Blank holes in Ottawa-NDHQ Mad About Sunshine "Soldiers"

[Art Johnson]

Sat, August 21, 2004
Sun swimsuit troops march over the line
Mike Strobel looks for a foxhole as military issues a cease-and-desist

By MIKE STROBEL

SOME DAYS, you just want to crawl into a foxhole and cover your head ... We get a letter from National Defence in Ottawa.   "IMMEDIATELY CEASE." The command is underlined in boldface.

What? What? What have we done? Has Peter Worthington let slip a military secret? Did we misspell Ypres?   No, says the letter. Much worse. The Sun, it says, has violated paragraph 291(1)(c) of the National Defence Act, section 419 of the Criminal Code of Canada, and subparagraph 9(1)(i) of the Trade-Marks Act.   Oh, my. We're cooked. It's the brig for us.   Say, does the brig get copies of Sun swimsuit issues?   Not in this man's army. Not anymore.

That's what the letter this week is about. DND is ticked that we used bits of uniforms, including caps and badges, in our 2004 Winter Swimsuit Edition. Six months later, three (3) soldiers have complained and, voila, cease-and-desist.   The order was given by Maj. Jim McKillip. He is DND's Deputy Inspector of Badges and Insignia.   "I'm the guy who makes sure the use of badges, flags, uniforms and ceremonies corresponds with appropriate regulations," he tells me down the line from Ottawa.

That swimsuit edition, apparently, did not correspond.   To wit: On the cover, Julie dangled a naval officer's cap from a shapely foot. In the centre spread, seen here, she wore the cap on her head, while saluting with Lynne (airman's cap) and Jessie (army beret).   Julie reappears 13 pages later in bewitching fishnet and a 48th Highlanders cap. The 48th Highlanders complained?!?   "No," says Maj. McKillip. So, who did, then?   "The three complaints were from men and women here in Ottawa ... with concerns about the nature of some of the images."   But there's nothing you can't see on any beach. You don't think this is over-reaction?   "Well, no, or I wouldn't have pursued it in the first place. "Suggesting an association between pin-up girls and the Canadian Forces is just not something we're willing to do."

Funny thing, the only slightly raunchy image is Julie, again, draped in a strap or two of combat webbing, a canteen and a helmet. But that's okay, says McKillip, because you can't tell it's Canadian Forces. Same for Jessie in a pillbox cap that might be a cadet's -- or a Park Plaza doorman's. "You can get this stuff at any army surplus," says our photographer, Silvia Pecota. Her makeup guy, Gig, found a sailor's cap at a dollar store before heading to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the swimsuit photo session.

Silvia is dumbfounded by DND's reaction. The military is a specialty. Her Web site includes a tribute to our fallen in Afghanistan.   "I used parts of uniforms in the swimsuit issue because I wanted a 1940s look and because I wanted to bring attention to our soldiers. "All my friends in the army loved it. I mean, I got the 48th Highlanders cap from a retired captain. Whoever complained should take a valium."

Our lawyer, Li'l Al Shanoff, smiles and tells me he hasn't seen the likes since Bill Clinton's people complained when we ran a Bad Boy ad with a Slick Willie lookalike.   "DND says it's bad for morale. If I was a soldier, I don't think this would have my morale flagging." Al says the letter's legal claims are too broad, if you will pardon the expression, to stand up in court. But who wants to joust with DND?   We've always been fans of our armed forces. So, after today, we'll try not to use specific Canadian badges and such.   I don't think our troubles end there, though.   On Page 15 of that swimsuit edition, Jessie was stunning in a two-piece and a pirate's hat.   Uh-oh.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

"Pirates hat"....Che's on his way down the St. Lawrence right now to plunder those Sun offices as we speak.

That's what the letter this week is about. DND is ticked that we used bits of uniforms, including caps and badges, in our 2004 Winter Swimsuit Edition. Six months later, three (3) soldiers have complained and, voila, cease-and-desist.  The order was given by Maj. Jim McKillip. He is DND's Deputy Inspector of Badges and Insignia.  "I'm the guy who makes sure the use of corresponds with appropriate regulations," he tells me down the line from Ottawa.badges, flags, uniforms and ceremonies

And damn, its so much easier than actually leading troops!

 

[Michael Dorosh]

As someone who's invested a fair amount of time and energy (and money) writing about, researching and studying Canadian military uniforms, I've never thought much of the use of uniform items to dress up a "pin up", in fact, I think it looks damn stupid.  I'll note that our own Klassy Kay doesn't resort to that; her photos seem uniformly well done with the need to mix in items of kit (I've not seen her entire portfolio, mind, so I may be mistaken).

