'Can I wear makeup in uniform?'

by **Forcell** Wed 20 Feb 2019, 9:01 am

Top Canadian soldier rebukes military recruiting ad on social media

Some on Twitter pointed to the ad as further evidence the Canadian Forces is out of touch when it comes to recruiting women

The ad for Canadian Forces jobs featured a young woman asking the question, “Can I wear makeup in uniform.” The answer was that while it is possible 'Canadian Armed Forces members are ambassadors for Canadian society, so a minimalist approach is the standard.'General Jonathan Vance / Twitter

David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen
February 19, 2019

Canada’s top soldier has apologized after a Facebook recruiting ad about women wearing makeup in the military drew fire for what some are calling a negative portrayal of females.

The ad for the Canadian Forces featured a young woman asking the question, “Can I wear makeup in uniform?” The response in the ad was that while wearing makeup was indeed possible, “Canadian Armed Forces members are ambassadors for Canadian society, so a minimalist approach is the standard.”

That was interpreted by some women online as a suggestion that females who wear more makeup are bad reflections of Canadian society.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance took to Twitter Monday to post a message calling out his own organization for its ad. He wrote that the ad was a “very unfortunate attempt” to respond to a frequently asked question about joining the Forces. “We focus on the value in excellence that women bring to the Canadian Forces and our ads should reflect this.”

Some on Twitter pointed to the ad as further evidence the Canadian Forces is out of touch when it comes to recruiting women. Others, however, explained that the question about makeup was a legitimate one, similar to questions asked by men about whether they are allowed facial hair if they join the military.

Vance also faced some pushback on his Twitter account, with an individual questioning why he was apologizing for the Facebook advertisement.

The rotating Facebook ads are based on frequently asked questions the military deals with from recruits. Those questions are outlined on a Canadian Forces webpage called “Women in the Forces – You Ask. We answer.”

That webpage with the questions is still up. But the Facebook ad campaign, which pushed the questions out to Facebook users, has been temporarily stopped, Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier said Tuesday.

“While these types of questions tested well with our target audience, we recognize that the ad in question did not resonate with everyone the same way,” Le Bouthillier said. “We have received significant and diverse feedback that allows for the refinement and improvement of our recruitment advertising efforts.”

He did not know how long the campaign would be put on hold.

The Canadian military has been struggling for years to boost the numbers of women and visible minorities in the ranks.

Vance acknowledged in a recent interview with The Canadian Press that there has been only a small increase in the number of women in the ranks over the past two years.

He stated three years ago that his goal was to have women comprise 25 per cent of all military personnel by 2026. At that point the number of females was around 15 per cent.

View image on Twitter

That figure has increased to only 15.7 per cent, the Department of National Defence has noted.

Still, Vance said he believes the Canadian Forces can achieve the 25 per cent goal within the next seven years.

The Forces has also faced criticism over its treatment of women in the ranks and how cases of sexual assault and misconduct are investigated. In an April 30, 2015, report, former Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps found that not only was sexual misconduct “endemic” in the Canadian Forces but it was condoned by military leadership.

During her year-long investigation, Deschamps interviewed hundreds of military personnel, as well as commanding officers, military police, chaplains, nurses and social workers. The interviews pointed to what she described as a “hostile sexualized environment” in the military, particularly among recruits and the junior ranks.

Vance has condemned such behaviour and has launched an initiative dubbed Operation Honour to put a halt to the misconduct problem.

Although he has acknowledged that sexual misconduct is a problem in the Canadian Forces, Vance has also blamed the news media for reporting on such incidents, saying it has created a “toxic” narrative about the military.

dpugliese@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/davidpugliese

https://nationalpost.com/news/can-i-wear-makeup-in-uniform-top-canadian-soldier-rebukes-military-recruiting-ad-on-social-media

by **Alpha** Wed 10 Apr 2019, 6:36 pm

Bare legs, ponytails and flats now allowed for women as Canadian Forces update dress regulations

'Overall, we’re trying to better reflect the Canadians we serve while welcoming new members into our ranks,' said Chief Warrant Officer Alain Guimond

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' Mamber3333

A Canadian Armed Forces member competing at the 2012 Canadian Armed Forces Small Arms Concentration at Connaught Ranges, Ottawa.Ryan Jackson / Edmonton Journal

David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen
April 10, 2019

Women in the Canadian Forces are now allowed to have ponytails and have been granted the option to not wear nylons, part of new rules the military hopes will improve morale and attract a younger generation into the ranks.

The new regulations, announced in a brief message sent recently to all military personnel, also grant women the choice to wear flat shoes with their uniforms.

The changes are about providing members of the Canadian military more personal freedom regarding their individual appearance and how they dress for work, said Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer Alain Guimond.

