Dress instructions | Section 2 Bands and music branch members

1. Regular Force musicians and pipes and drums (00166 & 00377) recruits shall be issued the appropriate environmental uniforms as determined by Director Military Careers (D Mil C) in coordination with the Music Branch CWO.
2. Environmental uniforms for Regular Force musicians, pipes and drums and music officers (00166, 00377 and 00210) shall be the pattern authorized for the band to which they are posted and, if necessary, will be provided at public expense. Badges and insignia worn on the environmental uniform will be those appropriate to the member’s band. Those posted to DHH Music, CFLTC, RMC or out of trade shall retain the environmental uniform from their last Regular Force or Volunteer band. Music Branch badges and insignia shall be worn on the environmental uniform.
3. Reserve Force musicians and pipes and drums (00166, 00377) shall be issued the appropriate environmental uniform on entry.

AUTHORIZED BAND UNIFORMS

4.  Bands are allocated to environments and branches/regiments and the military colleges for identification.
5. All navy bands are allocated to the Naval Operations Branch.
6. The branch/regimental allocation of army bands is explicit in their titles, except:
   1. 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Pipes and Drums (voluntary pipe band) – (allocation to be determined);
   2. 36 Canadian Brigade Group Band (brass-reed band) – (allocation to be determined);
   3. 37 Canadian Brigade Group Band (brass-reed band) – (allocation to be determined);
   4. 5th Division Band (brass-reed band) – (allocation to be determined);
   5. Canadian Forces Base Borden Pipes and Drums (voluntary pipe band) – (allocation to be determined);
   6. 5th Division Support Group Pipes and Drums (voluntary pipe band) – (allocation to be determined);
   7. Canadian Forces Base Borden Brass and Reed Band (voluntary brass-reed band) – (allocation to be determined);
   8. Ceremonial Guard Band, Ottawa (brass-reed band, and pipes and drums) – Governor General’s Foot Guards and The Canadian Grenadier Guards;
   9. La Musique de la Garde de cérémonie, Quebec (brass-reed band) – Royal 22e Régiment; and
   10. Communications and Electronics Garrison Military Band (voluntary brass-reed band) – (allocation to be determined).
7. All air force (RCAF) bands, including the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces, are allocated to the Air Operations Branch.
8. Band dress distinctions, where authorized, are listed under the appropriate organizational title or heading in Chapter 6 or in this section. In addition:
   1. 2  Canadian  Mechanized  Brigade  Group  Pipes  and  Drums  (voluntary  pipe  band)  –  (tartan  to  be determined);
   2. 5th Division Support Group Pipes and Drums (voluntary pipe band) – (tartan to be determined); and
   3. Canadian Forces Base Borden Pipes and Drums (voluntary pipe band) – Hunting Stewart tartan.
9. Except as noted in paragraph 10, all band members shall wear the environmental uniforms and branch/corps, regimental and other insignia, and accoutrements, appropriate to their band’s allocation.
10. Members of a band not allocated to a branch/corps or regiment shall wear Music Branch accoutrements.
11. By custom, military and civilian volunteer musicians parading as part of a band may be authorized to wear the uniforms of that band as optional items. No rank insignia shall be worn unless the individual holds that rank by right. Appointment badges such as that of drum major may be worn.
12. Music card pouches (waist or shoulder belt patterns), side-arms (musician swords or bayonets) and instrument aprons and leg guards may be worn as appropriate with ceremonial and service dress orders of dress.
13. Details of emblazonment on unit drums and on Drum Majors’ sashes are included in A-PD-202-001/FP- 000, Canadian Armed Forces Bands and Marches – Volume 1: Band Instructions and A-AD-200-000/AG-000, The Heritage Structure of the Canadian Armed Forces.
14. Uniforms shall not be embellished except as allowed by these instructions.
15. All insignia worn shall be the authorized patterns. Standard badges of rank shall be worn in their authorized positions on the jacket except for warrant ranks, which shall be positioned 1.2 cm above the apex of the uppermost chevron of the drum, pipe, bugle, or trumpet major’s appointment badge, if appropriate.
16. For normal duties, musicians shall wear the standard orders of dress detailed in this chapter. Musicians and bands wear the same order of dress as the main body of troops they are supporting (see Chapter 2, Section1, paragraph 43).

MILITARY BANDS AND CORPS OF DRUMS (OTHER THAN PIPE BANDS)

17. Additional uniforms may be worn as follows:
    1. FullDress and undress – (see Chapter 6), on appropriate occasions.
    2. ConcertDress (military bands only). See Chapter 7.

PIPE BANDS

18. Full dress and undress (see Chapter 6) may be worn on appropriate occasions.
19. Tartans and related Scottish and Irish dress accessories and accoutrements shall be approved by NDHQ/DHH.
20. Drummers and drum majors shall normally wear the authorized tartan of the unit concerned. Unless otherwise authorized, drummers and drum majors not of Scottish or kilted Irish regiments shall wear standard orders of dress, i.e. tunics, jackets and trousers, when performing.
21. Pipers may be authorized a separate tartan or sett as substantiated by custom or other reasons. Plaids, pipe bag covers and pipe ribbons and cords normally conform.
22. For units authorized full dress or patrol dress (undress):
    1. Scottish units and pipe bands are classified as Lowland, unless specifically designated to be Highland;
    2. the cut and colour of drummer and drum major uniforms corresponds to that of the line (i.e, the parent or allocated unit);
    3. Scottish piper full dress tunics are green (Highland) or blue (Lowland) – the colour of Royal Military College of Canada, The Toronto Scottish Regiment, and Air Force full dress piper uniforms corresponds to that of the line; and
    4. piper headdress worn with all orders of dress is a glengarry (undiced border) for Scottish bands and a caubeen for Irish ones, unless otherwise authorized.
23. Kilted orders of dress for voluntary pipe bands shall be procured at no expense to the public except as noted in Chapter 6, paragraph 3.