NDHQ Dress Code

[aesop081]

Oh and I normally don't shave on days off.  Never got in trouble for showing up at work on a day off unshaved.

Max, some bases have clearly indicated policies that personel reporting to the base for administrative buisness will do so clean shaven. When i was in Gagetown, this was not only policy but was clearly enforced. Any person who gave the Base OR staff any greif for being refused service would be sent to the BCWO's office for a chat........

 

[SupersonicMax]

What can I say,  do what you wish, but you going to NDHQ on any kind of duty, you wouldn't.  Admit it.  And why would you hand in a claim with out it being signed??

If you, or anyone, want to consider that as "duty", then I'll request to get that leave/off day back.  I'll gladly put on my uniform, shave and show up to work.  Otherwise, that's a day off and go at my workplace for 5 minutes, most of the time to make life easier for someone.

As for the claims to be signed, we hand out our Travel Forms, the claim is made up, then we have to sign it.  That's the way we do it here anyways.

I'm not rebelious.  Saying that of me is really knowing me very little.  I try to apply common sense when I can.  For me, going to the workplace for 5 minutes to pick up something or sign something isn't duty.  You want to burn out your pers and making them hate their job?  IMO, forcing them to do stuff they don't want to ON TIME OFF (which we have very little) is a good way to start.  Fortunately, all the supervisors I had so far seemed to apply the same common sense.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Perhaps a bit of a thread drift but Tess you work in recruiting? During interviews and such how much emphasis is placed on someones dress a appearance when it comes to the interview portion?

It used to, probably still does. When I was getting back in, I got a call at work asking if I could drop by thge RC on the way home. Proceeded to the RC after work to find out they wanted to do my interview. Years later while perusing my pers file, I came across the Officer's interview notes. He'd made many comments on the condition I had shown up for the interview and the inappropriate clothes I was wearing. He was the one that had called my work and asked me to stop by, ffs. Now I always ask someone why they want to see me. Even if it pisses them off.

 

[Kat Stevens]

The answer is pretty simple.  If you don't want to follow a dress reg, ensure all your BOR or any other business is conducted on company time, wearing company clothes.  If it's important enough to you to go in on your off time, it's important enough to show up looking like you understand the regs.  Otherwise, it must not be that important to you.  Oh, and I tried that leave recovery request once as young Cpl.  It was granted, then every duty I got for the next year "happened" to fall on a weekend.  And spending all those weekends in Germany on duty REALLLLY sucked.

 

[SupersonicMax]

I don't normally go to work on an off day on my own will.  I do it, normally, at someone else's request, because they need something done and I'm on leave, or off.  If that same person gives me grief for not being shaved, I'll just leave and do it on the next working day.

 

[the 48th regulator]

If you, or anyone, want to consider that as "duty", then I'll request to get that leave/off day back.  I'll gladly put on my uniform, shave and show up to work.  Otherwise, that's a day off and go at my workplace for 5 minutes, most of the time to make life easier for someone.

As for the claims to be signed, we hand out our Travel Forms, the claim is made up, then we have to sign it.  That's the way we do it here anyways.

I'm not rebelious.  Saying that of me is really knowing me very little.  I try to apply common sense when I can.  For me, going to the workplace for 5 minutes to pick up something or sign something isn't duty.  You want to burn out your pers and making them hate their job?  IMO, forcing them to do stuff they don't want to ON TIME OFF (which we have very little) is a good way to start.  Fortunately, all the supervisors I had so far seemed to apply the same common sense.

Whatever,


You seem to forget that this is a forum made up of people, who have, are and will serve.

Your actions are not standard, and are because you have found ways to circumvent the system.  You going in to sign leave passes, is because someone from a clerical side is helping you you with your claim.  You going in to sign it, is not official, because someone is doing your work for you.

That is not a standard, but an acknowledged privilege on both of your parts.  Don't make that out to be a standard that you have pushed, and is accepted.

Again, stop playing the forward thinking member, and say that you can go in with pajamas and unshaven, when you feel like it, when in actuality someone is doing your work for you, and damn well will not complain about you showing up looking like Sonny Crockett.  Your examples are one offs, and in no way reflect a standard that is happening, other that within your circle of work.

I call BS on the fact that you would show up at NDHQ dressed like that.

dileas

tess

 

[Kat Stevens]

I don't normally go to work on an off day on my own will.  I do it, normally, at someone else's request, because they need something done and I'm on leave, or off.  If that same person gives me grief for not being shaved, I'll just leave and do it on the next working day.

And then that person will place your claim or whatever on the bottom of the pile, and will get around to it when they feel up to it, sometime around the neverteenth of Sucktember.  Then you'll get pissy when you get a claim advance recovery on your pay.  Why is it so hard to just play the game?  You're not the first rebel without a clue to tilt at the military windmill, and you won't be the last.  Ask CDN Aviator how much I used to try to buck the system, and my won/lost record.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Your actions are not standard, and are because you have found ways to circumvent the system.  You going in to sign leave passes, is because someone from a clerical side is helping you you with your claim.  You going in to sign it, is not official, because someone is doing your work for you.

