Nijmegen March Medal. Authorized for wear on CAF DEU , mess kit?

[Journeyman]

... tradition to have propellers, missiles or some other job related Canadian Airborne Regiment cufflinks.

  8)


[I wasn't in Somalia;  I was spending a gruelling year sun-tanning, drinking Guinness, and playing rugby in Cyprus during all that  :nod: ]

 

[Pusser]

I thought it was customary to wear the Nijmegen march medal under the lapel of the mess kit jacket? (Out of sight and easily shown if "challenged" by a former march member by flipping up the lapel)

I've seen various unapproved medals (not authorized to be mounted in conjunction with Canadian honours) such as low-level USA awards, NATO-ISAF, cadet medals (Lord Strathcona, Long Service), and association medals (Order of St Lazarus, etc)....but never a Nijmegen march medal.

Perhaps the only way to really view this as a "grey area" is the fact that the various regulations related to the Canadian Honours System pertains to the actual, full sized medals/decorations/orders/devices....rather than the optional miniature versions purchased by the recipient (?).

Lots of people wear all sorts of things under their lapels and not only mess jacket lapels.  I knew a fighter pilot who used to wear his cadet wings under the lapels of all of his uniforms because they were the first wings he had earned.

I don't think it's that grey an area at all.  Honours are honours and there is a protocol as to how they are worn.  The fact that you pay for the miniatures is irrelevant because they still represent Honours from the Crown.  You can buy virtually any American medal in any American PX or NEX, that doesn't give anyone permission to wear them.  For that matter, you can buy even full size replicas of any Canadian Honour at various dealers in such things.  That still doesn't give permission to wear them.

The reason behind the rules is in order to preserve the integrity of the system.  All Canadian Honours are bestowed by the Crown and as a result, permission to wear foreign honours will only be granted for honours emanating from the same level (i.e. head of state).  That's why medals issued by the US Secretary of the Navy will not be approved, but those from the President likely will be.  Then there is the principle of dual recognition.  Even if an honour is issued by a head of state, it won't be approved for wear with Canadian Honours if the member has been awarded a Canadian Honour for the same, or fundamentally the same, thing.  This works in reverse as well.  I was involved in a file where Canada asked permission from the UK to award a Meritorious Service Cross to a British Officer.  The UK refused permission because they had already admitted him into the Order of the British Empire for what they considered the same thing.

 

[Navy_Pete]

When I went through basic in the early 2000s, had a few Airborne Sgts as staff.  They all wore their old cap badge on the inside of their beret, but were also some of the best instructors on the base. Not sure if that's explicitly against any dress policy but they both gave off the vibe that they could really ruin your day with a trip to the ER without breaking a sweat so strangely enough no one ever bothered looking it up.

Spending a year in Cyprus playing rugby sounds pretty ideal; not sure why that isn't more widespread in the forces as it's the best team building sport I've ever played with a great mix of cardio and strength for fitness.

 

[dimsum]

When I went through basic in the early 2000s, had a few Airborne Sgts as staff.  They all wore their old cap badge on the inside of their beret, but were also some of the best instructors on the base. Not sure if that's explicitly against any dress policy but they both gave off the vibe that they could really ruin your day with a trip to the ER without breaking a sweat so strangely enough no one ever bothered looking it up.

Spending a year in Cyprus playing rugby sounds pretty ideal; not sure why that isn't more widespread in the forces as it's the best team building sport I've ever played with a great mix of cardio and strength for fitness.

I'm curious as to how you, as a recruit, would know they had CAR badges on the inside of their beret.  Did they bring it up in conversation and flip it over?  Or was it inside but still visible? 

 

[Navy_Pete]

I'm curious as to how you, as a recruit, would know they had CAR badges on the inside of their beret.  Did they bring it up in conversation and flip it over?  Or was it inside but still visible?

Someone noticed it on one of them when he took it off during a lecture or something and asked about it, so kept an eye out for it as a way to pass time in St. Jean. No idea how common it was, as the rest of my postings were in Navy heavy units.

 

[Blackadder1916]

. . .  No idea how common it was, as the rest of my postings were in Navy heavy units.

I would say that it was relatively common.  I've seem it many times and not only following the disbandment of the CAR and not only involving the wear of that regiment's badge.  In the 1970's, one of the MCpl Med As who was posted into 1 Fd Amb had been infantry (PPCLI) before he remustered and had served in the CAR - he wore the CAR badge inside his beret.  At the same time there were other Med As who had previously been other trades (usually infantry) who wore badges of their former regiments (QOR, PPCLI, RCR) similarly inside their berets.  There were also a number of Med As (as Med Techs were called in those days) who did the same following their service in the CAR where all trades wore the same cap badge.  I even knew of one person who had served in 3 Mech Commando (in Germany), was not jump qualified, but wore his CAR badge inside his beret.

