# AF DEU buttons



## caocao (3 Feb 2011)

Good day everyone, ok i know what the dress manual says:

20. Except as noted below, the CF universalpattern
button shall be worn.

21. All navy personnel shall wear navy buttons. 

22. Army personnel below the rank of colonel
(less those holding Royal or honorary appointments –
see sub-sub-paragraph 2.a.(2)) may wear approved
branch or, for those in the Armour and Infantry
Branches, regimental buttons as optional items. The
designs, once approved and procured, shall be worn
by all members in the same manner as are cap and
collar badges.

23. All air force personnel shall wear air force
buttons.

Now, purple trades with the Army can wear their Branch identifier buttons on their DEU and i am wondering what the reasonning is behind why the AF and Navy cannot do the same?  I assume that this must have been challenged in the past and i am trying to gather some background info as I am working on a BN for the next AFCDC.  

Thx!


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## Michael OLeary (3 Feb 2011)

I think you will need to track down some of the documents which the Navy and Air Force created in order to return to a Distinctive Uniform and the cases made at the time for promotion and priority of service identifiers on their uniforms.

Try contacting representatives of the National Defence Clothing and Dress Committee (NDCDC) at NDHQ. They may have records that detail the decisions made at the time.


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## Neill McKay (3 Feb 2011)

caocao said:
			
		

> Now, purple trades with the Army can wear their Branch identifier buttons on their DEU and i am wondering what the reasonning is behind why the AF and Navy cannot do the same?



I would guess that it's because branch/regimental identity is largely an army invention.  Historically naval and air force uniforms didn't, for the most part, display one's branch at all.  (Even the branch cap badges worn with naval and air force uniforms today are a post-unification import from the army.)


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## Pusser (4 Feb 2011)

N. McKay said:
			
		

> I would guess that it's because branch/regimental identity is largely an army invention.  Historically naval and air force uniforms didn't, for the most part, display one's branch at all.  (Even the branch cap badges worn with naval and air force uniforms today are a post-unification import from the army.)



Very true.  I'm still disappointed that not all naval personnel wear naval cap badges.  Separate badges by "corps" is very much an army tradition.  If we really want to show the different branches on naval uniforms then I would love to see a return to distinction cloth (colour between officers' rank stripes).  Branch identification for NCMs in the Navy is not a problem as they have trade badges.

I have never bought the argument that we need branch cap badges to promote our identity.  If that's the main argument then it fails anyway.  We don't wear collar dogs or shoulder titles in naval uniform, so the only way anyone can tell what branch you are is to look at your cap, but we don't wear caps all the time.  Furthermore, why don't general/flag officers and Army colonels, especially those in branch positions, wear branch cap badges?  Please note that this is a rhetorical question.  I actually do know the answer.  I just don't agree with it.


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