The Most unbelievable thing ever heard on a Parade...

[LCIS-Tech]

So, today I had the opportunity to hear the most incredulous, unbelievable, mind-boggling comment I have ever heard from a Reviewing Officer in all of my 23 years of wearing this uniform, and I am curious about what you on this forum make of the comment. For the sake of my own career, I will not mention any names, but I will say that the reviewing officer was a BGen.

Following the inspection and various other "reviewing officer duties", the time finally arrived for the BGen to address the Regiment. In the course of his speech he stated, and I quote: "of course, the best soldiers are in Quebec, but you guys are a close second".

Now..I want everyone here to know that a) we were not IN Quebec. b) this was a Franco Officer who made the comment c) this is not a paraphrase. This is a direct quote.

Now, there was a guy running around the Parade with a Video Camera, recording the parade. I have to tell you: I was/am so damn tempted to try and get a copy of this thing, so I can post it here or for that matter, send it on to the CDS, or maybe the media to get their take on his comments, it's not even funny.

If he was trying to be amusing and/or make a joke, I have to tell you: He missed the mark by a LOOOOOOONG shot. At the reception following the parade, it was the subject of conversation of every NCM in the Regiment as well as a number of officers: "Hurray! We're #2!!!!"

Comments?

 

[JesseWZ]

Now, I haven't been there to hear context or tone or anything of that matter, but it seems to me that while probably tasteless or lacking tact they aren't mind bogglingly out of line. Its just another one of those friendly rivalries that exist in our fine military.

 

[HalfmyLife]

You have to be kidding, a BGen, WOW HOW Totally inappropriate of him. If it was a joke, it was in completely bad taste. If it wasn't a joke, some one should take him aside. A reviewing officer should use his words to rise the spirits of the member on parade be it Navy, Army or Airforce regardless if your an Anglo or Franco. I have never heard of anything like that in my 18 years.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Its an opinion and everyone has one...just like assholes.  You could argue it but you would never win because its a opinion based on nothing.

 

[CBH99]

Although is was in bad taste, perhaps he meant it as a joke??  Perhaps an incredibly bad joke, but a joke nonetheless??  A bit of "ribbing the rivals" sort of talk -- ??  I wasn't there to hear the context, but it sounds like a joke that went wrong....??.....

 

[GAP]

You knew he was a Franco Officer, and from the sound of it, it was a tasteless joke, but a joke nevertheless......I think too many people are getting their hackles raised up over this....

 

[cobbler]

sounds like a friendly joke to me.

In Australia I wouldn't be surprised to hear a reviewing officer from New South Wales say to a bunch of Queenslanders "of course the best soldiers are in Queensland, but you guys are a close second".

A harmless joke, a pretty poor one, but nothing to get your knickers in a knot about.

 

[jzaidi1]

Not to bash all Francophones in the CF - but in my day a Reg Force Sgt (from Quebec) working in Kingston called me a 'F$%#& Paki' (I'm brown in colour) with no prior provocation.  I can tell you the whole staff around me went silent - including one officer in the room.  I pulled him aside (being a mighty CPL then) and let him know that I was extremely offended and frankly ready to knock him out.  His response - it was a joke & shouldn't have offended me.  He then tells me in Quebec rude statements are common amongst all denominations/races/colours (including their own).

Like I said - not all Quebecers are that bad but I find them to be a bit more elitist and xenophobic than anglophones.

J

 

[geo]

Trust me..... "F$%&? Paki" IS as rude a statement as you will get... ANYWHERE!  even in La belle Province....
I am saddened that the Officer who was present did not react & fix this guy's wagon PRONTO!

WRT the Best soldiers being from Quebec...... yeah, yeah.... heard it before.... Have had other BGens from the west say something like that on parade in Valcatraz... - We laughed - no one believed him

You should see the whoppers that have on occasion come out of our LFQA COS - A Newf Col who has done his career as a "pesky beaver".... (BTW he's the commandant of the Infantry branch).

 

[jzaidi1]

Yep,

It was a very bad "joke".  I forgave him quickly enough and we got plastered together that night.  Hillier being a Newf - I bet ya he can vouch for the fact that the Newfies make the best soldiers   I'm not from Newfoundland but everyone I have had the pleasure of serving who is from NF have been awesome - real characters right out of a comedy sketch - every one of them.

J

 

[Harley Sailor]

IMHO he was wrong to make such a joke and should be brought back to the next Parade to apologize.

 

[Jorkapp]

There's no disputing taste, and this guy definitely lacked a fair amount of it.

I wouldn't get your knickers in a knot over this. Rivalry is just about everywhere in the CF, and lucky for us, it's friendly. The most you can do is motivate yourself and your troops to prove him wrong.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

If you really want crass you should check out the bathroom stalls in the Canadian lines in A Stan.  Some good reading.

 

[Jarnhamar]

How in touch are generals with the troops?

I remember a general standing infront of me stating the army wasn't having retention issues. Sgts and WOs respectfully disagreed with him pointing out that many of the troops AND especially a significant number of SNCOs were leaving when we returned from that roto.  The were of course speaking from first hand knowledge and experience considering  they were speaking about their own company/battalion.  The general basically said the SNCOs present were wrong and had no clue what they were talking about.

 

[jzaidi1]

Generals IMHO aren't as engaged in the front lines as they should be, however, they are in a totally different ballgame and have to think more strategically or politically.  Yes, coming off roto in AStan may result in a fair % of NCMs and Officers leaving but the overall the numbers have been climbing (based on the data I have seen).  I think we are up NET about 5,000 in reg force since 2001 - please correct me if I am wrong.

J

 

[Greymatters]

The truth about 'jokes' is that people tell jokes because they thought the material, in their opinion, was funny, and in most cases, the context of the joke is in line with the person's belief system.  People tell jokes about how sleazy lawyers are because they think they're sleazy.  They tell jokes about politicians having no ethics because they dont believe politicians have any.  They tell jokes involving bias and prejudice because they have bias and prejudice.   There's no such thing as 'its only a joke'.

Back to the thread, although this was told as 'a joke', its obviously plain rivalry.  In addition, there's a time and place for that, and playing comedian to 'loosen up the boys' during an inspection on a parade square isnt it.  

Oh, and Ive heard stupider things come out of the mouths of Generals and Colonels.  Unfortunately, they are human so they get tired and frustrated and are not always on guard, and once in a while some real gems come out...      

 

[time expired]

Regt formed up for trooping of the colours,officers promenading,
adg. waiting to take over.Officers wives are running  a little late,
coming from tea and cake at the mess,risk cutting over the corner
of the parade square.RSM, in a voice that could be heard in down
town Edmonton screams"get those Wh%&res off my parade square".
Unit,and RSM not identified,but many of you out there know who
it was.The troops found it hilarious the officers less so.
                                          Regards

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

That is priceless.

 

[AlphaQup]

Maybe he needs to work on his delivery.  :-[

 

[Zell_Dietrich]

Maybe he needs to work on his delivery.  :-[

Maybe they need less mascara and no clear high heel shoes?    ;D

(oh I hope none of them were in clear high heels)