In a similar vein, when I was going through infantry phase training I wore a combat cap (but never in the Robin Hood style) that had the medical badge on it, however it was not as homage to my former (and later returned to) branch - it was just that the badge had originally been glued to the cap - gun tape solved the problem of covering up the badge.  On the only occasion when one of the instructors questioned what was behind the gun tape, his response to my explanation was to show me his beret that had the QOR badge inside behind his PPCLI badge.

 

[RocketRichard]

I would say that it was relatively common.  I've seem it many times and not only following the disbandment of the CAR and not only involving the wear of that regiment's badge.  In the 1970's, one of the MCpl Med As who was posted into 1 Fd Amb had been infantry (PPCLI) before he remustered and had served in the CAR - he wore the CAR badge inside his beret.  At the same time there were other Med As who had previously been other trades (usually infantry) who wore badges of their former regiments (QOR, PPCLI, RCR) similarly inside their berets.  There were also a number of Med As (as Med Techs were called in those days) who did the same following their service in the CAR where all trades wore the same cap badge.  I even knew of one person who had served in 3 Mech Commando (in Germany), was not jump qualified, but wore his CAR badge inside his beret.

In a similar vein, when I was going through infantry phase training I wore a combat cap (but never in the Robin Hood style) that had the medical badge on it, however it was not as homage to my former (and later returned to) branch - it was just that the badge had originally been glued to the cap - gun tape solved the problem of covering up the badge.  On the only occasion when one of the instructors questioned what was behind the gun tape, his response to my explanation was to show me his beret that had the QOR badge inside behind his PPCLI badge.

This badge inside the beret idea intrigues me. I like the idea of a homage to my former trade. Where does one place it?


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[kratz]

For my entire time with the Navy, I wore my other branch badge inside my beret.
Nobody sees it, and it doesn't affect the shape / use of the headdress, so there was never an issue.

Metal cap badge are simple to slide into the leather patch inside the beret. Slightly bend the points to form to your forehead for comfort.
Cloth badges take a stronger needle. Ensure you sew the inside badge first, so the stitching is  covered by your outside badge.

 

[RocketRichard]

For my entire time with the Navy, I wore my other branch badge inside my beret.
Nobody sees it, and it doesn't affect the shape / use of the headdress, so there was never an issue.

Metal cap badge are simple to slide into the leather patch inside the beret. Slightly bend the points to form to your forehead for comfort.
Cloth badges take a stronger needle. Ensure you sew the inside badge first, so the stitching is  covered by your outside badge.

Good tips. Thanks.


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[Journeyman]

Spending a year in Cyprus playing rugby sounds pretty ideal

It was after we'd stopped rotating Bns through.  There were only 4 of us in UNFICYP HQ (which meant we were too insignificant for any NDHQ Staff Annoyance Visits), and 3 of us played rugby with the Irish team, along with several folks from the Aussie police contingent..... hence the Guinness.

For whatever it's worth, I've never worn any kind of badges inside my beret or under a lapel.... although the Mess Kit is SO  Pirates of Penzance.  ;D


...and I did go through a phase where I had a set of DEU ribbons made with just my deployments -- no CD, PK, Jubilee.  Yes, I was obnoxious to some HQ-bound people.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

no CD, PK, Jubilee.

PK?  Drawing a blank...

 

[Journeyman]

PK?  Drawing a blank...

Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal;  the medal given out for already having a medal.

 

[Pusser]

Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal;  the medal given out for already having a medal.

Only mostly true.  It is possible under some circumstances to get a CPSM while not qualifying for another medal.  There was a naval deployment a number of years ago where that was the only medal folks received.

 

[Journeyman]

Only mostly Almost universally true.

But at the end of the day, quite a few of us never had to clutch at inconsequential bling (ask my ex-wife who "got tired of being a 'single mom'," and her divorce lawyer);  hence this whole thread on wearing a Nijmegan medal in uniform. 

The "only mostly" ribbons do nothing but diminish the recognition of those who did deploy or perform with exemplary courage or distinction, in the eyes of those civilian and military (and Legion members) people who have no idea.

YMMV.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal

Ack; and

But at the end of the day, quite a few of us never had to clutch at inconsequential bling (ask my ex-wife who "got tired of being a 'single mom'," and her divorce lawyer);  hence this whole thread on wearing a Nijmegan medal in uniform. 

The "only mostly" ribbons do nothing but diminish the recognition of those who did deploy or perform with exemplary courage or distinction, in the eyes of those civilian and military (and Legion members) people who have no idea.

YMMV.

Agree.