Military 'complaints' about my balmoral

[ThistleDown]

Originally Posted by pdcorlis
Not to hijack your thread but I was told by a Scots lass her in Idaho that no "real Scot" would wear a Glengarry to a college graduation. I was - along with gown, Isle of Skye kilt, white shirt and black tie - no jacket or waistcoat hiding under a master's gown... I wonder what some of our "real Scots" would say about that one too.

How curious! I prefer the look of the Glengarry to the Balmoral. But what do I know?

My guess is that she was referring to headwear of any descripton, other than a mortarboard, at a college graduation. If she really meant a Glengarry vs. a Balmoral, perhaps in her mind she followed it up with: "you don't actually see too many Glengarry bonnets worn (except by the forces) in Scotland at all. Doesn't quite suit our weather, you see."

[CelticRanger66]

Well after reading the forum. I believe that the ones ribbing you about your headgear were infact PXRangers. So wear your balmoral and don't worry about it. No one who served anytime with the RANGER BN's would confuse the beret with your balmoral. Remember some just to go to the school and get the RANGER TAB and move on while even fewer serve with the RANGER BN's and earn the right to wear the beret.

[The Vicar]

I choose not to wear any military gear with civilian clothing.....most of the time. The only exception is the 17th Lancers cap badge on my MG hat when I drove my MG in the British car club and this was to show my loyalty to the MG badge over the misguided Triumph owners.

As others have said it doesn't take much to set military people off.

When I served in the navy I never challenged people for what they chose to wear and to this day if someone wants to wear a piece of military kit that is up to them. I do not know their story or history. I may comment on the branch of service or compliment the look but never challenge them.

What is problematic is that these chaps cannot tell the difference between the two types of head wear.

I have had a lot more challenges wearing my clergy collar than I have wearing my uniform.

The Vicar

[filman]

Hospitaller

wear your balmoral I do not see how they can mistake your cover with theirs. yours has silk trim not leather, long silk tails the pom pom , and the badge backing.... I think they may be young and new, or maybe remfs as said before. If you were to run into some real operator's they would more than likely talk about the kilt not the cover.

I was a marine & navy guy for 10 yrs and that realy chaps my @~$ when that crap happens.

phil

[Bugbear]

As I understand it, now, the civilian Balmoral is to be worn only after it, the bonnet that is, has been stompped on, beaten, wadded up over and over, then fluffed up like a pillow. Perhaps that was the issue...

[Nanook]

As I understand it, now, the civilian Balmoral is to be worn only after it, the bonnet that is, has been stompped on, beaten, wadded up over and over, then fluffed up like a pillow. Perhaps that was the issue...

That is the Army Balmoral as well.. The Black Watch regimental Balmoral has neither rosette nor ribbon tails and If its not been worn, wet and pull-around they look like French navy hats.. :-)

[bowser]

Its a sad state of affairs but the same happens here.
Used to be that in Aldershot (military town South west of London) if you wore anything at all in "Maroon" you were in trouble.
It was the home of the airborne units, the parachute regiment, airborne artillery etc, and they wear maroon berets, and off duty maroon sweatshirts. It was a regular occurrence for fights to start just because someone who was not in an airborne unit or even in the military had the audacity to wear the "airborne" colour !!

I am sure it is something to do with the training as the mentality seems to be the same with which ever nation, but common to that kind of military unit.

Just a reflection but it seems to be an affliction of the "minor" special units so in the UK it would be the Paras etc, cant imagine ANYONE from say the SAS ever worrying if anyone wore a sand beret or a regimental cap badge. Seems that the more elite the unit and the better the training the more intelligence required to be a member and the less they are bothered about such things.

To a lesser extent I have actualy witnessed someone refused entry to a military event because an officer from the guards objected to someone wearing a brigade of guards Tie and he was not "entitled", at the same time an officer of the same rank said here have this and gave the gent a tie from the Royal Signals and said I coulndnt care less, and he was admitted, Go figure ?

[Jock Scot]

Now now Bowser, you know full well that not all Guards Officers are stuck up numbskulls, who only have a head to keep their ears apart. Don't you?

[Ian.MacAllan]

. . . I was told by a Scots lass her in Idaho that no "real Scot" would wear a Glengarry to a college graduation. . . .

Has anyone else noticed how often this sort of use of "real" thinly masks the fact that the criticism is based on misinformation at best and arrogant hypocrisy at worst? It's gotten so that, to me at least, "real" has become a flag-word.

. . . it seems to be an affliction of the "minor" special units . . .

IMHO this business of quarrelling over minor ingroup-outgroup distinctions is commonly found among the mediocre practitioners of many activities. I noticed when working as an engineer that the most outspoken (read: "loudly bragging") people were never among the most skilled, and C. S. Lewis has observed that the most disputatious Christians are not among the most devout but instead are peripheral to their own confessions.

.

[graham_s]

The empty can rattles loudest.