In a statement to Postmedia Guimond said that during visits to military members across the country and on missions overseas the issue of dress regulations often came up in conversations. “As part of the CAF’s leadership, we know that greater control over personal appearance is good for the morale of current CAF members and that it helps us attract future members to our team,” Guimond said. “Overall, we’re trying to better reflect the Canadians we serve while welcoming new members into our ranks.”

Women in the Canadian Forces who had hair longer than their shirt collars were previously required to wear a bun or a braid.

Previously when wearing a skirt, a woman in the Canadian Forces had to wear nylons. They can now have bare legs.

They now also have the option of wearing flats, as long as they are not ballerina-style footwear. They were previously required to wear shoes with heels “approximately 5 cm in height.” The regulations now say that heels cannot exceed that height.

The new regulations were formulated during a semi-annual meeting of senior staff in December. That committee tackled a number of issues that affected military members “who express their gender as women,” according to the message sent to Canadian Forces personnel.

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' Qmi_int20160616lh04

Local commanders will still have the authority to restrict the wearing of long hairstyles due to reasons of operational and health and safety considerations.

The Canadian military has been making a number of change as it tries to recruit younger people.

In the fall of 2018 it eased restrictions on beards. While moustaches were already permitted in the Canadian Forces, beards had been all but forbidden. The only exceptions to that ban had been made for sailors, for whom it is considered a tradition; for those serving in specialized pioneer engineering units, for whom it is also a tradition; and for individuals who have a religious or medical justification.

But under the new policy announced in September beards are allowed — with certain restrictions.

To pass muster, a beard must be worn with a moustache, must be neatly trimmed — especially on the lower neck and cheekbones — and, according to regulation, “it shall not exceed two centimetres in bulk.”

“A member will, on their own accord or upon direction from their commanding officer or designate, shave off unsuccessful attempts to grow a beard,” the message on beards sent to all military personnel warned.

New recruits are still be required to shave. Beards are allowed after personnel finish their initial training.

As with women’s hair, military commanders also retain the right to order restrictions on beards for safety and operational requirements. A prime example is for personnel who are operations or training where a gas or oxygen mask must be worn. A beard prevents the gas mask from maintaining a proper seal to protect the wearer.

Policies on facial hair vary in militaries around the world, but Guimond pointed out that most of the militaries in Europe allow it. Many countries eased restrictions for personnel serving in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where both special forces and, in some cases, regular unit members were sporting beards in an attempt to blend in or be more accepted by the local population.

https://nationalpost.com/news/bare-legs-ponytails-and-flats-now-allowed-for-women-as-canadian-forces-update-dress-regulations

by JAFO Thu 11 Apr 2019, 12:05 am

Can't help but wonder if this is going to raise as much "stink" as the beard rule back in the fall?

by Ringo Thu 11 Apr 2019, 7:37 am

Military shaves restrictions on women in uniform wearing ponytails

The Canadian Press
Published: April 11, 2019

OTTAWA — The Canadian military isn’t letting its hair down just yet, but for the first time, women in uniform will be allowed to wear ponytails.

The move, which also makes nylon stockings optional when in a skirt and permits flat shoes instead of pumps or oxfords, is the latest effort to modernize the Canadian Armed Forces after the recent easing of restrictions on beards, boots and off-duty marijuana use.

It also comes amid a concerted effort by senior commanders to increase the number of women in the military, which has so far moved slower than some had hoped.

“We know that greater control over personal appearance is good for the morale of current CAF members and that it helps us attract future members to our team,” said Chief Warrant Officer Alain Guimond, the military’s top non-commissioned officer. “Overall, we’re trying to better reflect the Canadians we serve while welcoming new members into our ranks.”

Previously, female military personnel with long hair were required to keep it in braids or buns while on duty. They were also required to wear five-centimetre pumps or oxford shoes as well as nylons if they were working in skirts.

Why those restrictions? Tradition? Safety, in the case of ponytails? Defence officials couldn’t immediately answer that question.

Not that the military is throwing away the rulebook entirely; only one ponytail is allowed and it must be “gathered in the centre back of the head,” according to new guidance issued to military personnel this week.

Pippi Longstocking, that means you.

Ponytails are also not allowed with ceremonial uniforms and, in defiance of such trendsetters as Ariana Grande, they can’t go “below the top of the armpit.”

And although the shoe rules for women are being loosened to allow flats, the freedom does not extend to “ballerina-slipper styles.”

As for men, sorry, you’re going to have to do your David Beckham impressions at home: No ponytails for you, even the short variety.

As with last fall’s decision to allow beards in more circumstances, this latest move has received mixed reactions from service members and veterans on social media, with some praising the move as long overdue and others worrying the military will look less professional.

But it likely won’t hurt the military’s efforts to recruit and retain more women in uniform.

Defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance publicly asserted in February 2016, shortly after taking command of the Forces, that he wanted women to be 25 per cent of the military by 2026. At that time, barely 15 per cent of service members were women.

