Beards worn in uniform, the new normal?

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Rob,

The mind boggles!

Mike

Four significant changes to the norm:

BEARDFORGEN - Navy beards across the Army.

BOOTFORGEN - a defacto admission that the CAF can't specify, contract, stock or issue enough boots to the troops, and is giving every soldier $$ (on a scale) to buy their own boots.

WEEDFORGEN - The Cannabis Act is applicable to all Canadian citizens, troops included. "Eight hours joint to job." for most situations.

PATCHFORGEN - After deciding which %'ge of Velcro real estate would be used for the national flag, Level 2 and 3 patches, what could be worn on the remaining 2" tall strip on the right sleeve. Of course only CANEX products may be worn.

[Robert Bergeron]

Interesting times to be in the Forces Terry .The pendulum swung the full course during my carear .

[Ed Storey]

Good to hear that the four main tenants of CF service are being looked after.

[BradB]

Note, there is an alternate name for WEEDFORGEN - namely DOPEFORGEN.

Not to be mistaken for the Senior Appointments list.

[Peter Phillips]

I'm almost sorry I asked a question I was hoping would be answered differently. IDK about all this change to appease a minority group. I guess I'm too old (read accept) to understand such things

Who needs dress, decorum and sameness, it's not like it's the military or something

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by Peter Phillips

I'm almost sorry I asked a question I was hoping would be answered differently.

When faced with a situation like this where you can either cry or try to laugh, why not laugh as much as possible....
It does seem to go against the meaning of the word "uniform", as in uniformity, all similar.

[maple_leaf_eh]

You are indeed looking at the beard issue from an old perspective. The CF is about 3-4,000 pers short, despite pledges to increase the effective strength. Recruiting numbers are sort-of keeping up but not nearly enough to fill the gaps. In theory, annoying a guy who wants to grow a beard by ordering him to be clean shaven, could be another reason why he quits after his first contract.

The CDS recently admitted the Forces is looking at recruits the wrong way. We have an ideal based on physical attributes. It took me a moment to reflect that yes, observers (spectators) want to see three-ranks, tall on the ends, short in the middle, of uniformed personnel all looking alike. Well, things have to be done differently if the CF is going to get larger.