Ex Military

[ANDYRAF]

The question is did knowledge of some bushcraft draw you to the military or did experiences in the military draw you to bushcraft?



For me it was scout training that made me want to join up, I wanted to be an Royal Air Force Rock, but did a mech vehicle apprenticeship before I decided to join and they conned me into being an MT fitter, I did get on the Rocks eventually but it took time, I also did some on Tac Supply Wing.
ANDY.

 

[TallMikeM]

neither, my love of the outdoors/camping etc drew me to join the army (infantry) and my love of the outdoors etc drew me to bushcraft.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Cubs - Scouts - DofE - RAF (Plumber) The RAF is the family thing 4 generations so far.
Did some time on Kinloss MRT and as a civi on South Snowdonia MRT, Have allway enjoyed being outdoors - Used to camp behind the sofa with a towel as a bed role

 

[MikeE]

Cubs - Scouts - Army (4yrs OTC - 22yrs R Signals - yes a scaley rupert!). Always loved the outdoors, have degree in Conservation & Ecology but really only ever pursued as an aside. Pursued bushcraft in forces since cubs but only really in its own right since retiring from army (2002).

 

[woodstock]

None of the below my mums brother was a major in the AASH persuaded me into joining a Recce unit where I got the opportunity to meet lots of people of different cultures and engage them which was nice

 

[Ogri the trog]

Cubs - Scouts - Air Cadets - RAF, Dual Trade Technician (Airframes & Engines), Support Helicopters RAF Odiham with trips to NI, Germany and 3 trips to The Falkland Islands.
Skills that I learnt in the Scouts proved usefull all through my service and are still valid now; so I guess I've been learning "Bushcraft" things for most of my life - they just wern't grouped under that title when I first came across them. My love of the outdoors led me into Scouts which then set me on a path that passes through this place and beyond - its been a good trip up to now, though I have no idea where its going to lead from tomorrow onwards.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[leon-1]

Neither, my love of the outdoors was inspired by my stepfather when I was a child.

My drive to be in the military was inspired by my grandfather (an ex serviceman himself) also when I was a child.

After years of military life and not really enough time to enjoy the great outdoors I managed to start getting out and about again post military life to do things at a slightly more sedate pace.

 

[BOD]

Neither.

My experiences in the outdoors as a child made me receptive to bushcraft when I encountered it later in life.

The military was something in between

 

[SimonM]

Cubs, Scouts, Ventures then TA. Knee injury forced me to leave but was talked into ACF where I did another 10 years as an Instructor then 2Lt.

Never got into the shiny boots and marching bit, but had a great boss who let me concentrate on teaching fieldcraft, range work & SAA in the ACF. Only left when I took up teaching for a living as it got to much! Oddly, I'm now back involved with Scouts tho - its so much more relaxed than the ACF!

Simon

 

[Limaed]

I was always intrested in the outdoors and was a keen Lofty and Ray fan as a youngster.
So I joined the cadets and then did a few expeds- Sail training and Raleigh International. One of my instructors on Raleigh was a Kinloss MRT Troop, he got me more intrested in the RAF and Mountain Rescue. Basically he said the RAF was a great place for expeds and an outdoor life (true!) so later I joined as a chef (not sure why!).
Anyway I did lots of climbing and expeds in my twenties but since Ive got a bit older ive got back into Bushcraft ( less scary!).
Bushcrafting has helped me quite a bit in the military- from catching trout in the Falklands to carving spoons in Afghanistan,
Shaman when were you on KMRT? Im currently a part-timer but was also on the team 96-97? Ed

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Only did about 8 months then was sent to Bruggen.
Tim was TL this was back in 95 ish Im c@#p with names but
Mick Hill i cant forget.
and Andy Church.

 

[Limaed]

Nice one, its a small world isn't it. All the guys get bored of me going on about lighting fires and this plant and that!

 

[ANDYRAF]

Mick Hill was he the one with all the Jack Russells and did he have a brother called Rex if so I knew him at Stafford. I also served with Rex on 15 sqn and his mate Willy Bate, wild but good mates to have.
Whilst serving did anyone get any crazy kit, I got issued a large canvas straight jacket affair that wrapped around your gonk sac for extreme cold weather it worked but I couldn't lift it on my own, had use the atlas to lift on the back of a 4 tonner.

 

[Tor helge]

I often see this connection drawn between bushcraft and the military, why?. I did my time in the late 80`s (Norway has conscription) and I sure as h*** didn`t engaged in much bushcraft.
Fires were forbidden as smoke and light would alarm the enemy of our position. No foraging as one should not be wandering around unless you were told to do it (patrol).
We learned how to use most weapons, blow up things, freeze, march and wait but it was very little bushcraft .
Is other armies any different?

Tor

 

[ANDYRAF]

Hi Tor, don't the norwegian forces do survival courses most British forces do and most other forces as well. I did the Raf and the Canadian forces ones these are usually courses you have to volunteer for, when british forces do detachments to Norway they usually have to do a survival course almost immediately they arrive. Perhaps your country feels if you live there you already know enough to survive.
Andy.

 

[steven andrews]

We learned how to use most weapons, blow up things, freeze, march and wait but it was very little bushcraft .
Is other armies any different?

Tor

Nope

The free ammunition was nice but you can't beat great big fires, loads of beer and no stagging-on.

 

[Mikey P]

Cubs, Scouts, Ventures, uni, RAF Eng O (UKADGE, TCW, 1001SU, SAT IPT, MSc, DI, NATO Germany, DCCIS) - still in until September next year.

Bit of both really: got interested in outdoor stuff before joining up but after that, had the opportunity to do lots more and it's carried on from there. I guess there is often a connection between military and bushcraft due the outdoors stuff, the survival skills, the kit, etc.

I don't think this is a bad thing.

 

[ANDYRAF]

Cubs, Scouts, Ventures, uni, RAF Eng O (UKADGE, TCW, 1001SU, SAT IPT, MSc, DI, NATO Germany, DCCIS) - still in until September next year.

Bit of both really: got interested in outdoor stuff before joining up but after that, had the opportunity to do lots more and it's carried on from there. I guess there is often a connection between military and bushcraft due the outdoors stuff, the survival skills, the kit, etc.

I don't think this is a bad thing.

True Mikey but don't you think that it's also in the attitude as well, when you do it as part of your job you just get on and do it, now you can take more time and enjoy those sights and sounds that before you would ignore.

 

[bear knights]

I was duped. Joined T.A (signals)......I know, I know, not the real army, STAB on brother and all that...because I wanted to learn about survival, (plus I like landies and assualt courses). Never did a single bit of survival training (in the tracking/shelter/ fire making sense). I was completely ready too as when I joined I had green dreadlocks with feathers sewn in.....perfect camo
I think my love of outdoors and all things bushcraft is irrelevant to whether or not I have a military(ish) background as for me the two didn't overlap. Do wish I had more knowledge of some of the military based stuff though that you guys would have learned, as reckon it would improve my bushcraft skills.

 

[Mikey P]

True Mikey but don't you think that it's also in the attitude as well, when you do it as part of your job you just get on and do it, now you can take more time and enjoy those sights and sounds that before you would ignore.

Yeah - I suspect your whole outlook changes as you get older too. When you're younger, you want to move around a lot, carry a lot of kit - or none at all -, cover a lot of distance, etc.

I think that the older you get, the slower the pace of life you want and the more you appreciate just sitting round a campfire, or just enjoying being outside. That's my feeling anyway.