Row after troops forced to strip off on airport tarmac over uniform ban
04.01.08
More than 200 soldiers on their way home from Afghanistan were asked to strip off their uniforms on the tarmac at Birmingham Airport and put on civilian clothes before being allowed access to the terminal building. The incident has triggered a barrage of complaints to the MoD and to the airport.
The charter flight on December 23 was bringing the men back from fighting the Taliban for Christmas leave with their families, when it was diverted from at RAF Brize Norton to Birmingham because of bad weather. The troops were told they could either wait for coaches to take them to the RAF base, or travel home from the airport via public transport - in which case they must change into civilian clothes before entering the terminal.
Around 50 soldiers chose the latter option and were told by the pilot that their baggage was being unloaded on to the runway so that they could reclaim it, dig out their own clothes and remove their desert combat kit before they could proceed into the airport building and head home. While he offered to allow them to re-enter the aircraft to change, most chose to strip in a freezing wind to save leave time.
One soldier, who said that he was ordered to undress for 'security reasons', told the BBC: 'It is an insult to the entire Army to force guys who've been fighting in Afghanistan to obey some jobsworth rule when all they want to do is get home to their families. So much for a nation proud of its servicemen. The temperature was Baltic on the runway but most of us just wanted to get home so we cracked on.'
An MoD spokesman said the order was likely to have been issued by the commanding officer. He said: 'For security reasons, the MoD wishes to reduce the military profile on flights carried out on its behalf at civilian airports and there is a policy in place across the three services concerning the wearing of uniform. In this case, it appears it was applied a little too rigidly.'
A Birmingham Airport spokesman said: 'We support our Armed Forces and whatever form of dress they choose to wear at our airport. There are no restrictions relating to clothing or appearance for those using the airport for public flights. However, the airport has been advised that certain airlines may refuse to accept personnel in military uniform.'
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