Wearing Uniform in Public (Cadets)

[Journeyman]

When told I am to wear DEU's my reaction is not much different, except for a little increased annoyance at having to wear something uncomfortable so generals and the like can puff their chests out a little bit more.

I can't believe I'm weighing-in on a topic as retarded as 'if you wear your uniform, you must be a no-hook Pte showing off.'  :not-again:

I'm certainly not a parade square soldier, but you must hang out with a lot more Generals in the 2CER lines if the only time you're in DEUs is so that "generals and the like can puff their chests out."  :


And if your DEU is that uncomfortable, one option is to cash in some Logistik Unicorp points and get one that fits.

 

[Maxadia]

You just described me. I do everything I can do not wear my uniform in public. You know why? Because in most places where the majority of full time pers are employed, there is a huge military population with a well deserved bad reputation. When people see someone in uniform, but off duty, they immediately judge you. As a single person who tries to be socially active, the last thing I need to be known as is "an army guy" because people expect me to abuse women and break into push up competitions in public.  As far as I'm concerned unless it's an urgent errand or totally "on the way home from work" anyone I see in uniform is just desperate for attention.

I would counter that the above would be a good reason to be seen in uniform in public....to show that you're not the stereotypical army guy they think you are.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

  I see you've been to the Rideau Centre.  >

I actually wore the monicker "The NCR shuttle: Dress Nazi" for a short period too!!

 

[Strike]

For those who go out of their way to avoid wearing the uniform in public because they don't want the attention or the thanks or whatever, you need to remember that it's not all about you.  That person thanking you is thanking the CF as a whole, and you are a reflection of that whole.

As for snake's comment of family days and parades doing more for keeping us in the public eye, I would have to disagree.  These events, although good in getting us and the community together, are still on a limited scale and only target people who already support the CF.  By going out and getting your groceries or gas on the way home from work while still in uniform, you show those people who would never attend any of these events that you are a member of the community and there is nothing to be afraid of.

A reminder to those of you based in high population centres - there is probably also a high population of immigrants who come from countries where the military is not to be trusted.  Running little errands over lunch or on the way home gives them a chance to interact with the CF while they carry out their everyday tasks and may help them understand that we are NOT those militaries.

Finally, you all realize that this thread is in the cadet/CIC forum right?  And the OP was asking about wearing a cadet uniform in public?

 

[George Wallace]

Finally, you all realize that this thread is in the cadet/CIC forum right?  And the OP was asking about wearing a cadet uniform in public?

Opps!    :-[

 

[Pat in Halifax]

Ooops II!
That said, I think the OP can take some pointers from comments here and apply them to cadets. I only worked a short time as a CLO but if I recall, their dress instructions are an extension of the Canadian Forces Dress Instructions...No?

 

[Towards_the_gap]

I can't believe I'm weighing-in on a topic as retarded as 'if you wear your uniform, you must be a no-hook Pte showing off.'  :not-again:

I'm certainly not a parade square soldier, but you must hang out with a lot more Generals in the 2CER lines if the only time you're in DEUs is so that "generals and the like can puff their chests out."  :


And if your DEU is that uncomfortable, one option is to cash in some Logistik Unicorp points and get one that fits.

Oh they fit all right, it's just that given a lazy saturday morning, lovely sunny day, wife took kids away for weekend, my absolute last choice of comfortable relaxing wear would be DEU's. If they were made of better material maybe they would be less so, but the amount of polyester in them I might as well be wearing saran-wrap.

But, as recently pointed out, this is the cadet forum, about cadet uniforms. Wear away young jedis, just don't slouch around looking like or show up at a klan rally and you will be alright. This is also the internet, and therefore pointless, but it is march break and I have the time on my hands.

 

[RememberanceDay]

Hey, thanks for getting back on track..... 8)

To be totally honest, as long as we are presentable and courteous, we should be fine in uniforms. To date, I have worn STU's, C-1 and PT gear, along with weekend training gear in public. I don't rush home to change, nor do I put on my uniform just to go some where other than cadets. (Except for Nov. 11, when we are asked to wear our C-1s to school/ceremony.) I know some who will bring a change of clothes for after, I might too, if I'm going to a nice supper, or just going to be out a lot and don't want to wear my boots.

