CountDC
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 462
- Points
- 960
Ok and who decides that the rule is stupid? I think the rule that members are required to have a certain education level is stupid as I have worked with many that would not get in under the current standards. Worked with a CWO that only had grade 3 and was sharp as a tack when it came to his military knowledge. Knew many that had reached grade 10 before dropping out and going to work. My brother had grade 9 which would have excluded him but was also a licensed mechanic so graduated basic as a Veh Tech promoted to Cpl. So what is the bona fide operational requirement for this rule? It only serves as a filter point to reflect that the member can be taught.
Who says you can't order them not to play in traffic or not to wear a helmet when riding a bike? Are you a judge able to determine what is and isn't a lawful command? Do you have the basis of why the order was given? Maybe there is a valid reason for it that you are not privy to.
The catch - the rules are written to cover the regular force and applied to the reserves to maintain that inclusivity and uniformity we are all fond of. As a regular force member you are on duty at all times and subject to the NDA, Dress Regs, QR&Os, etc. Too often we mix up on duty with "on duty" (being at work). Wish they would come up with a different term for the two.
But the dress instructions don't require members to do this, they lay out what is entailed for the job and the member then makes the choice if they want to make the changes themself just like any other job you may apply for. I walked into recruiting and was interviewed by an officer. Several times during that interview he spent some time flipping back and forth through his papers and leaving to talk to someone to ascertain his next step. I was dressed in black leather boots, superwide jeans, tshirt, leather jacket, beasties on my wrist and neck, several earrings, full face hair and hair down to my butt. I answered yes or possibly to a couple questions that no one else ever had to him. I think the question that threw him the most was when he asked me why I had stopped something and I replied "because I knew it wasn't allowed in the military and I had decided I wanted to join". approximately a month later I was clean shaven with a brush cut, no earrings or beasties wearing a "bus driver" uniform because that was the choice I had made and I continue to make the choice to adhere to the dress regs as any time I want I can release.
Again Regular Force members are never actually off duty and are always representing the military to the public. If Cpl Bloggin goes downtown looking like a bag shit and gets in a fight the press release will identify him as in the military and he will be subject to discipline by the military if it is so desired. Personally, with the way the press and public are I think that should also apply to the reserves.
I do agree there was/is a large amount of room for changes in the dress regs and the enforcement of them (often they were enforced on the males and not females when civilian dress was authorized is one example). I am on the fence with some of these changes and your posts have kept me there instead of falling to the other side. I also think you have not fully thought through your points from both sides in order to make your point and thus are missing the counters in the discussion.
My pers take on the headdress wearing - I prefer to keep the current rule with saluting policy as it is. this enables me to walk around work outside without the need to constantly salute as we are not required to wear headdress at the work location. I honestly don't recall the last time I had to salute someone in the last 8 years.
Been there and it is a royal pain when you are expected to do certain tasks and keep your white shirt white.
