New RCAF Command Badge?

[kev994]

Lumberjack outfits for everyone!

 

[Blackadder1916]

. . .  Did the RCAF previously have a device with a gold eagle?  Maybe that is argument to call it "tradition."  Maybe it is not tradition?  . . .

With regard to this particular badge and the "golden chicken", while tradition likely resulted in the selection of that tincture for the animal in the device, the device is essentially the central element of the Royal Canadian Air Force Badge as granted in letters patent from the Canadian Heraldic Authority which is blazoned as "Bleu Celeste an eagle volant affronté the head to the sinister Or" (translation - a golden eagle flying facing front with its head turned to the left on a sky blue field).  The command badges worn on pockets are all the central element of the badges approved for those commands by the heraldic authority.  And yes, the bird on RCAF badges (pre-unification) has always been gold coloured (or brass)

 

[rotrhed]

Somewhat related - a friend of mine is supposed to be on the big RCAF Colour Party thing in Toronto in Sept and some of the CAF social media pics have them practicing.  The officers are wearing the old school blue and gold sword belts (not the plastic white ones). 

If we're going full steam ahead (behind?) on this whole tradition thing, I wouldn't be surprised if forage caps are next...although as someone who wore them the last trade, they aren't comfortable.

Sounds like they've resurrected part (or all) of the pre-68 RCAF ceremonial dress. Buttons and bows debate aside, the fancy belt and boards (with or without sword) was a simple way of snazzing up the officer uniform for those extra-special moments.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Somewhat related - a friend of mine is supposed to be on the big RCAF Colour Party thing in Toronto in Sept and some of the CAF social media pics have them practicing.  The officers are wearing the old school blue and gold sword belts (not the plastic white ones). 

If we're going full steam ahead (behind?) on this whole tradition thing, I wouldn't be surprised if forage caps are next...although as someone who wore them the last trade, they aren't comfortable.

I haven't worn one since '89 and I never want to again.  I'll take the head-wallet any day over that.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Did the RCAF previously have a device with a gold eagle?  Maybe that is argument to call it "tradition."  Maybe it is not tradition?  Maybe it is just another expenditure of effort in the ongoing tribal rebranding by the CF Sneetches.

I know MAG (Maritime Air Group) wore this in yester-year from *I am not sure when* until my father retired in '81.

 

[Blackadder1916]

I know MAG (Maritime Air Group) wore this in yester-year from *I am not sure when* until my father retired in '81.

Chicken in a basket.  Worn as the command badge for Air Command from 1975 until they stopped wearing command badges sometime after we went to DEUs.  I wore it 86-87 when I was posted to CFB Edmonton.  Just as the new RCAF command badge is the central portion of the RCAF badge so was this the central portion of the Air Command badge (originally authorized by letters patent in 1975) which was later registered with the Heraldic Authority as the RCAF badge in 2011.

 

[Furniture]

I haven't worn one since '89 and I never want to again.  I'll take the head-wallet any day over that.

I hate pointless hats, so the wedge and beret bother me greatly. If the hat isn't warm or provide shade for the eyes get rid of it. Make a new comfortable peak cap, or switch to fancy ball caps, but we need to get rid of stupid pointless hats for the sake of having a stupid hat.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

switch to fancy ball caps

NOW  you're talking!!  I hate this can't wear my sqn ballcap from the car to the breezeway crap.  It's a freakin hat. 

Don't get rid of the wedge, it fits nicely in my left leg pocket, its unique from forage caps and berets.  Personally, I always thought there was a nice difference between (in DEU) the RCN folks with forage caps, the army in beret and the air force with the wedge.

And, zoomies wearing wedges actually goes back to *the beginnings of the RCAF* historically.  My grandfather on Dad's side (who was also Air Force before and after unification) was in the Royal Flying Corps in WWI (survived a crash, too);  his wedge is in the pic attached.

 

[Rheostatic]

CANAIRGEN 19/17:

SUBJ: RCAF DEU COMMAND BADGE

REF: CAF DRESS INSTRUCTIONS, A-DH-265-000/AG-001

1. THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE WILL INTRODUCE THE RCAF DEU COMMAND BADGE (NSN 8455-20-010-3760) TO COINCIDE WITH THE UPCOMING CONSECRATION OF THE RCAF COLOURS 1 SEPTEMBER 2017.

2. THIS ACCOUTREMENT WILL BE WORN BY ALL PERS EMPLOYED UNDER THE RCAF COMMAND IAW THE REF EFFECTIVE 1 SEPTEMBER 2017.

3. SIC ITUR AD ASTRA, SUCH IS THE PATHWAY TO THE STARS.

Is this meant to include CIC?

 

[garb811]

Is this meant to include CIC?

No, the cadet program is part of the VCDS Gp, so that is the command badge they wear.

 

[Lumber]

Is this meant to include CIC?

Negative. The Reserves fall under the VCDS branch.

Besides, a concession to the CIC for the fact that no one in the real military would ever actually listen to CIC officers is that they don't have to listen to us either.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Somewhat related - a friend of mine is supposed to be on the big RCAF Colour Party thing in Toronto in Sept and some of the CAF social media pics have them practicing.  The officers are wearing the old school blue and gold sword belts (not the plastic white ones). 

If we're going full steam ahead (behind?) on this whole tradition thing, I wouldn't be surprised if forage caps are next...although as someone who wore them the last trade, they aren't comfortable.

They are if you have a '50 Mission Cap'

"according to Downie the intended theme in the lyrics was that a junior pilot would work their cap in to look like a fifty mission cap, "so as to appear that you had more experience than you really did."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifty_Mission_Cap

 

[dapaterson]

Once we get the RCAF sorted out, next up is Space Force.

 

[PuckChaser]

I thought that was the Cyber trade badge...

 

[dapaterson]

Nah, that's this one:

 

[dapaterson]

Well, I stand corrected.

The correct Cyber trade badge:

 

[AlDazz]

The RCAF has taken the bate and brought back their command badge. I have no idea why as they already look like the in the Airforce. Congratulations to the RCN for holding out on this one. As per the Army it's just a built in instinct to pin shiny bits on their uniform.  Can't be helped.

 

[Journeyman]

The RCAF has taken the bate and brought back their command badge. I have no idea why as they already look like the in the Airforce. Congratulations to the RCN for holding out on this one. As per the Army it's just a built in instinct to pin shiny bits on their uniform.  Can't be helped.

Eventually the RCAF will master it.  op:

 

[Eye In The Sky]

The RCAF has taken the bate and brought back their command badge. I have no idea why as they already look like the in the Airforce. Congratulations to the RCN for holding out on this one. As per the Army it's just a built in instinct to pin shiny bits on their uniform.  Can't be helped.

So does anyone in the blue DEU, regardless of their Command badge, cap badge, etc. 

 

[Loachman]

The RCAF has taken the bate and brought back their command badge. I have no idea why as they already look like the in the Airforce.

The Command badge denotes which of the various Commands a member belongs, which may or may not coincide with his or her service dress colour.

The current, post-2011, "RCAF" is not a service like its pre-1968 version. It is simply the environmental command previously known as Air Command renamed, nothing more, nothing less.

Merely being issued with a light blue uniform does not make one "RCAF". There are also people wearing navy blue and green who are just as "RCAF", and people wearing light blue who are RCN, CA, SOFCOM, CJOC, or Mil Pers Com etcetera. It is quite possible for people to be issued with an environmental uniform and never serve in its associated environmental command.