RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

What cultures do they mean specifically that would be upset?

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Pathetic.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

IMHO if the presence of someone who serves our country and is in uniform is 'upsetting' then it's those who're being 'upset' who have the problem. Maybe they ought to moved out of harm's way and if they don't feel comfortable they have the option of going elsewhere so as not to be so troubled...

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

They should reverse it.
pretend he's a different culture person in whatever clothes he's wearing and ask him to go and stand somewhere where nobody can see him. because he might offend somebody.

or better still he should ask that the different culture person who is offended by him is moved somewhere else so he doesn't have to look at him, her or them.

this country is pathetic. we're all mad. we're a laughing stock. we let people walk all over us. we get used for our money. we're too PC. we are weak.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

I think serving military, in fact ex-military, should not have to queue but be offered priority treatment.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

From the original link

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

He was moved on TWICE by TWO different people, He was moved "out of sight" of others rather than to a more advantageous or comfortable location.He wasn't wearing a more official looking type of uniform, so are non-military personnel wearing camouflage items or a "Help for Heroes" T-shirt also be hidden from view?
Can we all now object to the wearing of certain "uniforms", or do only the views of certain groups count?

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

The article mentions a previous altercation but so what? Was the forces member involved on that occasion the cause of the incident? Either way should it affect the way hospital staff deal with forces personnel? Would the staff ask a black man, a veiled muslim woman or breastfeeding mum to move had there been a previous altercation with someone or other or would they deal with those who have the big issue?

I think this incident has probably been blown out of proportion and there may well have been good intent at the heart of it but we cannot allow people who're 'offended' to determine decision making in this way. On this occasion there was no incident, just staff who felt, for one reason or another, that doing this might prevent an something happening. Maybe that says something about them and their perceptions, maybe not...

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

IMHO if you are offended by a British serviceman in uniform in a British hospital then I have this to say. (Swear mode off)

1) Go to another hospital

2) Go to the airport/port and leave or emigrate, and sod off to some country that gives a flying fig about your offense

(Swear mode on)

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

The trouble with being offended by everything is that you get away with a lot of things because people eventually get too scared to question your behaviour incase you are offended.

obviously if you're not of that different culture then they don't care whether you're offended.

but seriously. if you are offended by the British. then as recommended.. go somewhere else.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

why not just put a pair of PJs on him hence no longer in uniform.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

In fairness the article states that he was wearing a camouflage combat uniform. Now, I think that treating him should take much higher priority over causing a fuss over what he's wearing, but I can imagine how people might be a bit startled if they saw that, especially if they've come from somewhere where they say, may have a bit of a negative association with that clothing.

With that said, I try to ignore these news stories, simply because I get the feeling that they're more or less designed to make people angry above all else.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

The guy was in hospital having been injured, not on a drunken night out. Why would anyone feel threatened or upset by that and if they are maybe it'd be fairer to ask them to go and sit somewhere else just in case other things are upsetting too. Would it be fair for someone who's had a bad time at the hands of the police, for example, to be able to determine how other police officers in uniform are dealt with simply because they feel uncomfortable or even hostile towards them?

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

In Israel, a guy came in uniform with his gun for lunch (IDF guys always have their guns with them). The Hotel asked him to take it out of sight and change his clothes....

Do surgeons go around in their overalls? lifeguards in their swimsuits? both save lives.... (for a minute, picture Pamela Anderson walking around in a hospital.) :D

I live near Aldershot, the military doctors do not wear uniforms and the soldiers do not wear uniform at the hospital; Frimley Park and Aldershot is shared with civilians. But injured soldiers in Frimley Park A&E, of course come in uniform and there is no problem. Sandhurst military personnel is not allowed in pubs/restaurants in uniform.

Saying that, this guy, Mark Prendeville, was injured at the training field, he had to be there in uniform, as the priority was to treat his burns and definitely not to change his clothes! The hospital staff was out of order, his burns was the priority.

It's a matter of etiquette/protocol, nothing to do with military haters!

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

With that said, you've succeeded in making me angry.

'bit startled' ? It's a hospital.

I'm getting a bit of a negative association with all the hand wringers who are effectively destroying our Country, and even more so with those who seemingly live to be offended at something, everything, nothing but must be kept happy at all costs.

You couldn't make it up, more and more I'm convinced I'm in an alternative WTF Earth, it isn't the one I remember.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Well they should be allowed. :(

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

So we have a member of our NATIONAL Armed Forces who turned up in uniform to be treated in a NATIONAL Health Service hospital!

Anyone who has a problem with it or is offended by it is welcome to leave and pay for treatment privately!

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

If someone's injured, possibly seriously, whilst wearing their uniform are we really going to have to ask them to get changed into civvies just in case someone might be offended? This really is nonsense.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

It is actually MoD regulations that service personnel cannot go to licensed premises in uniform.

See for example

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafi...866A594026.pdf

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Shouldn't be that way

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

I don't judge anyone on race, creed, colour, religion, etc., however, hypothetically speaking, say I was to be sitting in the same hospital opposite a woman wearing a niqab or a burka and I found that deeply offensive, would the hospital staff ask her to move? I suspect not, and I would probably be accused with being racist!

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Sadly quite true. :(

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Clearly some people feel it's OK to be more sensitive to some feelings than others.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Be more specific: Hijab with uniform or without?

MOD regs state (see above link):

Hijabs.
Muslim females may wear Hijabs of the approved pattern and
colour under their uniform headdress except when operational,
training or health and safety considerations dictate otherwise.
It is worn without cap badge under the hat outdoors and without
hat indoors. The hijab is to be worn in such a way that rank slides are visible at all times.

Racist+ un-patriotic :confused:

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

:tu:

---------- Post added at 21:20 ---------- Previous post was at 21:16 ----------

I suspect it's a hangover from the 'troubles' in NI..Off duty servicemen were advised not to wear uniform..

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

My hypothesis stated a niqab or burka, not a hijab, and my assumption was that it would be worn by a civilian Muslim female and not in a military context. Your reference makes no mention of Muslim headdress other than the hijab.

See Link

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

It was a joke :)

Also, I thought hijab and niqab was the same thing --apologies, I did not know the fine differences between burka, hijab, chador and niqa--now I do.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

No problem, although I know some people do feel intimidated when confronted by a person in a niqab or burka.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

I think it's mainly about "behaviour that may bring the Armed Forces into disrepute".

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Well that's what my OH had to consider during his naval service years..

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

Long gone are the days of hitchhiking in uniform or with a cap tied to a bag. I used to hitch weekends from Faslane to Liverpool with a cap on my bag, when I`d used all my travel warrants up. Never failed to get a lift.

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

When I was based in London 20 odd years ago many of the pubs around Petty France/Victoria St used to have hastily scrawled signs pinned up outside: "No Forces" or "No Squaddies" due to various episodes of enthusiastic behaviour around the other clientele ;)

These days "No MP's" would be more appropriate, starting with the HoC bar ;)

Re: RAF sergeant in uniform moved by hospital to avoid offending other patients
 

I used to do that in the 70's, and then a general order came out forbidding it, due to the risks involved....