No one is doing the work for me.  I have no access to Claim X and I have no clue how to create a claim, it was always my belief that it was the clerk's job.  It certainly is the case at the Units I have worked for.  When someone asks me "I'm going on leave for the next 2 weeks and I need to have these claims done today, can you come by and sign it" is me doing them a favor. 

That is not a standard, but an acknowledged privilege on both of your parts.  Don't make that out to be a standard that you have pushed, and is accepted.

Is there a standard on how one should be dressed while on leave?  I have never pushed any standards, just showed up the way I was when I was asked to show up.  If I'm walking outside with my spouse and my dog and I receive that call, I will not go home, shave, change then go.  I'll go right away. I don't see what's so bad about it.  Again, there should be common sense applied.

Again, stop playing the forward thinking member, and say that you can go in with pajamas and unshaven, when you feel like it, when in actuality someone is doing your work for you, and damn well will not complain about you showing up looking like Sonny Crockett.  Your examples are one offs, and in no way reflect a standard that is happening, other that within your circle of work.

I thought that forward thinking/common sense was something good in our military... 
No one did my work.
If you consider my circle of work the last 5 units I've been employed at, then I guess that was at my circle of work.

I call BS on the fact that you would show up at NDHQ dressed like that.

Call BS all you want, I would.


Kat:  I tend to make myself appreciated at work by other things than how I look when I'm on leave and I go to work... 

The problem is not playing the game.  If you can explain 1 benefit for eighter the organization or myself for going home, changing, shaving, going to work, sign the claim, change again and carry on with my day (basically waste 15-30 minutes for no reason), vice going to work, sign the claim, carry on with my day, I'll be glad to play the game. To me, that's common sense. In the mean time, I'll keep doing what I do, and many others do.

Again, I'm not rebel, and saying that of me is not knowing me.  I apply common sense to situations, instead of blindly following a "standard".  Now, if I was showing up to work on a day off on my own will, to complete something, then yes, I would probably pay a little more attention to what I wear.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Seriously, how long have you been in  that you think common sense has the slightest thing to do with dress regs and base/unit policies?  Ever hear the expression "are you sure this is the hill you want to die on?"  I'm glad you've made yourself indispensable at your unit, truly, and that you've been lucky enough not to run in to the kind of Sgt Maj or Chief that can put second degree scream burns on your inner ear.  Be aware, he is out there.  However, this is starting to appear like I care, and I really don't, but I as a lowly lifer Corporal managed to show up where I was supposed to be looking more or less like I was supposed to.  I guess an important officer is exempt.  Do What Thou Will.

 

[Monsoon]

Seriously, how long have you been in  that you think common sense has the slightest thing to do with dress regs and base/unit policies?

To quote your own signature block: "If a million people do a stupid thing, it's STILL a stupid thing."

Sorry - couldn't resist.  ;D

 

[Michael OLeary]

This horse is going to need a defibrillator before the next round of beatings.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Undoubtedly, most regs are stupid things, but they're still regs.

 

[Good2Golf]

Duty day, day off, day whatever....on a DND establishment, be properly turned out.   

 

[SupersonicMax]

Duty day, day off, day whatever....on a DND establishment, be properly turned out. 

Then by that logic I should alway be properly turned out since I live in the Qs.

 

[Michael OLeary]

We're done here.  There are obviously no sensible lines of inquiry left on this topic.

MIlnet.ca Staff

 

[mariomike]

I'm of the opinion "Civilian Fridays" should be banned outright. 

Opinions vary,

I wear CADPAT (due to rank) four days out of the week in Ottawa.  IMHO, I look much better on Friday in my civilian dress clothes. 

There seems to be some tradition on the subject,

The custom of wearing ciilian dress in Ottawa is a fairly old one: going back more than a half century. At one time staff at NDHQ wore uniforms only once a week - even less often, in some cases.

For reference to "civilian Friday's" see also from 2009,

Dress code at NDHQ, whaaaat?
https://army.ca/forums/threads/86108.75.html
5 pages.
LOCKED.

 

[Navy_Pete]

This.

IMHO.... If you are at 'Army' work, you need to be dressed to do 'Army' things up to and including 'closing with and destroying the enemy'. When superior Officers/ NCMs try to give orders to their subordinates while wearing LuLu Lemon slacks and loafers, I observe a mental flex to the movie 'Office Space', with the commensurate level of seriousness and respect.

Social occasions? Totally different IMHO...

Depends where you are at; not much chance of 'closing with and destroying the enemy' if you are pushing the (somewhat Sisyphaen) ball around NDHQ keeping projects creaking along or doing some of the other necessary evils to keep shelves stocked and equipment operational. Also, if you are working with other departments a lot, or somewhere like ADM(Mat) with lots of civvies, it is nice to blend in a bit on a Friday, and second that it's much better if you are meeting folks for lunch, or grabbing a pint after work.  Normally wear civvies in on public transit and change at work, so not a big deal to swap out for something if I want to, but it's nice to wear quality dress clothes that fit properly to work on occasion. 

 

[mariomike]

If you are at 'Army' work, you need to be dressed to do 'Army' things up to and including 'closing with and destroying the enemy'.

 

[daftandbarmy]

That. Is. Awesome.  :nod:

 

[FJAG]

That. Is. Awesome.  :nod:

Was that a picture of you at the office?

[