Worse are the ones that mix firearms with scantily clad women - if you want to pose in a swimsuit, pose - I love swimsuit pictures.  A woman in a swimsuit with an AK-47 in her hands just seems - dumb.  Sort of a way for monosyllabic gun nuts to get all their fantasies in one place, I guess. 

I'm with DND on this one, though I suppose I am in the minority.  I've seen some of the calendars the Lord Strathcona's cooked up years ago, with professional talent wearing bits and pieces of officer's mess dress or uniforms from the Mounted Troop.  Didn't see the point of that, either. 

Maybe the Sun, like Maxim Magazine, is simply pandering to people too frightened to buy real pornography?  **shrugs**

Swimsuit bimbos wearing parts of our uniforms kind of suggests that either attractive women don't join the CF, or if they do, wearing a uniform properly is "unattractive" somehow.  What kind of statement is it supposed to make, anyway?  Support for the troops?  Desire to sign up?  Suitability for enlistment?  Seems as moronic as beer commercials who insinuate that drinking a particular brand will have buxom snow-bunnies falling all over themselves to spend time with you...

Whatever...

 

[patt]

tells ya how much time our friends at NDHQ have on their hands...

 

[Michael Dorosh]

tells ya how much time our friends at NDHQ have on their hands...

Speaking as someone with no management experience, right? 

Try running a company and having to enforce dress requirements.  I have, and I can tell you, your perspective tends to shift once you're actually in a position of responsibility.

Why blame the officer in the article for doing his job?  My question to the people who bitch about long hairs walking around the mall in garrison dress jacket with rank stripes and medal ribbons on their chest is: how is this any different from that?

 

[George Wallace]

tells ya how much time our friends at NDHQ have on their hands...

I suppose that was the PC way of putting it.

GW

 

[George Wallace]

Try running a company and having to enforce dress requirements. I have, and I can tell you, your perspective tends to shift once you're actually in a position of responsibility.

.......... My question to the people who ***** about long hairs walking around the mall in garrison dress jacket with rank stripes and medal ribbons on their chest is: how is this any different from that?

The new Army Dress Discipline as seen at CTC this summer has drastically changed.  Ear rings, studs, Taliban beards, Aboriginals with Pony Tails, 'mixed dress' in the messhall, poor haircuts; why even a whole course of OCdts arrived in PT gear and the Comd and RSM of CTC sat down an had lunch with them.  Try enforcing a Dress Code after that.  Officers in my Unit are pretty close to those long hairs you talk about walking around in malls wearing military uniforms; desperately in need of haircuts.  I have seen civies, some of them homeless, wearing military gear, some with more pride than actual serving members of the CF in the Byward Market in Ottawa.  Do I like all this?  No!  However, that is not what this article is about.

The Photographer here wanted a 1940's War Time Pin Up calendar look for this calendar and some PC members of the CF who are unnamed are incensed.  What about the morale of the other 99% of the CF?

Your examples are not in line with what happened to be the Photographers design and are leading off topic IMHO.

GW

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Ear rings were being worn by males in uniform?  I rather doubt it....

So what IS the topic here?  Seemed like a lineup to castigate an officer at NDHQ who was doing his job - ie following up on the use of our uniforms - cap badges also double as "corporate symbols".  Yes, a bum downtown or a swimsuit model can wear a uniform with more pride than the CF - is this really what we want to see happening? 

 

[Cloud Cover]

"Ear rings were being worn by males in uniform?  I rather doubt it...."

Gotta say, wouldn't believe it if i didn't see earings  myself at a University recruiting demo ... I was stunned, to say the least.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

"Ear rings were being worn by males in uniform?  I rather doubt it...."

Gotta say, wouldn't believe it if i didn't see earings  myself at a University recruiting demo ... I was stunned, to say the least.

You've got to be joking - they were reservists, I take it?

 

[Cloud Cover]

Yes they were, they had a tent set up and the whole shebang. I was a little embarrased, as I was not even paying attentio to them when a friend of mine, a York Region copper, came over and asked me if when i was in the CF we were allowed to wear earings:  to which i replied "F*** No!", then he told me to check out the tent. I did, said nothing and went straight to the faculty pub with him. Very sad, as there were officers there as well.   

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I've seen the odd reservist forget to take his earring out - as far as I know, it is still not permitted. 

