The need for tactical highly visible rank (From:Re-Royalization)

[Privateer]

And his hair, apparently.

 

[OldSolduer]

It would seem, this high vis rank business, is born out of a sense of insecurity and lack of personal self worth.

An officer should be recognised by his bearing and familiarity, not a rank badge.

BINGO, I could not agree more. Same goes for WOs .

 

[Towards_the_gap]

I always fought back against the 'rank badge on tacvest'. The people who needed to know who I was, knew already, and if they didn't know but needed then I just introduced myself...usually with my first name only.

 

[McG]

It would seem, this high vis rank business, is born out of a sense of insecurity and lack of personal self worth.

An officer should be recognised by his bearing and familiarity, not a rank badge.

Might want to be carefull with the generalizations.  Most of the few times I have seen hi-vis rank, it has not been an officer wearing it.

 

[McG]

... and I would not suggest some sense of insecurity in any of those gentlemen. 

 

[George Wallace]

Might want to be carefull with the generalizations.  Most of the few times I have seen hi-vis rank, it has not been an officer wearing it.

>

Officer/NCM ratios would back up your claims.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Might want to be carefull with the generalizations.  Most of the few times I have seen hi-vis rank, it has not been an officer wearing it.

Officer\NCM, the rank doesn't matter. What was the catalyst that required a change from something that has been working fine for ages and why the change?

However,  let's not get into another 200 pages ranting about monetary waste.

 

[Bzzliteyr]

I always fought back against the 'rank badge on tacvest'. The people who needed to know who I was, knew already, and if they didn't know but needed then I just introduced myself...usually with my first name only.

When I got busted down to Corporal a while back.. we had PT with tacvests.. I hadn't had time to swap off my Sgts and proceeded to complete PT.. until I bumped in the CO running the other way, he backtracked and reminded me I had to change my slipon. I guess that would be one of the only times the rank badge actually mattered?

 

[Jarnhamar]

When I got busted down to Corporal a while back.. we had PT with tacvests.. I hadn't had time to swap off my Sgts and proceeded to complete PT.. until I bumped in the CO running the other way, he backtracked and reminded me I had to change my slipon. I guess that would be one of the only times the rank badge actually mattered?

Wasn't that when you said "Think you're man enough to cut it off me"? and became Private Bzzliteyr ? 

 

[vonGarvin]

Like it or not, we are in the military, a professional force that is not one of first-name basis, and we have identifiers for various things, rank included.  Whether they are high vis or not is to me immaterial, because if there's a need to subdue that rank, then we will.  As for us, here in Canada, where we now as a habit wear our field uniforms in office and garrison environments, we would have to accept that we wear rank that can be seen.  Yes, we all know our COs, RSMs, etc, but we wear our rank not for those who know us, but those who don't.  And our rank is a visible sign to others that rightly or wrongly is used to allow others to gauge us in terms of authority, competence, etc.
As for an historical example of an army subduing or altering its rank insignia for "practical reasons" (eg: combat), look no further than the Waffen SS.  Here is a chart of their insignia

The insignia in green is what they ended up wearing on their field camouflage uniforms, as can be seen in this war-art:

We talked about field units, in combat, etc.  The Waffen SS was an organisation that was, among many traits, resourceful when it came to surviving, especially on the Eastern Front. 

So, it may be nice and equitable and all to forget that we have ranks, and some may like to go by first names, but as a professional army, we ought not to make it a habit.


:2c:

 

[SeaKingTacco]

This is, perhaps, the most interesting application of Godwin's Law that I have ever seen. 

 

[vonGarvin]

This is, perhaps, the most interesting application of Godwin's Law that I have ever seen. 

[slight tangent]
Not sure if this counts, because I'm not saying that anyone here as a view that would be held by Hitler, as per reductio ad Hitlerum
[/slight tangent]

;D

 

[Lightguns]

Given that this topic was split from Argumentum ad nauseam thread, expected.

 

[daftandbarmy]

It's interesting that the US military in WW2 thought it so important to identify leaders that they put a 'leadership stripe' on the backs of helmets for Officers and SNCOs:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-seam-WW2-helmet-with-officers-stripe-and-liner-/251383740476?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a87a3783c

I'm not sure if this was just for 'the invasion', where chaos reigns, or standard practise (where chaos rains  ;D).

 

[Kirkhill]

It's interesting that the US military in WW2 thought it so important to identify leaders that they put a 'leadership stripe' on the backs of helmets for Officers and SNCOs:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Front-seam-WW2-helmet-with-officers-stripe-and-liner-/251383740476?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a87a3783c

I'm not sure if this was just for 'the invasion', where chaos reigns, or standard practise (where chaos rains  ;D).

Great plan as long as the leader never turned around to actually talk to his troops.....

Perhaps that explains why so many American leaders were pictured with their helmets tucked safely under their arms  >

 

[vonGarvin]

Great plan as long as the leader never turned around to actually talk to his troops.....

Sometimes I imagine that was a good thing.  ;D

 

[OldSolduer]

I always fought back against the 'rank badge on tacvest'. The people who needed to know who I was, knew already, and if they didn't know but needed then I just introduced myself...usually with my first name only.

I've never worn the rank on my tac vest. Ever.

And I probably won't. I am a corporal that got lucky.

 

[Furniture]

As an outsider with no vested interest in the discussion I think Technoviking explained the argument for wearing high vis ranks in garrison perfectly. Realistically, will wearing white ranks and nametags really affect cam and concealment while standing in line at the BOR, or Tim's?  Lets face it, most people wearing CADPAT to work every day don't need to be worried about being seen in the field.

 

[Towards_the_gap]

But the crux of the issue for most of us is:

What is broke that needs fixing? Were people getting injured after walking into a lamp-post because they were too fixated on deciphering whether it was a WO or a MWO that was walking towards them? What problem is this fixing?

It's window dressing for people whose sense of self-worth and pride ONLY comes from how much gold braid they have on their DEU's.

 

[daftandbarmy]

But the crux of the issue for most of us is:

What problem is this fixing?

'Afghanistan drift', of course 

:sarcasm: