RCAF Ball Cap

[Remius]

That's funny....

while varied, we aren’t the only armed forces with that problem.

 

[Furniture]

The Army should be sprinting in the opposite direction of this informal rubbish. Undress headress (service / forage caps) for DEU, and re-inforcing of beret as normal working headdress in garrison.

I am, however, also a realist, and I know that the trend is for our military to look ever more slovenly and unprofessional.

Nobody outside the army thinks the beret looks "professional", it's a silly hat that serves no purpose apart from filling the roll of hat that is easy to store in a pocket. It doesn't protect from the weather, and often times is formed poorly, or faded so badly it looks worn-out.

Ball caps look professional to most people, particularly when paired with a working uniform.

The CAF needs to stop pretending our working uniforms are also parade uniforms. If we want fancy clothes for parades, go all-in, but working uniforms should be comfortable and practical. Know anyone who wears a beret for comfort or practicality?

 

[dapaterson]

Know anyone who wears a beret for comfort or practicality?

 

[Remius]

Nobody outside the army thinks the beret looks "professional", it's a silly hat that serves no purpose apart from filling the roll of hat that is easy to store in a pocket. It doesn't protect from the weather, and often times is formed poorly, or faded so badly it looks worn-out.

Not sure I’ve heard too many people state that it doesn’t look professional. And yes, putting it in the pocket is a much more practical than most headdress. The issue about poor forming and worn out is a leadership issue.

Ball caps look professional to most people, particularly when paired with a working uniform.

They can. But the last thing I want is a ball cap with a plastic mesh though…and you know they might go there.

The CAF needs to stop pretending our working uniforms are also parade uniforms. If we want fancy clothes for parades, go all-in, but working uniforms should be comfortable and practical. Know anyone who wears a beret for comfort or practicality?

Strangely the history of the adoption of the beret was exactly because of its practicality.

 

[dapaterson]

How long before someone demands gold braid for GOFO ball caps?

 

[Quirky]

Only practical aspect of the beret is it fits nicely in the side leg pocket. Now you'll have a bunch of hats hanging off buttons.

I'll wait for Logistics to start issuing them, not spending the $35 since I hardly wear my beret anyway. The local canex is already sold out with spouses (maybe for their serving members) and civvies buying them up. This should've been an issue item from the start IMO.

 

[Furniture]

Not sure I’ve heard too many people state that it doesn’t look professional. And yes, putting it in the pocket is a much more practical than most headdress. The issue about poor forming and worn out is a leadership issue.

They can. But the last thing I want is a ball cap with a plastic mesh though…and you know they might go there.


Strangely the history of the adoption of the beret was exactly because of its practicality.

A peaked cap, looks more professional, so if professional is the look we want, go all in.

They could make plastic mesh berets as well... The RCN has been wearing ball caps for decades, I think the CAF has ball caps sorted.

The beret was chosen in the time of battle dress, when not having your top button done up was considered an affront to the King, and was a chargeable offense... times have changed.

 

[Remius]

A peaked cap, looks more professional, so if professional is the look we want, go all in.

They could make plastic mesh berets as well... The RCN has been wearing ball caps for decades, I think the CAF has ball caps sorted.

The beret was chosen in the time of battle dress, when not having your top button done up was considered an affront to the King, and was a chargeable offense... times have changed.

I honestly don’t care one way or another. If people want ball caps in the army, submit the proposal.

 

[dangerboy]

I'll wait for Logistics to start issuing them, not spending the $35 since I hardly wear my beret anyway. The local canex is already sold out with spouses (maybe for their serving members) and civvies buying them up. This should've been an issue item from the start IMO.

Where are people getting the idea that Logistik Unicorp is going to start issuing the ball cap from? I have talked to people in DAR about the cap and they never mentioned it being part of the upcoming combats online (OCFC2 contract).

 

[Furniture]

I honestly don’t care one way or another. If people want ball caps in the army, submit the proposal.

I'm navy, so I already have a ball cap and peaked cap, I just find the idea of a ball cap not being "professional" laughable.

If the CA wants to play WWII dress-up, it jas no impact on my life.... I love walking onto an army base in NCDs with my ball cap, and can't wait to see how the artillery folks reach when I show up this year for their inspections.

 

[bLUE fOX]

Where are people getting the idea that Logistik Unicorp is going to start issuing the ball cap from? I have talked to people in DAR about the cap and they never mentioned it being part of the upcoming combats online (OCFC2 contract).

Logistik Unicorp has available (in my opinion) a poor quality, ill fitting, plain black ball cap for issue to sea cadets. I feel like it's a slippery slope to request that stuff up from Logistik. At least the private purchase ones on the west coast were comfortable.

 

[RangerRay]

But what style of ballcap? Form fitting? 80s trucker mesh? Low profile? High profile? Boxy? That's the next bun-fight!

 

[FormerHorseGuard]

Between the various units and regiments in the CAF, the army has enough pieces of headdress to worry about.
Beret, bush cap ( do not know what the new name is for ), forge cap, then the Highland Regiments think they have a piece of headdress for everyday of the week. Balmoral, Blue Bonnet, Glengary, combat balmoral, dress balmoral, Rifle regiments. Maybe a canpat baseball cap could added to the mix. Anyone know how pieces of headdress there is in the CAF ?

 

[Spencer100]

It is interesting that when MacDonald's or Tim Horton's, bot h of whom assumingly take their public image quite seriously, tell their employee wear something on their heads none of the employees seem to bat an eye but when a police service or the military does the same thing it is a useless affront.

Oh you have not heard the half of it! Today HR depts are full of grievances, complaints, Human Right's suits, etc. It is very hard to make someone wear almost anything. Even company supplied PPE. You have to show the company made accommodations and looked into everything, even if it means special gear. Hats or hairnets.

Most people would be amazed at the volume of stuff an even middle size business must do.

And if a piece of clothing is mandated the company must supply for free to employee. And in some cases even maintain it.

 

[lenaitch]

But what style of ballcap? Form fitting? 80s trucker mesh? Low profile? High profile? Boxy? That's the next bun-fight!

That is a valid point. I'm not a huge fan of police services shifting to ball caps from the peaked cap but certainly not enough to get tears on my pension cheque, but there is a wide gap between quality and style of ball caps, and I know what drives government procurement.

 

[FormerHorseGuard]

Oh you have not heard the half of it! Today HR depts are full of grievances, complaints, Human Right's suits, etc. It is very hard to make someone wear almost anything. Even company supplied PPE. You have to show the company made accommodations and looked into everything, even if it means special gear. Hats or hairnets.

Most people would be amazed at the volume of stuff an even middle size business must do.

And if a piece of clothing is mandated the company must supply for free to employee. And in some cases even maintain it.

I work for a company ( property management group in Ottawa).

When I started I got a ballcap, raincoat, pick out any blue work pants that Marks sold, winter coat blue or black from Marks, they had a shirt already with company logo on the red golf type shirt. Then I worn my safety coat to work one day, manager gave me crap because it was not approved ( shoveling snow in parking lots and around buildings in the dark i wanted to be seen).
told not to wear the safety coat again, ( just worn it near the main office again)
My winter coat had a zipper failure, I ordered a new one, just as I got the new coat, it was time for change of season. Next winter came along and we were given new winter coats to wear they were safety coats with the hi vs striping.
New Manager came in and changed the dress code to black pants and grey golf style shirts. All blue and red stuff was not be worn. With the new uniform change came new coats all black, no hi vs stripping, so we got safety vests to wear over it.
We were given sweaters more like sweat shirts, those were banned, we were given toques with company name on the front, banned, toques with headlight and company name banned, to be given black beanie type toques. No ball caps to be worn in the summer, but I had to ask for exception to the rule because I am a red head and burn easy.

All clothing that is not allowed to be worn , must have the logo removed from the item, and then tossed or recycled. I have coats I have never worn that are banned plus other things like company hoodies and things like that.

It is crazy, the amount of stuff a company must provide and the amount of stuff they change their minds on the next week.

 

[dapaterson]

Private sector has RSMs, too ...

 

[Blackadder1916]

Between the various units and regiments in the CAF, the army has enough pieces of headdress to worry about.
Beret, bush cap ( do not know what the new name is for ), forge cap, then the Highland Regiments think they have a piece of headdress for everyday of the week. Balmoral, Blue Bonnet, Glengary, combat balmoral, dress balmoral, Rifle regiments. Maybe a canpat baseball cap could added to the mix. Anyone know how pieces of headdress there is in the CAF ?

It's not as if the army hasn't also worn ballcaps before.

 

[RangerRay]

I have a ball cap I have to wear at work and I hate it. My old round forage cap was more comfortable.

 

[daftandbarmy]

It's not as if the army hasn't also worn ballcaps before.

View attachment 77752

Some of our war heroes wore a similar hat, too:

Annals of Canadian Combat: Leo Major and the Battle of Maryang-San

Leo Major, finding himself bored stiff with civilian life, accepted the nationwide recall request for experienced WWII veterans to fight in the Korean War

www.cranbrooktownsman.com