Re: Odd FT Idea

On  2 Jul 98 at 12:43, John Atkinson wrote:

> You wrote: 
> 
> >I could see a recruiting crisis. But what do you mean 'battle 
> >competence' - so far as I know (which ain't far in this regard), the 
> >Papal Gaurd hasn't been involved in any overt (who knows covert? 
> 
> The Papal Guard requires it's troops to fulfil traditional military
> functions, counter-terrorist functions, bodyguard functions, AND
> tourist attraction functions.  Getting someone who's good at all
> three of the first and the patience to deal with the last is a bit
> difficult.

Referring to your last point: I don't think the papal guard have to 
do ceremonial duties much different to British Guards regiments. i.e. 
Standing to attention in ceremonial uniform for long periods, and 
occasional trooping the colour, or other such peagantry. No shortage 
of applicants to guards regiments here compared to any others. The 
Vatican guard is an elite, prestigious unit, and it's a fair amount 
of kudos to be a member of it. 

As a side note, in RL the commanding officer and his wife was
recently murdered in the vatican, apparently by a subordinate
officer, who killed himself. All the circumstances are a bit unclear
at the moment, and I only mentioned it because it was such a suprise
to hear that it happened. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Richard Slattery	     richard@mgkc.demon.co.uk
Seeing a murder on television can help work off one's antagonisms. And
if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will
give you some. 
     Alfred Hitchcock
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