Standard changes into summer and winter dress are ordered by RCSU COs.
Army cadets may wear dress items of their affiliated unit, provided that:
authorized items may include headdress, regimental buttons, carves, sashes, hat badges, and lanyards;
only those items currently used by the affiliated unit may be identified for use by army cadets. Discontinued uniform parts and accoutrements shall be considered historical and will not be authorized for wear (see Para 27);
final approval and authority for new or special accoutrements for wear / use is the Comd CJCR;
the CO of the affiliated unit must recommend, in a letter, item for wear / use;
the cadets must remain easily identifiable as cadets; and
the items are procured at no cost to the public, with the exception of the beret.
Provision. All cadets shall be issued with clothing / accoutrements to the authorized scale of entitlement, D08-101 CFS DSC Materiel Authorization - Basic Clothing and Camp Supplemental, at public expense. Clothing / accoutrements shall be recorded on an Individual Clothing and Equipment Record (CF 892A) and returned when they no longer fit or are not required. A Temporary Loan Card (DND 638) shall be used for items which are on supply customer accounts (SCA).
Specialty clothing items may be issued for select National Directed Activities (NDA) and Regional Directed Activities (RDA).
Responsibility. Cadets are personally responsible for the cleaning and control of all items of uniform clothing and accoutrements issued to them.
Maintenance / Replacement. Maintenance (repair) of issued clothing / accoutrements shall be at public expense determined on an as required basis with due economy of available resources. Replacement of issued uniforms shall be on a one-for-one exchange basis for those items not considered next to skin, on an as required basis.
Wear of uniform
Unless otherwise directed, during cadet activities, all cadets:
shall wear the prescribed uniform; or
may wear appropriate civilian clothes.
When authorized by the training establishment CO, cadets may wear their uniform while attending non-cadet ceremonies or functions when appropriate. The prescribed uniform shall adhere to the standard established in the CJCR DI. The cadet must ensure that they maintain a high standard of dress for these occasions and represent the CCO in a good manner.
Group and individual identity
Dress policy recognizes the organizational requirement for group and individual identity. A spectrum of identity exists which includes country, element, regimental affiliation, CTC, and corps / squadron. The emphasis placed on each differs in accordance with custom. Symbols of primary identity are an organizational requirement and therefore, shall be provided at no cost to the cadet.
Cadets are allocated elemental identity and are uniformed according to the element to which they belong.
There are four uniform categories which are worn in common by all cadets, IAW their environmental identity:
ceremonial dress (C1);
mess dress (C2);
service dress (C3); and
environmental training dress (C5).
All cadets parading as a group shall normally be required to wear the same order of dress. The training establishment CO may authorize certain cadets to wear a different order of dress as dictated by the type of parade or function.
The training establishment CO may authorize the wearing of corps / squadron / CTC t-shirts in-lieu of issued elemental t-shirts in C5 orders of dress. These t-shirts shall:
be obtained at no public cost;
be a solid colour with a unit crest on the front, left chest and basic wording on the back;
follow elemental colour schemes, or appropriate colours to allow identifying divisions / platoons / flight / course;
not be used for activities outside of corps / squadron / CTC; and
not be used for travel.
Cadets waiting for a cadet uniform to be issued, that precludes them from being present according to uniformity, shall be dressed according to the direction of the training establishment CO. Such direction will reflect the standard of dress being represented by the group or function.
Optional items
Certain clothing items may be authorized for optional wear as long as they are obtained at no expense to the public.
To obtain approval of optional items, a proposal shall be submitted by the training establishment CO through the chain of command to their respective RCWO. The submission will be reviewed and if supported, will be forwarded for approval by the Comd CJCR.
Highland Dress authorization instructions for wear are located in Chapter 6, Section 2.
Sealed patterns and specifications
Uniformity and quality of dress is paramount for the CCO. All cadets shall wear the prescribed pattern of uniforms identified and issued through the CCO Supply System.
The CJCR HQ is the only authority which can approve CCO insignia. Any requests or recommendations for new or amended insignia shall be submitted by the training establishment CO through the chain of command to their respective RCWO.
Alterations and modifications
Items of cadet clothing shall not be altered or modified, except to obtain a reasonable fit, or to convert jackets to doublets.
Badges / insignia shall be sewn on the uniform neatly using a thread that blends with the badge and uniform. Badges shall not be glued.
Supply and issue
Supply and issue of the various orders of cadet uniforms shall be in accordance with D08-101 CFS DSC Materiel Authorization - Basic Clothing and Camp Supplemental which outlines the scales of issue for environmental and specialty clothing provided and maintained at public expense.
Uniformity in dress
When cadets from different elements parade, conduct training, or attend functions together, they should normally wear the equivalent order of dress.
Wear of headdress
Introduction. The wearing of headdress on different occasions reflects a combination of the cultural etiquette of Canadian society, military custom, and religious practices. These highlight the differences between those whose customs require removing headdress as a sign of respect, and those who cover the head as a sign of religious respect and modesty. In addition:
details for cadets of the Sikhs, Muslim and Jewish faith are contained in section 3 of this chapter;
Funerals. Headdress shall be removed by the bearer party in accordance with their own religious practices;
Messes and Canteens. Headdress shall be removed upon entering either a mess or canteen except when indicated by a cadet’s religious practice or for personnel performing duties within these establishments;
Non-Service Buildings. Headdress shall not be removed in any public place. However, cadets may observe the custom practiced by civilians in regard to the wearing of headdress in non-service buildings such as restaurants, theatres and libraries; and
Public Transportation. Cadets travelling aboard a local public conveyance may remove their headdress. Cadets travelling extended distances by aircraft, bus or rail, may remove their headdress while in transit, however, headdress shall be replaced prior to exiting the public conveyance, vehicle or aircraft.
Wear of civilian clothes
Civilian and uniform clothing items / patterns shall not be mixed, except where specifically authorized by the training establishment CO (e.g., sports activities, extreme temperatures).
Dress for cadets shall be suitably based on both current and forecasted weather conditions, air temperatures, insulating properties and the ability for the wearer to remain dry, warm, and comfortable. As such, appropriate civilian clothing is authorized.
Wear of traditional patterns of uniforms
Traditional patterns of dress, also referred to as historical dress, shall be considered costumes and are not to be worn as an order of dress. These types of uniforms are those that are not currently in use within the CCO or CAF but do represent a previously used order of dress.
Costumes shall be purchased, maintained, stored, and held at no cost to the public. Costumes may only be worn when approved for use by the RCSU CO or the CTC CO with those requests being staffed through the respective RCWO/CTC CWO.
If authorized, costumes shall be worn in accordance with the CAF or CCO dress instructions from the period of wear. Mixed items of uniform patterns shall not be authorized. Research must be conducted to clearly identify the components and availability of period dress. The costume shall be worn in a manner so as not to bring discredit to the CCO and the CAF, but to honour the history and tradition that it represents.
