Amazing Race in Esquimalt.

[gryphonv]

Watching Amazing race tonight, they were showcasing a challenge from Esquimalt. Where the racers had to put out one of the field tents from the Army. While having serving members around watching them, encouraging, etc.

Sounds great, but something about the show really annoyed me. The contestants were in standard cadpat fatigues, that part I didn't have too much an issue with, but looking closer they were all wearing ranks. I noticed a bunch of corporal and master corporal ranks. Not sure if there were others as I didn't watch the full episode.

Not only that, most of the cadpat was being worn haphazardly and looked really unkempt.

All of this annoyed me and it felt disrespectful, and AFAIK is against so many regulations. (Wearing rank you haven't earned, unkempt appearance of the uniform, etc)

Anyone else see this? I can't see how this was approved from staff. They did have at least one army Captain there yelling at the contestants.

Am I just not with the times, and is this now acceptable?

TLR; my issue is civilians wearing uniform with rank insignia they didn't earn, and were not shown how to wear it properly.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Watching Amazing race tonight, they were showcasing a challenge from Esquimalt. Where the racers had to put out one of the field tents from the Army. While having serving members around watching them, encouraging, etc.

Sounds great, but something about the show really annoyed me. The contestants were in standard cadpat fatigues, that part I didn't have too much an issue with, but looking closer they were all wearing ranks. I noticed a bunch of corporal and master corporal ranks. Not sure if there were others as I didn't watch the full episode.

Not only that, most of the cadpat was being worn haphazardly and looked really unkempt.

All of this annoyed me and it felt disrespectful, and AFAIK is against so many regulations. (Wearing rank you haven't earned, unkempt appearance of the uniform, etc)

Anyone else see this? I can't see how this was approved from staff. They did have at least one army Captain there yelling at the contestants.

Am I just not with the times, and is this now acceptable?

TLR; my issue is civilians wearing uniform with rank insignia they didn't earn, and were not shown how to wear it properly.

Weren't they just reflecting the modernized dress standards?

 

[Remius]

Watching Amazing race tonight, they were showcasing a challenge from Esquimalt. Where the racers had to put out one of the field tents from the Army. While having serving members around watching them, encouraging, etc.

Sounds great, but something about the show really annoyed me. The contestants were in standard cadpat fatigues, that part I didn't have too much an issue with, but looking closer they were all wearing ranks. I noticed a bunch of corporal and master corporal ranks. Not sure if there were others as I didn't watch the full episode.

Not only that, most of the cadpat was being worn haphazardly and looked really unkempt.

All of this annoyed me and it felt disrespectful, and AFAIK is against so many regulations. (Wearing rank you haven't earned, unkempt appearance of the uniform, etc)

Anyone else see this? I can't see how this was approved from staff. They did have at least one army Captain there yelling at the contestants.

Am I just not with the times, and is this now acceptable?

TLR; my issue is civilians wearing uniform with rank insignia they didn't earn, and were not shown how to wear it properly.

I don’t think anyone mistook them as actual CAF members. Or actually ranked in those ranks. I am sure it had all the approvals in place.

Was this a good PR thing for the CAF? Probably. But I didn’t see the episode to know.

I don’t think this is a big deal unless it somehow brought disrepute to the CAF.

 

[gryphonv]

I don’t think anyone mistook them as actual CAF members. Or actually ranked in those ranks. I am sure it had all the approvals in place.

Was this a good PR thing for the CAF? Probably. But I didn’t see the episode to know.

I don’t think this is a big deal unless it somehow brought disrepute to the CAF.

Oh I can definitely see it as a positive PR thing over all. I also agree I doubt anyone mistook them as actual CAF members.

I just feel wearing ranks by those who hasn't earned it should not be something that is allowed, even for positive PR. To me it cheapens the rank and standing.

 

[gryphonv]

Weren't they just reflecting the modernized dress standards?

View attachment 79152

I've been out for almost as long as I been in now. I probably would be dissapointed if I knew the current standards.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I've been out for almost as long as I been in now. I probably would be dissapointed if I knew the current standards.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Where the racers had to put out one of the field tents from the Army.

Did they use immersion heaters or coleman stoves to start the fire before putting it out?

 

[dimsum]

I've been out for almost as long as I been in now. I probably would be dissapointed if I knew the current standards.

I'm more impressed that someone had fitting CADPAT shirts. And no, I don't think anyone thinks that they're trying to impersonate a CAF mbr, any more than PM Harper was when wore a flight jacket (with wings) in a photo-op.

At the risk of ranting again about whether looking good = being good, the uniform standards themselves haven't changed. You're still required to have your nametag a certain measurement above the right breast pocket, the medals must be on the left pocket, etc. If anything, there are too many sub-paras bc there are various new patches and bits on the combat and dress uniforms.

 

[Blackadder1916]

. . . at least one army Captain there yelling at the contestants.

