Uniform directive roils March base reservists

[djp2]

08:31 AM PDT on Friday, August 31, 2007

By JOE VARGO
The Press-Enterprise

A new directive from the commanding general of the Air Force Reserve could mean that beginning Sunday more than 6,500 reservists will have to wear military uniforms to work in civilian jobs at air bases across the country.

March Air Reserve Base workers affected by the mandate blasted the proposal this week, saying it subjects them to stricter military regulations and could make them more vulnerable for deployment to war zones even while working as civilian employees.

The union has filed an unfair labor practice against the Reserve Command and has asked the Federal Labor Relations Authority in San Francisco to cancel Bradley's directive.

"Everything is different now," Melin said. "We're no longer standing by. We're in the fight. Having our air reserve technicians wear their uniforms indicates that we are very proud of our military mission and are doing our nation's military business every day."

[djp2]

1. Civilians wearing uniforms

This means, that people working as CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, on a military base, IF they HAPPEN TO BE reservists, have to wear a uniform.

[redqueen]

2. Love how they just come out and admit it's for propaganda.

Lovely.

[lapfog_1]

3. I'm guessing that some asshole general or something

didn't get saluted while inspecting a hanger somewhere by the reservist airmen/women working as civilians.

So he wants them to wear their uniforms to work so that they will have to salute each other, and, by extension, everyone that ranks higher than them who is active duty.

Self important asshole.

[Fresh_Start]

4. If you can't criticize in uniform, and you always have to wear uniform

you can never criticize

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. How can it be legal to require something like this? If they're not on active duty, they're not on

active duty.

[djp2]

6. I forgot the link to entire article

Interesting reading, looks like new requirements for all bases eventually.

"It smacks of tyranny and dictatorship," said Tech. Sgt. Michael LePenske, president of Local 3854 of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents about 600 workers at March Air Reserve Base. "It's just plain wrong. It's unjust."

http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_H_reservists31.4025119.html