He speaketh the truth. I was tied to the stake four rows down from him. 8)
The how come some units allow it and others don't as noted relates to the unit's leadership and their attitudes, always has always will. Keep that in mind those of you who aspire to achieve high rank at some time in your careers. Said attitudes also change. The dinosaur Warrants of today were often unrepentant kit sluts back when they were Cpls. Some changed, some did not, both for various reasons goo , bad or indifferent.
Over ten years ago as a CSM I had a fairly realistic policy for my company, and one that was supported (or ignored by the OC depending on which one), that was if it worked and was basically green you could get away with it in the field. I drew the line at ninja stars, Crocodile Dundee knives and other LCF crap. Non issue boots, gloves, modifications to web gear, slings, rucks extra mags above the 5-6 in the list, dump pouches etc. however were good to go as long as you could demonstrate to me it worked better than the issue equivalent and understood that the CQMS couldn't replace it. Hey I was even a bit of a kit slut myself then.
Not all the units in the Toronto Garrison were as liberal in their views as I was. Some were down right Kit Nazis with my fellow MWOs enforcing those rules some reluctantly, others with a passion that scared and worried me as they prepared to re fight the Battle of Ridgeway. Even in my own unit the new RSM during my last year had a zero tolerance for non issued stuff and/or unauthorized modification's in the field. You haven't lived until you've seen a very senior MWO being jacked up by a CWO in the boonies in front of his company for their and his appearance kit wise. Prick had no web gear weapon, or cam stick on at the time either. :
This one has been going on since the first CQMS issued the first stick, pointy, individual for the use of NSN 000000000001