Ammunition boots

[Smithy]

Shame Paddy isn't posting as much here as he used to. IIRC he posted a step by step guide to polishing British Army style from his days of spending many an hour to avoid getting in the brown stuff on inspection.

 

[Edward]

Shame Paddy isn't posting as much here as he used to. IIRC he posted a step by step guide to polishing British Army style from his days of spending many an hour to avoid getting in the brown stuff on inspection.

Can't find Paddy's thread on this (I do remember it), but I did stumble over this... http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Bulling_Boots

 

[Xenophon]

I read an account of one man´s national service where he recounted a similar procedure concerning Guard Duty for the night where the smartest and best turned out
man would be excused and allowed to return to the barracks.

The Finnish military seems more enlightened than the Belgian one, our instructors at the time were strong believers in motivation too, only thing was, they focused on the guy who was the LEAST turned out. But that was 20 years back, from what I see nowadays standards have indeed been slipping. I wouldn't have dreamt showing my face with the kind of shave (or lack of it) that nowadays seems to pass, even in cadet school.

 

[karhu21]

Xenophon,
Just to say that the account of the best turned out man being excused Night Guard Duty was in reference to an account of
a British national serviceman in the 50s.
In the Finnish Defence Forces boots are polished every day but NOT to the mirror shine and polishing the soles is unheard of.
As to the Army having changed in 20 years, you are correct...all the European defence forces have seen changes in many respects
moreover since the wall came down.

 

[ukali1066]

My friend in the USAF tells me there's no longer a black leather boot used ANYWHERE in the US military.....

 

[Edward]

My friend in the USAF tells me there's no longer a black leather boot used ANYWHERE in the US military.....

Have they gone over entirely to the leather / cordura mixed boots, then?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I forget what them proper term is but US Marines who serve on Navy ships polish their soles so that as they're climbing ladders they seem more professional. What am I trying to say? Can any Devil Dogs help me out please?