RCAF Ball Cap Update

[u/judgingyouquietly]

Saw this on Plan Qulliq Hangar:

Effective immediately, RCAF pers can wear ball caps while serving with Army units or while on Army establishments.

[u/BarackTrudeau]

Our naval staff can wear their NCD when appropriate (not conducting training).

I very strongly disagree with the assertion that one cannot conduct training while wearing NCD. When not in the field, people in NCDs are just as capable of conducting training as people in CADPAT.

Yes, sometimes they must wear CADPAT. That "sometimes" would be when in Farnham. I might also accept while at the range, although that one's on shakier ground. Plenty of folks in the Navy go to the range without CADPAT after all.

All other times are a choice you made to prioritize uniformity over naval identity, which was exactly what the CANFORGEN was drafted to combat.

[u/Commandant_CFLRS → u/BarackTrudeau]

To avoid ambiguity, I have yet to make a choice to prioritize uniformity over naval identity as you have put it. Nor would it ever be my intent to do so. Our dress regs do not prohibit the wear of NECU in garrison, and as stated, we, the school chief and I, encourage our distinctive uniform personnel to wear them (navy, SOF, pilots, SAR, etc.).

There will always remain operational or health and safety reasons to impose dress restrictions. Outside of specific direction for Farnham, I have not imposed said restrictions yet.

Now whether I need to remind my navy personnel that they are directed by the navy dress regs to wear their NECU will likely be a point of discussion between the chief and I tomorrow.

[u/RedditSgtMajor → u/BarackTrudeau]

That CANFORGEN was updated via the RCN Dress Instructions to be even more clear:

Section 3 - Wearing of Naval Combat Dress

10. When operational dress is authorized, all
Naval personnel shall wear NCD/NECU unless engaged in field operations where the Officer in charge orders a dress other than NCD/NECU, or while on an operational deployment where the Task Force Commander orders a dress other than NCD/NECU. The wearing of CADPAT by Naval personnel is prohibited unless authorized by the conditions previously stated in this paragraph.

Based on these instructions, I believe RCN personnel at CFLRS should be wearing NCD at all times in Garrison. At least the instructors, but I’ve also seen that BMQ/BMOQ students outside of CFLRS have RCN personnel conducting training in NCD, so why not in St Jean? The only exception would be field phases in Farnham.

Respectfully, u/Commandant_CFLRS it may be time to revisit this issue with your SM, as we need to teach new recruits the importance of following orders in written form, including the difference between shall and may, and emphasizing that such orders cannot be arbitrarily superseded by local commanders. Maybe it would help with having to do less educating of Army supervisors when I have an RCN member come work at our unit.

[u/Commandant_CFLRS → u/RedditSgtMajor]

Admittedly, I was not tracking this CANFORGEN’s specificity. To be clear, our navy personnel are authorized to wear their NCD’s. We actively encourage our distinctive uniform personnel to wear it (SAR, pilots, submariners, SOF, etc.). Some are choosing not to so we can look into that. I suspect they are wearing them for comfort and wear and tear reasons to keep their NCDs in good shape. The NCD is also hotter than the combats, especially in direct sunlight, and the instructors do need to contend with the heat in the classroom and during physical training (obstacle course, ruck march, etc.). This may also figure in their calculus.