The only embarrassing thing about the segment.

Besides the pseudo-tough basic training bullshit yelling, it wasn't much of a challenge. What's the difficulty? Six pers (two contestants, four soldiers to do what they tell them) to put up one 10 man arctic tent; no wind, no snow, no rain, bright sunny day, flat ground, no mattresses to inflate, no stoves or lanterns to light, no latrine to place, they didn't have to pull it for a couple of hours before hand and they didn't have to pull pole and repack in the toboggan to do it again somewhere else. Luxury.

 

[dapaterson]

The only embarrassing thing about the segment.

Besides the pseudo-tough basic training bullshit yelling, it wasn't much of a challenge. What's the difficulty? Six pers (two contestants, four soldiers to do what they tell them) to put up one 10 man arctic tent; no wind, no snow, no rain, bright sunny day, flat ground, no mattresses to inflate, no stoves or lanterns to light, no latrine to place, they didn't have to pull it for a couple of hours before hand and they didn't have to pull pole and repack in the toboggan to do it again somewhere else. Luxury.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Oh I can definitely see it as a positive PR thing over all. I also agree I doubt anyone mistook them as actual CAF members.

I just feel wearing ranks by those who hasn't earned it should not be something that is allowed, even for positive PR. To me it cheapens the rank and standing.

The only ones offended will be some military people. Civvies won't recognise or care about any of the uniform stuff. Many military won't give a flying fornication either.

Save yourself the angst, have a drink and imagine RSMs everywhere being absolutely apoplectic about it.

 

[markppcli]

Watching Amazing race tonight, they were showcasing a challenge from Esquimalt. Where the racers had to put out one of the field tents from the Army. While having serving members around watching them, encouraging, etc.

Sounds great, but something about the show really annoyed me. The contestants were in standard cadpat fatigues, that part I didn't have too much an issue with, but looking closer they were all wearing ranks. I noticed a bunch of corporal and master corporal ranks. Not sure if there were others as I didn't watch the full episode.

Not only that, most of the cadpat was being worn haphazardly and looked really unkempt.

All of this annoyed me and it felt disrespectful, and AFAIK is against so many regulations. (Wearing rank you haven't earned, unkempt appearance of the uniform, etc)

Anyone else see this? I can't see how this was approved from staff. They did have at least one army Captain there yelling at the contestants.

Am I just not with the times, and is this now acceptable?

TLR; my issue is civilians wearing uniform with rank insignia they didn't earn, and were not shown how to wear it properly.

Just… relax.

 

[Rifleman62]

At least the CF is being noted. Good on the producers.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

What I didn't get is why stop in Esquimalt to do army stuff? I mean, if you are at a mostly RCN/RCAF location, why not do something in their field of service?

 

[dimsum]

What I didn't get is why stop in Esquimalt to do army stuff? I mean, if you are at a mostly RCN/RCAF location, why not do something in their field of service?

Probably a lot cheaper (and easier) to do "army" things than to film/use an Orca/MCDV/CPF or Cyclone.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Sure enough. But you could have had them jump off the pier a Fleet Diving Unit in wet suit and fins, swim to equally spaced 6-man zodiacs that they then would have had to row to a buoy to get their next envelope. The whole with frigates alongside A and B jetty as background.

 

[daftandbarmy]

What I didn't get is why stop in Esquimalt to do army stuff? I mean, if you are at a mostly RCN/RCAF location, why not do something in their field of service?

Because our Army Reservists in Victoria, and especially the CScotR, are AMAZING... unlike the other CAF rabble around here, of course

 

[lenaitch]

Sure enough. But you could have had them jump off the pier a Fleet Diving Unit in wet suit and fins, swim to equally spaced 6-man zodiacs that they then would have had to row to a buoy to get their next envelope. The whole with frigates alongside A and B jetty as background.

True, but risk-adverse CAF and production lawyers probably felt that putting up a mod tent was more acceptable than folks jumping off a pier. Are the contestants even vetted for their swimming ability (I don't watch the show)? I get the sense it isn't Survivor.

 

[TCM621]

Oh I can definitely see it as a positive PR thing over all. I also agree I doubt anyone mistook them as actual CAF members.

I just feel wearing ranks by those who hasn't earned it should not be something that is allowed, even for positive PR. To me it cheapens the rank and standing.

You must hate the Christmas dinner then. I can't see any reason they needed ranks or why they had to use CF standard ranks if they wanted something on the rank patch. However, at the end of the day it's a TV show and I'm more concerned with some of shitshows I see at morning attendance everyday.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Sure enough. But you could have had them jump off the pier a Fleet Diving Unit in wet suit and fins, swim to equally spaced 6-man zodiacs that they then would have had to row to a buoy to get their next envelope. The whole with frigates alongside A and B jetty as background.

Do you recall the PSAC strike?
Do you suppose a unionized film production crew would cross a picket line?
This is why: Army in Esquimalt….