Wearing Uniform in Public

[Lounge Lizard]

Some news this week made me realise the great respect the public has for Royal Mail.
Service personnel from RAF Wittering have been subject to verbal abuse from the public while wearing their RAF uniforms while out and about in nearby Peterborough. In contrast I have always enjoyed the utmost respect from everyone while delivering the post in my Royal Mail uniform, something I've not known in previous occupations.
Those whose jobs can involve dangerous situations in war zones shouldn't have much of a problem with some banter from those opposed to an illegal war but they always have the choice of wearing civilian clothes when not on duty.

[ewen1956]

Well said, I agree with your comments 100%.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I thought that the banning of uniforms in public is a good idea tbh.

When I was in it was a blanket ban. In one case the IRA opened up on a group they had identified as serviceman killing 1 I think

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... A96E948260

Only 30 minutes earlier, gunmen had attacked another group of off-duty airmen from another British base in Roermond, about 30 miles to the south. The Irish Republican Army claimed responsibility for both attacks.

IIRC they were not in uniform but it makes the case for not identifying yourself in public as a member of the Armed Forces.

Saying that the Red Hand Defenders (a so called loyalist terror organisation in NI) said Postal workers and teachers were legitimate targets

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/jan/1 ... rnireland1

But then terrorism whether on not is state controlled, politically or religiously motivated is pure madness.

[Carnoustie]

Those whose jobs can involve dangerous situations in war zones shouldn't have much of a problem with some banter from those opposed to an illegal war but they always have the choice of wearing civilian clothes when not on duty.

If a member of the public sees you in Royal Mail uniform, and has a right old moan at you about getting his post so late in the day now, as compared to this time last year, don't you think it's unjustified ? It's other people who have decided that later starts must come in, and are thus responsible for everyone receiving their post later than they used to. You're just doing your job, in the way you were trained to do it (hopefully).

Armed Forces personnel do not take the decision to get into an 'illegal war'. They are professional people, trained to do a job, and that's what we as taxpayers pay them to do. If you don't like the political party that took us into Iraq / Afghanistan or wherever, you have the right to use your vote at the ballot box. But members of the public abusing any person in uniform for doing their job is bang out of order in my eyes

[Lounge Lizard]

Those whose jobs can involve dangerous situations in war zones shouldn't have much of a problem with some banter from those opposed to an illegal war but they always have the choice of wearing civilian clothes when not on duty.

If a member of the public sees you in Royal Mail uniform, and has a right old moan at you about getting his post so late in the day now, as compared to this time last year, don't you think it's unjustified ? It's other people who have decided that later starts must come in, and are thus responsible for everyone receiving their post later than they used to. You're just doing your job, in the way you were trained to do it (hopefully).

Armed Forces personnel do not take the decision to get into an 'illegal war'. They are professional people, trained to do a job, and that's what we as taxpayers pay them to do. If you don't like the political party that took us into Iraq / Afghanistan or wherever, you have the right to use your vote at the ballot box. But members of the public abusing any person in uniform for doing their job is bang out of order in my eyes

If a member of the public moans to me about their post being 'late in the day' I have time for them and politely explain the later start times or other reason to them. Likewise, one would expect Armed Forces personnel to be able to explain or defend their actions at work, especially as they're paid a lot more than us, although they don't have to advertise their occupation if they've got the attitude of just doing as they're told. As for using your vote at a ballot box, we didn't have a chance to vote on the Iraq war, both main parties being for it.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

If a member of the public moans to me about their post being 'late in the day' I have time for them and politely explain the later start times or other reason to them. Likewise, one would expect Armed Forces personnel to be able to explain or defend their actions at work, especially as they're paid a lot more than us, although they don't have to advertise their occupation if they've got the attitude of just doing as they're told. As for using your vote at a ballot box, we didn't have a chance to vote on the Iraq war, both main parties being for it.

http://www.careers-scotland.org.uk/Care ... nwoman.asp

The pay rates given below are approximate.

The rate of pay for a soldier on completion of training is around £15,500 a year. After this, pay rates vary, depending on specialism and length of service. Pay increases further with promotion.

So as they can't claim overtime and measured against a postman on 40 per week they are not paid a lot more than us.

