[maple_leaf_eh]

I echo what Rob says about current vs old artifacts. Today I was pulling map sheets from shelves which were soon to be emptied. One for me, and one for the Canadian War Museum. The Warrant Officer in charge of the map depot has bigger things on her plate than sheets for places we aren't going back to and would rebuild next time around anyways. They are old stock that doesn't move. Therefore, those sheet are dead stock getting in the way of more important inventory.

Unless the government is going to employ "armies" of restorers and reenactors continuously, the argument of reserving ownership is groundless. Soldiers need to get and stay current on the most important job of the land, namely defence (and offence). To distract them with another job is irresponsible.

You might ask the good LCol if he would extend his argument to culture and literature. Would he agree that books, plays, music and art are equally important for the health and identity of the nation? Just the same way he is protective of medals, cap badge collections and a few leaky old AFVs? I think having served in uniform only qualifies him to comment on a subject, not take ownership. Any number of much better informed opinions would pummel him for trying to exert government control over culture. In some places that is called censorship.

(I have a similar argument with those who believe only police and soldiers should have firearms - why, because they get issued one and that qualifies as being an expert?)