Instead of running for the bar, why not ask the soldier about it?

 

[Cloud Cover]

You are right, it isn't permitted, but it is probably tolerated to a limited extent. I like to think it was a lapse of judgement, i.e forgetting. I was in the Navy, and I know lots of guys who had earings, part of an old [optional] ritual. Some cox'n s and "buffers" tolerated it, most did not. Nobody ever got across the brow wearing one, thats for sure. [except weekends in home port, and in civvies only.]   As far as saying something? The "boys" were set up on the "concrete beach", and   I try not to say anything outside of the lecture room, especially at that location,   at least to people I don't know directly. Bad form at an Ontario University, especially UWO ...   That includes reservists who are also students, and as for the bar ... well, there was pressing and substantial work to be done there in a short amount of time!!          

 

[George Wallace]

As we have digressed from the topic of a "1940's War Time Pin Up calendar look" to Dress and Deportment; what do you think of CF members and Body Piercings?

GW

 

[Slim]

We've always been fans of our armed forces.

Gasp, Choke...Do they...Do they really mean it...? Authorsays with dumbfounded look on his face. Begins to dig through back issues of the Sun to find the last time they slagged the military.

He doesn't have to search all that hard... :

Slim

 

[291er]

I say the Major was doing his job, but he may have wanted to confer with the PAFFO's first.....
and as for the NDHQ slagging, I say this, every unit/base/formation has its share of thuds, NDHQ just happens to be the HQ and hence there is more publicity.  We also happen to have a lot of people here in the NCR, I think if you looked at it from a statistics point of view, you won't find a huge difference from any military base in Canada.  I don't put much merit into that remark anyhow, as it says "Future member of the CF", another example of a future potential recruit who knows it all, an all too familiar sight  The fact being, there are lots of people who have tedious jobs here, but the fact is, that they have to be done.  Personally, I am of the opinion that I want someone like this Major doing that job, paying attention to detail.
As for the points about Reservists walking around with earrings etc, it really does'nt surprise me nowadays.  It seems that every 5 years or so we get almost a new revolution of people joining....more and more of this "new army" type.....don't get me wrong, I am not completely opposed to this new ethos, just some aspects.  But I seem to see more and more people who try to split away from our traditional military image and care less and less about the image of the CF soldier.  Now when I joined (not so long ago) I was taught that when you go out looking like cr-p in uniform, that it reflects on everyone in the Forces....I still take this very seriously to this day. 
If I may branch out for a moment, another pet peeve of mine is something that happened to me just this week.  I was coming off of a midnight shift (the last of 4) and taking the bus fm NDHQ to my house.  Another person in uniform, a reserve Infantry MCpl who barely looked old enough to drink, decided to make a point of coming from the back of the bus, in order to chew me out for wearing desert boots.  I am not sure what he was thinking, but I understandably got a bit defensive and ticked off at him.  When I informed him that I was Reg Force, and that I had permission to wear these boots as I am deploying to Sudan within the next month, he apologized profusely and did an about face to the back of the bus.  Just a reminder....think before you speak.....and if you see a Cpl wearing desert boots on the bus after a strenuous midnight shift, your best bet is to let him be. :threat:

 

[Jarnhamar]

When I informed him that I was Reg Force, and that I had permission to wear these boots as I am deploying to Sudan within the next month, he apologized profusely and did an about face to the back of the bus.  Just a reminder....think before you speak.....and if you see a Cpl wearing desert boots on the bus after a strenuous midnight shift, your best bet is to let him be.

Looking back on it now do you think it was professional of him, even though he is a "young reservest", to approach you and attempt to correct what he *thought* was an infraction or whatever?

 

[291er]

I have no qualms about that....it was just his attitude about it....he treated me as though I were a young no-hook Pte who did'nt know any better.   Had he been polite about it, I would not have had any problems, it was'nt the fact that he came to me about it, it was just the manner in which he did it.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Being diplomatic always gets better results then coming across with an atitude.

 

[Lance Wiebe]

I say kudos to the MCpl.

Many would not have said anything at all, he saw a dress infraction, and acted upon it.

The fact that he was reservist does not have any bearing on the situation at all.  He was a MCpl, obviously concerned about the image of the Canadian Armed Forces.  I would have undoubtedly approached you as well, in the same situation.  There is a dress code, and it should be enforced by all and sundry.

I wish more would act like the MCpl did, and straighten out dress infractions when they see them, instead of turning a blind eye.......