Figures provided by the Department of National Defence showed that at the beginning of January that had grown to 15.7 per cent, a rate of increase that Vance acknowledged to The Canadian Press was slower than he had anticipated.

— Follow @leeberthiaume on Twitter.

https://o.canada.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/military-shaves-restrictions-on-women-in-uniform-wearing-ponytails/wcm/efdc32a7-5a23-42e8-9bf2-f62b9669ae61

by kodiak Sat 13 Apr 2019, 8:59 am

Military personnel sound off about letting their hair down

Updated dress code also loosens rules around nylons, shoes

CBC News · Posted: Apr 13, 2019

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' Canadian-soldier-military-ponytail

A member of the Canadian military shows off her ponytail in Ottawa on April 11, 2019. The military has decided to loosen a number of restrictions involving its dress code, allowing women in uniform to wear ponytails. (Hallie Cotnam/CBC)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/dnd-women-s-uniform-changes-reaction-1.5094659

by **Spider** Mon 15 Apr 2019, 8:35 am

SCOTT TAYLOR: Beards and bare legs a slippery slope with scant benefit to military

April 15, 2019

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' B97903330Z.1_20190415071726_000GK0NV9JJ.1-1_large

In an attempt to boost recruitment and shore up retention, the Canadian Armed Forces have recently changed regulations on dress and deportment of uniformed personnel.

First, it allowed male service members to grow beards. Previously it was only sailors on shore duties and in the pioneer section in infantry regiments that were allowed to grow facial hair. However, during the lengthy deployment in Afghanistan, Canadian special forces operatives began sporting beards, and the ‘cool factor’ generated by these elite commandos led to the practice being authorized in theatre for all frontline soldiers as a cultural recognition for local Afghan custom.

This trend continued among Canadian special forces operatives when they deployed to northern Iraq in 2014, and continues to this day despite the fact that most Iraqi males are clean-shaven. But I digress.

The fact is that among Canadian servicemen it has become cool to grow a beard, and it coincides with the current hipster wave in Canadian society. To boost morale among those already in uniform and to entice hipster recruits to join, the rules have now been changed.

In situations where personnel require the use of gas masks, obviously common sense will prevail.

Last week it was reported that female service members would be allowed to wear their hair in a ponytail. Previous regulations required any hair hanging below the shirt collar to be either braided or worn up in a bun.

Again, it is assumed that in cases where dangling hair could be caught in machinery, practicality will dictate the hairstyle.

The CAF also made it permissible for female personnel to go bare legged on extremely hot days. Under the previous regulations, nylons were required to be worn at work at all times, regardless of the temperature and resultant discomfort.

Women are now authorized to wear flats, rather than the previously specified five-centimetre heels, but ballerina-style shoes are still prohibited.

The stated intention of these dress code changes is to improve the morale of the currently serving women, and to make the military a more attractive career option for the younger generation of female recruits.

When you throw in the recently revised policies recognizing the legalization of marijuana and the resultant new regulations concerning its use for CAF members, it is safe to say this is no longer your grandfather’s armed forces.

I dare say that it is a slippery slope once you start making allowances to accommodate individual tastes in an institution whose core value is disciplined conformity.

Not that I believe we should remain tied to tradition. Were that the case, the CAF would still be flogging soldiers lashed to cannon wheels.

The U.S. is facing a similar personnel crunch, due to widespread disinterest in the current generation in a martial career. In an effort to get recruits in the door, the U.S. is offering signing bonuses of up to $40,000, as well as incentives to pay off student loan debts. Last year the Pentagon spent a whopping $600 million on signing bonuses, along with $1.6 billion on recruiting.

For the first time in history, even the U.S. Marine Corps has had to start enticing recruits with cash incentives. More alarmingly, since 2017 the Marine Corps has had to reduce its minimum admission standards and offer 25 per cent more medical, mental health, recreational drug and misconduct waivers just to meet their minimum manning levels.

Canada led the way down this path when they set the basic fitness recruitment to zero back in 2006. That’s right folks, even if you cannot perform a single situp, you can still enlist in the CAF. The premise for this is that, should you desire a career in uniform, they will invest the time and energy required to get you into shape prior to beginning basic training. We also upped the maximum age for recruits to 57. As long as you can still fulfill a three-year basic engagement before the mandatory retirement age of 60, you can join the CAF.

I still believe that the Canadian military is not just among the best in the world — it is the best in the world. However, I fear that if we change our recruiting ideology from the ‘be all that you can be’ to ‘be what you want to be’ we will soon lose that edge.