As for pride, I sometimes do feel a sense of pride, in myself, my corp and my country, when wearing my uniform. Nov. 11, again, is a perfect example. A personal moment for me, though, is on the drill team, per say, when we execute our brand-new silent routine perfectly, that's an awesome feeling.

 

[q_1966]

Oh they fit all right, it's just that given a lazy saturday morning, lovely sunny day, wife took kids away for weekend, my absolute last choice of comfortable relaxing wear would be DEU's. If they were made of better material maybe they would be less so, but the amount of polyester in them I might as well be wearing saran-wrap.

It is more difficult to maintain the cadet uniform, less almost no wool in the pants makes it difficult to crease, your wearing your dress uniform every week, sewing your badges on by hand (good skill to have). In the CF, I wore my DEU's probably only 3 times a year, spent the rest of the time in Combats / NCD's / Cooks whites.

 

[armyvern]

It is more difficult to maintain the cadet uniform, less almost no wool in the pants makes it difficult to crease, your wearing your dress uniform every week, sewing your badges on by hand (good skill to have).        I wore my CF's maybe 3 times a year.

I'm pretty sure that the current cadet "dress" (??) uniform is still made out of the same material it was when I wore it both as a cadet and when I wore the same material in our old CF work dress. Hard to iron?? That's a first.

 

[q_1966]

It is harder to get a razor sharp crease out of them than the wool DEU pants, its like ironing the NCD pants.
Our CF uniform is tailored, while the Cadet Uniform is not, so there is alot more adjusting. The drape can only truly be fixed by good tailoring.

 

[Rheostatic]

The material changed around 2000-2001. More synthetic and indeed harder to keep a crease.

 

[armyvern]

Recycled pop bottle. Way to stay green then!!  >

 

[Journeyman]

The material changed around 2000-2001. More synthetic and indeed harder to keep a crease.

Turn them inside out, and run a bar of soap down the inside of the crease -- not a lot, just a line -- then turn them right-side-out and iron.

 

[q_1966]

I've tried the old soap, masking tape etc. didn't like using it, or starch on the shirts. Ironing the cooks whites everyday for work, gets you pretty good with an Iron. For the polyester pants, should of had the tailor stitch in the crease.

 

[sapperboysen]

Turn them inside out, and run a bar of soap down the inside of the crease -- not a lot, just a line -- then turn them right-side-out and iron.

The problem I found when I tried this with my cadet uniform, was that the soap would bleed through and leave a white trace on the pant. Starch was also no good as it made the pants shiny. The best solution I found was lots of water, steam, and pressure. It's slightly more difficult then ironing my DEU, but not much. The problem I always found was trying to deal with all the excess material that has to be tucked away in the back.

 

[RememberanceDay]

Through cadets and regular sewing, I've become an old hand at it. I have tailored my own uniform (nipping in at the waist, out at the hips for trousers, out in  the but, in at the waist for gunshirts, ect....), and sometimes offer it at my corp depending on the time I have.

 

[my72jeep]

Through cadets and regular sewing, I've become an old hand at it. I have tailored my own uniform (nipping in at the waist, out at the hips for trousers, out in  the but, in at the waist for gunshirts, ect....), and sometimes offer it at my corp depending on the time I have.

As A Commanding Officer and a Father of a Daughter this post is wrong on so many levels.

 

[armyvern]

As A Commanding Officer and a Father of a Daughter this post is wrong on so many levels.

No worries; I can cook too!! Just took the fresh baked brotchen out of my oven and spent last week sewing up the daughter's prom dress. She too can cook, sew, clean and, as an added bonus, pack a mean punch.  ;D

 

[my72jeep]

No worries; I can cook too!! Just took the fresh baked brotchen out of my oven and spent last week sewing up the daughter's prom dress. She too can cook, sew, clean and, as an added bonus, pack a mean punch.  ;D

Not what I meant and you know it.