What can a CO make you pay for

[dimsum]

Yea, my understanding is that the 'unification' mess dress was 'midnight blue'. Later, when the army and navy folks transitioned to their traditional colours for mess dress, the air force found just inherited the midnight blue option as their own (close enough, eh?).

With the return of the traditional blue option, many RCAF members continue to wear the midnight blue option dress to this day ('grandfathered'). Personally, I like the midnight blue option as it's so dark, it almost looks like a black tux in low light.

Photo attached of midnight blue mess dress with army insignia.

A major reason why some RCAF members (like myself) continue to wear the old pattern Mess Dress is bc the old one was about $700 new, and the new one is about $1200-1400 new.

 

[OldSolduer]

Yea, my understanding is that the 'unification' mess dress was 'midnight blue'. Later, when the army and navy folks transitioned to their traditional colours for mess dress, the air force found just inherited the midnight blue option as their own (close enough, eh?).

I bought mine in 1982 in Cyprus. What. A. Deal. And the midnight blue is good - hides gravy stains quite well.

 

[medicineman]

Have the scarlet one, however I bought that in 2004 after I got back from Haiti as my promotion present to myself...IIRC was between $950-1K...and that was the wool coat, not doeskin. Cringing at how much that would have been - some people with nothing better to do than insist on how people should spend their money were saying that when/if I hit a certain rank, I'd "have" to get the doeskin variant...to which I said ", show me the regs". As it happens, I didn't make it past WO...and in fact was demoted upon transfer to the P Res .

 

[rmc_wannabe]

I bought my mess kit as a gift to myself for making it to the WO & Sgts Mess in 2020 (it was also mitaculously, cheaper because demand was going down all of a sudden ). Doeskin and miniatures all in it was about $950. When I took my commission, it was $150 to get it altered.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Imagine that......this turned into a "dress" thread.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Imagine that......this turned into a "dress" thread.

 

[eliminator]

A major reason why some RCAF members (like myself) continue to wear the old pattern Mess Dress is bc the old one was about $700 new, and the new one is about $1200-1400 new.

Yea, I paid $650 (plus the extras) for mine in 2005. I heard the new version is now pushing closer to $2000!

But yea, a CO shouldn't be making anyone pay out of pocket. Sure, if a course wants to pool some cash together to make a lounge nicer - awesome!

Yet, no CO/Cmdt should be ordering people to shell out cash. And don't get me started about 'passing the hat' around for the CO's departure gift.

 

[medicineman]

Imagine that......this turned into a "dress" thread.

I also managed to make it about promotions/demotions related to CT's as well

 

[daftandbarmy]

This is not an issue unique to the CAF, sadly...

I’m being pressured to contribute to gifts for resigning coworkers — and it’s increasingly obnoxious​

I'm being pressured to contribute to gifts for resigning coworkers -- and it's increasingly obnoxious

A reader writes: Recently, two of my colleagues both gave their month-long notices; they are moving on to new positions in the community after five and

www.askamanager.org

 

[rmc_wannabe]

This is not an issue unique to the CAF, sadly...

I’m being pressured to contribute to gifts for resigning coworkers — and it’s increasingly obnoxious​

I'm being pressured to contribute to gifts for resigning coworkers -- and it's increasingly obnoxious

A reader writes: Recently, two of my colleagues both gave their month-long notices; they are moving on to new positions in the community after five and

www.askamanager.org

See, there are a handful of COs/RSMs i have gladly chipped in a few bucks for; as they were outstanding leadership and I now count as personal friends, vice a former boss.

There were others, however, that I always seemed to have trouble finding an ATM for. That usually was due to them being malignant cancers on the morale of the unit, so I was more than willing to give them a swift swing of the door on their ass in lieu of a gift.

 

[OldSolduer]

See, there are a handful of COs/RSMs i have gladly chipped in a few bucks for; as they were outstanding leadership and I now count as personal friends, vice a former boss.

There were others, however, that I always seemed to have trouble finding an ATM for. That usually was due to them being malignant cancers on the morale of the unit, so I was more than willing to give them a swift swing of the door on their ass in lieu of a gift.

When I served in CFRS Cornwallis there was a strict order that recruits would not give gifts to staff - not even a plaque. So maybe this regulation should have been extended to all ranks.

 

[PuckChaser]

OP posted a couple times and hasn't been back since. I'll lock this up and if the OP comes back with more info to addjust report to moderator and we can reopen.