Bomb Disposal Tartan

[Dale G]

X-Marks Members and Guests:

I’m not certain if “The Tartan Place” is the correct forum to post this in but since it is about a new tartan, it seemed the most appropriate option. If not, perhaps I will catch a beating from the moderators and be sent to the “Cooling Off Corner” for a while . Steve Ashton and I have been conspiring in dark rooms and back alleys together for the last year (all of 2014) on a project to create a new tartan to represent Bomb Disposal personnel worldwide. Based on Steve’s advice, I have been holding off on posting anything about it until the process was complete in order to protect the idea but now that we are finished, here it is. I am a working U.S. Bomb Technician, old and tired but still working, and I compete in the Scottish Highland Games. I normally wear either a solid color olive drab kilt or Leatherneck Tartan but following the 2013 tournament season I decided to check all the registries to see if there was a tartan specific to my profession. Discovering that there wasn’t, I decided to create one and not having a background in the field I wanted to bring an expert onboard so I reached out to Steve in January 2014.

The reasons I contacted Steve are because not only is he the owner of X-Marks and has made substantial contributions to the realm of all things kilt, he is the owner / kilt maker of Freedom Kilts. Steve also has experience designing tartans (e.g. Dress Blue Tartan, X-Marks Tartan), AND he is a Marine veteran – I like to keep it in the family, so to speak. Much to his credit he immediately agreed to help and jumped in with both feet. We started with a basic concept and then solicited input from military and public safety Bomb Technicians, the EOD Warrior Foundation, the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators, and the National Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board. Due to the large international focus group and the amount of input we received, there was a lot of back and forth which prolonged the process. Steve and I worked on several different designs and he provided expert advise on what would and would not work based on group input and ultimately a final design was approved. Steve then worked out the thread count for the design and selected colors available from the weaver based on my concept. So now without further ado, I am proud to present the “Bomb Disposal Tartan.”

Bomb Disposal is an all-encompassing term used to describe the worldwide professions of both military Explosive Ordnance Disposal and public safety Hazardous Devices Disposal. The Bomb Disposal Tartan was designed to represent, honor, and unite all Bomb Technicians and their families, past – present – future; without regard to military or public safety service, or the nationality of the Technician. The tartan may be worn or displayed by any person who is or has served as a certified Bomb Technician and their immediate family members (current spouse, children, parents, siblings), as well as certain other approved associated persons. The heraldry of the tartan is as follows:

• Olive drab and flat black are both symbolic of military and public safety special operations and are the primary and secondary colors of the bomb suit. Flat black also symbolizes a mourning band, honoring all of our brothers and sisters who have laid their lives “upon the altar of freedom,” and acknowledges the pain and loss suffered by their colleagues, families, and friends.

• The olive drab and flat black bands form the warp and weft of the commonly recognized checkered pattern of tartans known as the sett and are proportional to their presence on the bomb suit.

• Scarlet honors the bloodshed of all Bomb Technicians who have been either injured or killed and signifies that we are one family, regardless of our service or nationality. It is also the heraldic color of fortitude and victory.

• Gold symbolizes honor and excellence and is reminiscent of the lightning bolts common to many Bomb Disposal insignias around the world.

• Desert-tan represents the unprecedented I.E.D. challenges faced by Bomb Technicians in the Global War on Terrorism and beyond.

As stated above, the tartan is only authorized for wear and display by certified military and public safety Bomb Disposal Technicians of any nation (title may vary by country / service), their immediate families, and certain approved persons (e.g. unit staff with the commanding officer’s approval, honorary awardees, etc.). This does not include Combat Engineers, Sappers, De-Mining / Mine Clearance personnel, Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Technicians, Licensed Commercial Blasters, etc., unless they also are currently or were previously certified Bomb Disposal Technicians (which many are). The concept and design have been protected and registered along with these restrictions with appropriate international government agencies. At this time only Martin Mills is approved to weave the tartan and the fabric is only available through Freedom Kilts. Anyone having questions regarding any aspect of the tartan or its development may post a reply to this thread or private message me through X-Marks. Any authorized persons wanting to purchase a kilt or fabric can contact Steve Ashton at steve@freedomkilts.com. I'm sorry you can't see the image in this post and have to click on the attachment below. It has been doing that for a while now.

