APPENDIX “D”

ORDERS OF DRESS

This policy is the result of an initiative to review and standardize the Orders of Dress for the RCMP Veterans’ Association. In July 2013, the Board of Directors approved the establishment of a Sub-committee, chaired by President Graham Muir, Ottawa Division, to review and report on national Association policy relating to uniform and protocol. From September to November 2013, the first round of consultation was conducted, through sub-committee regional representatives, soliciting early feedback and sharing of division-level by-laws or regulations relevant to orders of dress. The Sub-committee made its Preliminary Report to the Board on November 20, 2013.
The Sub-committee met by videoconference on December 12, 2013.
Substantive second round consultation occurred between December and January, 2014, incorporating the Preliminary Report as a consultation document. Once again, the Sub-committee’s regional representatives were instrumental in ensuring the divisions were engaged.
A working group of women association members was formed, with regional representation, to make recommendations to the Sub-committee on women’s orders of dress. Studio photographs of both men’s and women’s attire were produced in January and February 2014 and are contained in this handbook for ready reference.
There is an ongoing initiative through the office of the Corps Sergeant Major to review and clarify Force-wide standards as it relates to protocol, uniform and dress, inclusive of active members, veterans, auxiliaries, reserves and pipe bands.
Existing national policy regarding orders of dress for the Association was considered to be ambiguous, resulting in variations of attire that leaves the outward impression that veterans are either unconcerned or unaware of appropriate dress standards.
The impact of this ambiguity detracts from solemnity and the proffering of proper respect at formal and official occasions; e.g.national/provincial ceremonies of remembrance, RCMP garrison parades, and funerals/services for our fallen. It also compromises the Association’s ability to recruit a newer generation of veteran that seeks pride of association with the Force.
We sincerely hope this revised policy, and the spirit in which it was written, provides all members of the Association with useful guidelines for any occasion where the RCMP Veterans’ Association orders of dress are worn.

No. 1 Duty and Parade Dress
ORDERS OF DRESS	MEN	WOMEN
To be worn while conducting routine duties on behalf of the Association, and for RCMP parades and similar public events, e.g. Change of Command ceremonies, Remembrance Day and so on.	• blue blazer with veteran’s crest and regimental brass buttons. • grey trousers with black belt • white shirt with ties, traditional or tartan • black oxford style shoes with black socks • wedge cap.	• blue blazer with veteran’s crest and regimental brass buttons. • grey slacks or skirt, medium length • white shirt/blouse with tie/scarf traditional or tartan • black close-toed leather shoes with neutral nylon stockings • wedge cap.

No. 2 Ceremonial Dress
ORDERS OF DRESS	MEN	WOMEN
To be worn at ceremonial occasions sponsored by the RCMP, the RCMP Veterans’ Association or at the request of other institutions/individuals, e.g. receptions, funerals and memorial services.	• red blazer with veterans’ crest and regimental brass buttons • dark blue trousers with black leather belt • white shirt with tie, traditional or tartan • black oxford-style shoes with black socks • wedge cap.	• red blazer with veterans’ crest and regimental brass buttons • dark blue slacks or skirt, medium length • white shirt/blouse with tie/scarf, traditional or tartan • black close-toed leather shoes, with neutral nylon stockings • wedge cap.

No.3. Formal Dress
ORDERS OF DRESS	MEN	WOMEN
To be worn at RCMP or RCMP Veterans; Association formal evening events or similar events hosted by public or private groups, e.g. mess dinners, dining-in nights, formal civilian dinner dances.	• red blazer with veterans’ crest and regimental brass buttons • dark blue trousers with black leather belt • white formal shirt with bow tie, black or tartan • cummerbund black or tartan • black oxford-style shoes with black socks.	• red blazer with veterans’ crest and regimental brass buttons • dark blue slacks or skirt, full length • white formal shirt/ blouse with tie/scarf, traditional or tartan • black formal leather shoes, with dark nylon stockings.

Attire

1. Veterans’ Association members, who left the Force in good standing as regular or special constable members, may wear the RCMP uniform on state and official occasions. See references below.
2. Veterans’ Association members may wear appropriate civilian business or formal attire in lieu of, and consistent with, orders of dress described above.
3. The headdress of the Association is the 1901 pattern Field Service Cap (wedge cap), dark blue with yellow piping, with Veterans’ Association metal cap badge. See references below.
4. Regimental ties, in accordance with the RCMP Uniform and Dress Manual (UDM), include both the traditional blue/gold striped pattern and the RCMP tartan.
5. A plain dark blue overcoat, ¾ length, is worn over Parade and Ceremonial Dress when part of a formed unit parading outdoors in inclement weather.
6. Chaplain’s attire provides for the wearing of a clergy shirt with ‘roman collar’, in a colour consistent with the Chaplain’s denomination. Chaplains’ stoles, with RCMP or Veterans’ Association crest(s) affixed, may be procured from the RCMP through the master tailor at Central Stores in Ottawa.

