Updated Army Service Dress project

[rmc_wannabe]

Maybe that means that Canadian Army folks want ball caps…

Some Army folks. A vocal minority of Junior Ranks does not mean its popular throughout all ranks.

I think they look godawful and despised having to wear one for 7 months in Egypt.

 

[dimsum]

Some Army folks. A vocal minority of Junior Ranks does not mean its popular throughout all ranks.

I think they look godawful and despised having to wear one for 7 months in Egypt.

That was the start for the RCAF ball cap too - some folks really wanted it, some said it was an awful idea.

Then they realized that they didn’t have nearly enough to satisfy demand for an optional item, and folks pissed off why it isn’t issued.

One point that seems to be missed is that the RCAF ball cap was optional - people could easily have just not bought one and continued to wear their beret/wedge.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Some Army folks. A vocal minority of Junior Ranks does not mean its popular throughout all ranks.

I think they look godawful and despised having to wear one for 7 months in Egypt.

Maybe I'm biased as I've worn them pretty much my whole career but I don't see the issue with them in work dress.

Depending on what a unit wants to spend they can be a good quality and look nice.

 

[FSTO]

Interesting point about the command badge.

The RCAF CWO answered a question about it in RCafe and said that the reason RCAF members wear it is because all of the elements do. Now that 2 of 3 won’t, I wonder if the RCAF will change (again).

I’ve never wore a command badge. At basic in Chilliwack (1989) our MARS LT CTO told us the MARCOM Command badge was not being issued anymore so us MARS types never got them. When I was at ADM IM I never wore their command badge and nobody cared or mentioned that I should.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I’ve never wore a command badge. At basic in Chilliwack (1989) our MARS LT CTO told us the MARCOM Command badge was not being issued anymore so us MARS types never got them. When I was at ADM IM I never wore their command badge and nobody cared or mentioned that I should.

The Army tried to make me put a division patch on my tunic. I actually used the term sullied to describe what it would do to the best looking jacket in the CAF, and said no.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

The Army tried to make me put a division patch on my tunic. I actually used the term sullied to describe what it would do to the best looking jacket in the CAF, and said no.

You mind your tone. The Army had to wait until 2014 to unsully our tunics from RCN gold bar gaudiness.

 

[Halifax Tar]

You mind your tone. The Army had to wait until 2014 to unsully our tunics from RCN gold bar gaudiness.

You got me. BUT that wasn't the RCN doing that too you. Nor was it RCN ranks. That's was from the abortive aspirations of an alien dreamer, Liberal cabinet minister.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

You got me. BUT that wasn't the RCN doing that too you. Nor was it RCN ranks. That's was from the abortive dreams of and alien dreamer, Liberal cabinet minister.

 

[Halifax Tar]

View attachment 84426

And that ok! We can be outraged together

 

[rmc_wannabe]

And that ok! We can be outraged together

 

[Furniture]

The Army tried to make me put a division patch on my tunic. I actually used the term sullied to describe what it would do to the best looking jacket in the CAF, and said no.

You're not supposed to wear Div patches on any DEU but army, Met Techs posted to the guns definitely don't unless they're CA.

 

[Furniture]

I’ve never wore a command badge. At basic in Chilliwack (1989) our MARS LT CTO told us the MARCOM Command badge was not being issued anymore so us MARS types never got them. When I was at ADM IM I never wore their command badge and nobody cared or mentioned that I should.

How are we to enforce the rules if we don't follow them ourselves?

I think a command badge looks pretty silly on the RCN DEU due to the lack of a pocket for precise placement, but if we are ordered to wear them.

 

[FSTO]

How are we to enforce the rules if we don't follow them ourselves?

I think a command badge looks pretty silly on the RCN DEU due to the lack of a pocket for precise placement, but if we are ordered to wear them.

Honestly, nobody ever ordered me to wear it, nobody ever asked why I didn`t have one, and the command badge has never come up in any discussion that I`ve had with my wingers and superiors.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

I think a command badge looks pretty silly on the RCN DEU due to the lack of a pocket for precise placement, but if we are ordered to wear them.

That's all you needed to say. They serve no real purpose, are costly, and are a pain in the ass to pin on properly.

 

[Furniture]

Honestly, nobody ever ordered me to wear it, nobody ever asked why I didn`t have one, and the command badge has never come up in any discussion that I`ve had with my wingers and superiors.

Fair, and you're far from the first RCN member I've encountered who has done the same thing. Short of an order to not wear mine, I wear it because it was issued... Even though it looks pretty silly.

 

[FSTO]

Fair, and you're far from the first RCN member I've encountered who has done the same thing. Short of an order to not wear mine, I wear it because it was issued... Even though it looks pretty silly.

I took a quick look at the Dress Manual and I didn't see any instruction on Command Badges. But it was a quick look after all.

 

[dimsum]

RCAF CWO’s answer from RCAF Hangar:

Great question, as always. The wear of Command Badges was started (a very long time ago, likely rooted around the time of Unification) to provide a common and shared identity amongst members of an organization. The Dress Policy dictates that each member of the CAF will wear a Command, Force or Formation badge on their Ceremonial/Service Dress. Further to that, it is directed that the Command Badge which is worn must indicated the organization in which a person is currently serving, which ensures that people represent their employment, rather than their environment. To make a long story short – it’s about a standard (equal) approach to insignia on the uniform and displaying the team identity.

If you think of our “purple” occupations working at our Division or Wing, it would look really odd to have a RCN HRA wearing a RCAF Command Badge standing alongside their RCAF HRA coworker who is not wearing a Command Badge, solely because they have a different colour uniform. An equal, or “uniform” (no pun intended) approach is needed to ensure that we do not single one member out over another.

Hope it helps.

 

[Happy Guy]

I've worn Command Badges throughout my career because I was ordered to, although I disagreed with this policy. It never made much sense to me. My eyes never looked at the Command badge but always towards to the cap badge, rank, ribbons / medals, qualification insignias and name tag.

Throughout my career (I wore the Army DEU) I've been issued with the following Command badges:

Force Mobile Command
Land Forces Command
Canadian Army (a total of three badges for the same organization! I was old when I retired)
ADM(MAT)
CANOSCOM (coolest looking badge - Ninja throwing star.
CJOC
CMP (I lost this one in a move)

Since I've retired I've been thinking of placing the Command badges, the UN, Div, Bde patches and rank insignia in a shadow box/ display case.

 

[OldSolduer]

Some Army folks. A vocal minority of Junior Ranks does not mean its popular throughout all ranks.

I think they look godawful and despised having to wear one for 7 months in Egypt.

We wore the UN one in Croatia. Not a fan.

PLUS if you deploy with one to the field the brim makes it a bit difficult to store in your ruck. A floppy old bush hat is better.

 

[FSTO]

RCAF CWO’s answer from RCAF Hangar:

Likely came from Unification? Really Chief? Why in the hell would there be Command Badges prior to Unification? The entire reason for Command Badges IS Unification.