TA soldiers wear uniforms to work

[Anth]

TA soldiers wear uniforms to work


A series of events are taking place this year to mark the centenary of the TA

Territorial Army soldiers from across the UK have been arriving at their day jobs in their military uniforms.

Uniform to Work Day celebrates 100 years of the TA and is designed to make the contribution of the part-time force more visible.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is holding a reception at 10 Downing Street to mark the day.

A series of events taking place to celebrate the centenary included a pageant in central London last month.

Uniform to Work Day organiser Col Alastair Bruce said: "We are encouraging those TA soldiers who wish to be involved to arrange with their employer to go to work at their civilian jobs in Army uniform.

"This will remind the public that the Territorial Army is 'among us' in society.

"But perhaps more importantly we want to encourage public affirmation, recognition and understanding of the remarkable work these people undertake as volunteers."

Anita Newcourt, who will be wearing her uniform, said she hoped the day would raise awareness of the TA's role.

She told BBC News: "I think the public are beginning to see what the TA do and beginning to understand how vital we are as part of the British army.

"Fifteen thousand people have been deployed as part of the TA out to Afghanistan and Iraq and those people have come back to their communities and are talking about their experiences."

TA UNIFORMS AT WORK
London: MPs Maj Mark Lancaster and Maj Desmond Swayne will be in the Houses of Parliament
London: Cpl Nichola Harrison will work at Battersea Dogs Home
Truro: Sculptor and Rifleman James Eddy will be working on a piece of art
Perth: Pte Russell Duffy will be delivering post
Glasgow: Gunner Kelly Gallagher will work at Superdrug
Manchester: Lt Col Joanne Laverty will be teaching at school

BBC News Link

[Anth]

TA soldiers shed their 'civvies' for the day

A People In Defence news article

16 Jul 08

A school teacher, a member of parliament, an artist and a postie are among those ditching their usual work clothing to proudly display their Territorial Army uniform today, Wednesday 16 July 2008.


Perth soldier Private Russell Duffy, a member of 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (7 SCOTS), is wearing his uniform to work at his local post office
[Picture: Mark Owens]

The TA's 'Uniform to Work Day' sees Territorials swapping their civilian clothes for military kit as part of the celebrations for TA100 - the 100th anniversary of the Territorial Army. In addition to today TA100 events will continue to take place across the country throughout 2008.

The Territorial Army is an integral part of the British Army, representing about a quarter of its total manpower, with its members both male and female, training as soldiers in their own time – many holding down full-time civilian jobs.

Event organiser, Colonel Alastair Bruce explained the thinking behind Uniform at Work Day:

"On Uniform to Work Day, we are encouraging those TA soldiers who wish to be involved to arrange with their employer to go to work at their civilian jobs in Army uniform. This will remind the public that the Territorial Army is 'among us' in society.

"But perhaps more importantly we want to encourage public affirmation, recognition and understanding of the remarkable work these people undertake as volunteers. Butchers, trawlermen, beauticians and bus drivers are among the occupations of those people who put time aside to train and to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, alongside the regular Army.

Major Aleks Tomczyk, a Business and IT consultant, is pictured at Arum Systems, Westpoint, Edinburgh, during the TA's 'Uniform to Work Day'
[Picture: Mark Owens]

"They are doing it right now on operations and we see Uniform to Work Day as a way of celebrating this commitment."

One of those taking part in the day is Major Anita Newcourt who in her civilian job is the Manager of the VIP and Royal Suite at Heathrow airport. She has spent the past 25 years in the TA and now holds the post of Second in Command of Media Operations.

Major Newcourt greeted Prime Minister Gordon Brown in her TA uniform last week on his way to the G8 Summit. She said that she's proud to wear her military kit:

"I'm absolutely delighted to have the chance to wear my uniform to work. Whenever we can, we should be showing our colleagues and bosses that we are part of the TA. They should be aware of the interesting things, that as part of the British Army, we have the opportunity to do."

MOD News Link

[Bluehawk]

THAT would be something to see.

I bet there's quite a few surprises in store, seeing people in the suit whom others never thought would or could wear one.

[Anth]

The MOD has some photos from the event yesterday:

Ministry of Defence | Picture Viewers | GALLERY: TA clothes swap deemed a success

[Bluehawk]

Thanks for that Anth... what a day it must have been. Great idea!

[Anth]

It was only done as part of the TA's 100th birthday celebrations, but it would be brilliant if it became an annual event.

[Bluehawk]

Originally Posted by Anth

It was only done as part of the TA's 100th birthday celebrations, but it would be brilliant if it became an annual event.

It surely would be wonderful!

I'd love to see that happening here too!

It's funny actually that we here used to see a lot more uniforms in public, back until maybe the early 1970s or so... there were always GIs hitchhiking in their Class A, or all over the place at airports and rail stations.

Nowadays you rarely see it.

BTW, I notice that your people have also come to wear their BDU (fatigues?) insignia as we are, with the rank centered on the chest... and, I suppose, using velcro for unit patches. For some reason that manner looks strange to me, but I've heard from Army vets that they like it.

I don't believe our AF has gone to that yet... I hope they don't.