Use of Combat Vests in RDF

[ODIN]

I heard at a conference recently that units in the West are being issued ex PDF PLCE stocks.

[smegers]

No I dont think so but ill double check for you.

Thanks.

[piper_69]

From my experience, I believe that any RDF soldier who wants to buy their own kit should be permitted to do so, espcecially if its irish dpm anyway. Yes, certainly there are some who just want to be gucci and look like rambo, but there are also RDF soldiers who take pride in their appearance, and want to 'feel the part' so to speak. They want to display their desire to be professional. Plenty of lads I know in the RDF wanted to go on to the PDF but can't now thanks to the moratorium, so they want to get the best experience out of what little tactical exercises they get to do in the RDF, and if they want to spend their own money to improve that experience, they should be allowed to. These people, aside from the gucci heads, are the dedicated ones in the RDF, and shouldn't be penalised for spending their money on kit rather than pints. Someone earlier mentioned that officers/NCOs don't like their soldiers having different kit because they want 'everyone trained to an equal standard by using the same kit.' Well I've been on plenty of tactics camps, and you could have everyone dressed completely the same and you'd still have some that give it their all, and some that wouldn't run even if you shot them (the kit-buying and beer-buying lads respectively). So I say, let them buy away...

Do you think maybe, just maybe people choose to buy vests etc because they are a better system than the plce and more comfortable?
Or is it your leared opinion that the RDF only has the two categories of people you mentioned?