[Carnoustie]

So as they can't claim overtime and measured against a postman on 40 per week they are not paid a lot more than us.

Plus they have a huge degree of flexible working, and one or two health and safety issues to contend with

[seawolf]

Back in the 80's when I was in the navy, it was great wearing my uniform ashore, plenty of admiring young ladies, but because of the growing treat of terrorism by the IRA we had to stop. We then went on to wear civvies ashore, but first there was the muster on the flight deck to see if we were suitably dress for the run ashore.

[POSTMAN]

errrmmm i realised the other day that i actually walk different when i'm in my uniform and not civvies.
No i'm not weird and i dont walk weird,but i walk more confidently if that makes any sense.
My missus says i walk with a swagger and like a geezar.
Actually perhaps i am weird.

[Lounge Lizard]

If a member of the public moans to me about their post being 'late in the day' I have time for them and politely explain the later start times or other reason to them. Likewise, one would expect Armed Forces personnel to be able to explain or defend their actions at work, especially as they're paid a lot more than us, although they don't have to advertise their occupation if they've got the attitude of just doing as they're told. As for using your vote at a ballot box, we didn't have a chance to vote on the Iraq war, both main parties being for it.

http://www.careers-scotland.org.uk/Care ... nwoman.asp

The pay rates given below are approximate.

The rate of pay for a soldier on completion of training is around £15,500 a year. After this, pay rates vary, depending on specialism and length of service. Pay increases further with promotion.

So as they can't claim overtime and measured against a postman on 40 per week they are not paid a lot more than us.

But they don't have to deliver Door To Doors.

[L Tommo]

errrmmm i realised the other day that i actually walk different when i'm in my uniform and not civvies.
No i'm not weird and i dont walk weird,but i walk more confidently if that makes any sense.
My missus says i walk with a swagger and like a geezar.
Actually perhaps i am weird.

POSTMAN MATE...

U aint weird... Just in need of a visit to the MINISTRY OF SILLY WALKS... MONTY PYTHON STYLE....


Funny tho, The Joe public do look at us in a better light.. I dont see this carrying on long if it does now???

But i remember when people treated us as a friendly person and didnt mind talking to us...

OLD BILL Or traffic wardens.. NO CHANCE...

Now i think the public treat us just as bad or worse...

ITS THESE TWO I BLAME.. OHHHHH YES

[plodsie]

I tend to wear mine when I am dropping my son at nursery, because I can't be bothered to change when I start at 12. Trouble is I don't work this area, and when someone asks me for directions and I say I don't know, they just look at my uniform and there is this confused look on their face. People are a lot friendlier, and do chat. I like to tell them what actually goes on, and what they do not read or see in the media. I hate to see guys drunk in the uniform though, that only gives folk the wrong ideas, such as the twat CWUScum.

[Lounge Lizard]

errrmmm i realised the other day that i actually walk different when i'm in my uniform and not civvies.
No i'm not weird and i dont walk weird,but i walk more confidently if that makes any sense.
My missus says i walk with a swagger and like a geezar.
Actually perhaps i am weird.

POSTMAN MATE...

U aint weird... Just in need of a visit to the MINISTRY OF SILLY WALKS... MONTY PYTHON STYLE....

And driving a red Royal Mail van, you always get respect, not road rage, from other road users.


Funny tho, The Joe public do look at us in a better light.. I dont see this carrying on long if it does now???

But i remember when people treated us as a friendly person and didnt mind talking to us...

OLD BILL Or traffic wardens.. NO CHANCE...

Now i think the public treat us just as bad or worse...

ITS THESE TWO I BLAME.. OHHHHH YES

[pop it in pete]

Armed personel in uniform and postal workers in uniform no comparison................Postmen dont kill people............

[zaphod]

There was a chap at our office who reitred after many years in service, but still did not want to leave. He never did overtime, except for his last weeks in service!

Lo and behold, six months into retirement, he was seen wearing his uniform in a local supermarket. How sad can you get.

Our servicemen and women, if they want to wear their uniform in public, should be able to, if they wish (taking in the comments above regarding their security 100%)

Well done our lads and lasses.

As for our cheap, nasty RM uniform, I don't even wear that in the office - apart from my ID badge.