Medals, Decorations and Insignia

7. Medals: Large medals are worn for parades, services and ceremonies and other daytime functions, centered on the left breast of the blazer, with the bottom of the medals .625 cm (¼”) above the top of the pocket line. Large Medals are worn on the left breast of the overcoat when worn over the blue/red blazer on parade. Miniature medals are worn after 18:00 hrs. for formal dinner/evening events on the left lapel of the blazer immediately below the buttonhole.
8. Authorized Orders & Decorations: Information on authorized wearing of medals and the order of their precedence is outlined on the Governor General of Canada web site under Honours at www.gc.ca/document.asps?id=14979
Information on Canadian Association Honours, RCMP Long Service Awards and Foreign Orders, Decorations and Medals as they pertain to the RCMP are outlined in the Administration Manual, AM II.3, and the Uniform and Dress Manual, UDM 1.G.1 and G3, and UDM Appendices 1-1, 7-1. Medals or bars for provincial and/or territorial awards for valour, meritorious and long service may be worn by association members who have been officially presented with these awards by the granting province or territory.
9. Commendation Insignia: The RCMP Commissioner’s, Commander’s,Canadian Force’s Commander in Chief, Vice-Regal and Territorial Commissioner’s commendation bar/insignia is worn centered and immediately below the bottom of large medals, and on the lapel immediately below the bottom of miniature medals.
10. Court-Mounting: Two or more large or miniature medals may be courtmounted with scarlet red court-mounting cloth. For large medals, the total length from top to bottom is 9 cm (3 ½”). For miniature medals, the total length from top to bottom is 5 cm (2”).
11. Undress Ribbons: Undress ribbons may be worn on the blazer centered and .625 cm (¼”) above the top of the pocket line.
12. Business and Formal Civilian Attire: Veterans wearing business or formal civilian attire may wear medals. Occasions for wear include: state functions, RCMP funerals/services and parades, mess dinners and regimental balls, and other occasions as sanctioned by the association. Large medals are worn centered on the left breast of the jacket, with the bottom of the medals .625 cm (¼”) above the top of the pocket line. Miniature medals are worn after 1800 hrs. for formal dinner/evening events on the left lapel of the blazer immediately below the buttonhole.

Pins and Emblems

13. The President’s Medallion: complete with scarlet & gold ribbon for the Association President and Governors, and blue & gold ribbon for Division Presidents, is worn around the neck and centered directly below the tie knot. The medallion, with ribbon, is worn during formal functions with large/miniature medals.
14. Veterans’ service pin, bar(s) and name tag: are worn on the right lapel of the blue/red blazer in Parade and Ceremonial orders of dress. The name tag is worn immediately above the veterans’ service pin and bar(s). Only the last service pin is to be displayed. When large/miniature medals are worn, the name tag, pin and bar(s) are removed.
15 The Mourning Ribbon: adopted for use of the RCMP and Veterans’ Association, is the black and blue looped ribbon, held in place by a silver police badge emblazoned with a maple leaf. It is the official pin of the
Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society.
See http://memorialribbon.com/en/honour-roll/criteria-php.
It is worn while attending federal, provincial/territorial or municipal memorial parades and services honouring peace officers that have lost their lives on or in the line of duty. It may also be worn at a funeral/service of a serving or retired peace officer who has died other than on duty. It is worn on the left lapel between the buttonhole and the top of the breast pocket. When large/miniature medals are worn that overlap the left lapel, the pin is worn immediately above the medals on the lapel.
16. The Poppy: is worn while attending Remembrance Day parades and services. With headdress, the Poppy is worn immediately behind the cap badge. When headdress is not worn, the Poppy is worn on the left lapel between the buttonhole and the top of the breast pocket. When large/miniature medals are worn that overlap the left lapel, the poppy is worn immediately above the medals on the lapel.
17. The Maple Leaf Pin: may be worn during Canada Day celebrations on the left lapel between the buttonhole and the top of the breast pocket. When large/miniature medals are worn that overlap the left lapel, the pin is worn immediately above the medals on the lapel.
18. The Veterans’ Retirement Lapel Pin: issued to or procured by Regular Members upon retirement, is worn on the left lapel between the buttonhole and the top of the breast pocket.When large/miniature medals are worn, the lapel pin is removed.

NOTICE

Effective September 1, 2014 all orders for kit and clothing are to be made through the RCMP Veterans’ Association Canteen in
Edmonton. Telephone 780-412-5572. Fax 780-412-5789. Email
canteen@edmrcmpvets.ca. Hours of operation are Tuesday to
Friday from 10h00 to 2h00.

REFERENCES:

19. The RCMP Uniform: Section 68 of the RCMP Regulations, effective 1988-06-30, permits the Commissioner to authorize regular members and special constable members, who retire or are medically discharged, to continue to wear the RCMP uniform on state and official occasions ( UDM 1.K.1 refers). Section 68 is not retroactive, therefore regular and special constable members who retired before 1988-06-30 are not authorized to wear the uniform. Under the Commissioner’s delegation of authority to Commanding Officers, a regular or special constable member in good standing may be authorized to wear the appropriate RCMP uniform if he/she:
i. retired with a minimum of 20 years of RCMP service, or
ii. discharged from the RCMP for medical reasons pursuant to Section 19(a) of the RCMP Regulations and requests permission, or
iii. under exceptional circumstances, retires in good standing with lessthan 20 years of RCMP service and requests permission, or
iv. converts to a civilian member and meets the requirements.
20. Blue blazer: The blue blazer was first approved for wear by the Association in 1933, and was re-designed in 1948. Uniforms of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, James J. Boulton, Turner-Warwick Publications Inc., 1990.
21. Red blazer: There is no known record, from Annual General Meeting (AGM) minutes, that confirms the adoption of the red blazer as official attire of the Association. It is surmised that the red blazer appeared as conventional attire in light of Section 68 of the RCMP Regulations that came into effect on 1988-06-30. Because the regulation was not retroactive, association members who are not grandfathered adopted attire that included the red serge.
22. Field Service (Wedge) Cap: The field service cap was adopted as the official headdress of the Association at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lethbridge, Alberta in 1974. Officers of the Force
wore variants of the field service cap starting in 1880. The pattern adopted by the Association was worn by other ranks from 1901 and was discontinued in 1904. Uniforms of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, James J. Boulton, Turner-Warwick Publications Inc., 1990.