[Dale-of-Cedars]

Sorry to say, the attachment isn't working either:
"Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator"

EDIT: Steve fixed it!

[Father Bill]

Worked fine for me. Handsome tartan. Congratulations!

[figheadair]

Being a traditionalist I have to say that I'm not a fan of what I view as unnecessary prolifation of tartans.

This does not include Combat Engineers, Sappers, De-Mining / Mine Clearance personnel, Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Technicians, Licensed Commercial Blasters, etc.,

Logically then, each of the above could also have their own tartan. And the what about all the other military trades (how about the Ophthalmic tartan, Armourer's tartan, Machine Gun tartan, Recce Mech tartan?) I could go on and on. And then there are all the other Public Service jobs.

I realise that there's a different attitude in the US to that here in Scotland/UK but I'm struck by the overwhelming need to ask why? More is not necessarily better and my personal view is that proliferartion at the rate we now have it devalues the whole. Running for cover.

[Dale G]

Hmm, you're right. Very strange. When I clicked on the attachment earlier from my laptop it opened but when I clicked on it from my desktop computer at work just now I got the same error message. I have been having similar problems posting pictures to other threads for a little while now and have read where others are as well. Does anyone here, perhaps a moderator, know what is wrong or can offer a suggestion? I'm not a computer 'techie' by any stretch.
I just tried to upload again from my work computer.

[Dale G]

The one I just posted above opened as an attachment - this time...

[Jock Scot]

Being a traditionalist I have to say that I'm not a fan of what I view as unnecessary prolifation of tartans.



Logically then, each of the above could also have their own tartan. And the what about all the other military trades (how about the Ophthalmic tartan, Armourer's tartan, Machine Gun tartan, Recce Mech tartan?) I could go on and on. And then there are all the other Public Service jobs.

I realise that there's a different attitude in the US to that here in Scotland/UK but I'm struck by the overwhelming need to ask why? More is not necessarily better and my personal view is that proliferartion at the rate we now have it devalues the whole. Runing for cover.

I agree. Can I join you in that trench Peter?

[Liam]

I agree. Can I join you in that trench Peter?

First of all my congrats to the op on a fine looking tartan.
Now to Jock and Peter, I understand your comments, but am surprised you didn't express similar sentiments when the Wildcat tartan was under discussion. (And please I'm not trying to extend the trench war fare analogy, so I will perhaps retreat behind my trench).
Cheers to all!

[Jock Scot]

First of all my congrats to the op on a fine looking tartan.
Now to Jock and Peter, I understand your comments, but am surprised you didn't express similar sentiments when the Wildcat tartan was under discussion. (And please I'm not trying to extend the trench war fare analogy, so I will perhaps retreat behind my trench).
Cheers to all!

No war as far as I am concerned. Actually you make a fair observation Liam and in fact, the thought did then cross my mind about the very point that you are making whilst the wild cat tartan episode was in full swing. I took the view then that we were discussing just the wild cat not every variety of cat. Now that same discussion can be had for different tartans for each branch and then each section(trade) within the military and I cannot argue the case!

However, two things in my defence crop up. One: The British tradition of Regimental ties(or, if we substitute ties for tartan in this case) crops up. For example, The Royal Engineers --Which includes bomb disposal units as well as bridge building and other engineering activities and one tie does for all. Secondly: I really do think the proliferation of tartans is now getting out of hand and there really is a danger that the whole tartan system being devalued. So in this case I think it is "the straw that has broken the camel's back" type of thing.

Let me finally say that I hold the brave ladies and gentlemen of bomb disposal units past and present of any nation in the highest of highest regard.

[Jim Simmons]

Very nice tartan I think. Congratulations!!