much use it would be on your arm?

Nothing worse than getting IDF'd in a bunch of people and then everyone trying to work out which one is their arm from the wris****ch.

 

[duffman]

Nothing worse than getting IDF'd in a bunch of people and then everyone trying to work out which one is their arm from the wris****ch.

Is there? Bad was it...?

 

[FootTapper]

Is there? Bad was it...?

Yeah, sucked. I had "Black Dave"'s arm sewn back on until 6 months later the medics realised their mistake.

All that could have been avoided if only we'd worn Zap patches on our UBACS shirts in Oman.











(On the plus side, it turned out "Black Dave" was much better at hand jobs than I am, so I was kind of sad to give it back)

 

[dogfondler]

I wouldn't bother with the blood group badge, if anything went wrong the medics would ignore it. Badge for your bag might be some use especially if it's issued. I'm not sure how how much use it would be on your arm?

Quite so. If it goes badly enough for one to need blood replacement then one will receive O Neg (universal donor group) in the first instance (MERT).

 

[Interrupto Bastado]

I'm thinking having blood group on your arm as an MTP flash is much easier to eyeball than going furtling for a downed guys dog tags.
Then again I'm probably wrong. Never done it for real.