People won’t join or stay in the Forces just because they can grow a beard, wear a ponytail and smoke dope. However, belonging to an elite, professional military formation should generate its own positive morale boost.

https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/columnists/scott-taylor-beards-and-bare-legs-a-slippery-slope-with-scant-benefit-to-military-301835/

by **RunningLight** Fri 19 Apr 2019, 1:00 pm

The Canadian Forces jobs where only women need apply

Christie Blatchford
April 19, 2019

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' Tw201811217ef01-e1555681194857

https://nationalpost.com/news/the-canadian-forces-jobs-where-only-women-need-apply

by Hunter Wed 24 Apr 2019, 7:47 am

Christie Blatchford: The road to employment equity isn’t paved with lower standards

Christie Blatchford
April 24, 2019

by Zapper Sun 26 May 2019, 4:44 pm

I was the first female cadet at Royal Military College. Decades later I realized I was never ‘one of the guys’

Kate Armstrong - Author of The Stone Frigate / May 26, 2019

Kate Armstrong, pictured in her fourth year at Royal Military College in Kingston.

Editor’s note: The opinions in this article are the author’s, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/i-was-the-first-female-cadet-at-royal-military-college-decades-later-i-realized-i-was-never-one-of-the-guys/ar-AABW0vo?li=AAggNb9&OCID=AVRES000

by **Riverway** Mon 10 Feb 2020, 8:50 am

Shorter skirts, disaster relief and highlighting medals as 'bling' might bring more women into the military

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN -- February 10, 2020

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' Gen-int-cfb-trenton-air-show-preview

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/shorter-skirts-disaster-relief-and-highlighting-medals-as-bling-might-bring-more-women-into-the-military

by **Luxray** Fri 14 Feb 2020, 7:55 pm

Canadian Forces nixes post about military "bling” but moves ahead with other initiatives to recruit women

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN / February 14, 2020

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' Afp_1oz35p

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/canadian-forces-nixes-post-about-military-bling-but-moves-ahead-with-other-initiatives-to-recruit-women

by Silveray Sat 15 Feb 2020, 9:28 am

Today's letters:

There are better ways to recruit women into the military, Canada

OTTAWA CITIZEN EDITORIAL BOARD - February 15, 2020

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' Gen-int-cfb-trenton-air-show-preview-1

Don’t call my medals ‘bling’

Re: Military – Shorter skirts, disaster relief and highlighting medals as ‘bling’ might bring more women in, Feb. 10.

How disheartening it was to read David Pugliese’s article on how to attract more women into the Canadian military.

Some in the military had initially suggested promoting medals as “bling” – which would certainly have lessened the pride felt from any medal earned. I served for 20 years and earned my medal when deployed to Rwanda. I would have been extremely offended if at any time it were referred to as “bling.”

Wearing a shorter, more fitted skirt will not have women flocking to recruiting centres; most of the time, combats are the dress of the day. These ideas couldn’t be any more sexist.

If you want to entice women into the military, start by asking the ones already serving what changes they would like to see. Promote the technical trades; opportunities for career progression (it still seems male-dominated); affordable base housing, especially for the junior ranks; free parking at their place of employment when posted to places such as Ottawa; longer postings in one place for those who may want more stability once they start families; financial child care assistance for single parents with preschool children.

These are a few suggestions. Not “bling” and short skirts.

Lisa Beauvais, Ottawa

A condescending recruitment approach

I am appalled at the strategizing to get more women entering military ranks.

What was described was incredibly demeaning. Women are not a shallow monolith attracted by the vain benefits of a sexualized uniform. The reasons women appear to cite for not wanting to participate in the military are valid and sensible: the killing of innocents, poor care for PTSD-suffering veterans, and what David Pugliese described as “sexual harassment.” This term sorely neglects the consistently high rates of actual rape and subsequent acquittals within Canadian military ranks, not mere “harassment.”

Whoever is responsible for deciding upon the short skirt, and “throwing like a girl” approach only contributes to the toxic misogyny that is clear in the military. This campaign approach is disgusting, condescending and demeaning. Any capable woman who would be considered a strong candidate for serving would surely be turned off by this campaign.

It seems to me that no woman (or even sensible person) was asked for feedback before this reached the public.

Emma Barrett-Ryan, Ottawa

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/letters/todays-letters-there-are-better-ways-to-recruit-women-into-the-military-canada

by **Luxray** Mon 17 Feb 2020, 4:08 pm

Despite suggestion, shorter skirts not the way the
military is trying to recruit more women

Published Monday, February 17, 2020

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/despite-suggestion-shorter-skirts-not-the-way-the-military-is-trying-to-recruit-more-women-1.4815494

by Cypher Tue 18 Feb 2020, 2:32 pm

The Canadian Forces' failed recruitment policy

February 18, 2020

'Can I wear makeup in uniform?' Pt_taste_of_home_28_05_2012t1559391

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/barbara-kay-the-canadian-forces-failed-recruitment-policy

by Logan Wed 19 Feb 2020, 10:22 am

Canada nearly lost UN mission over gender imbalance

Feb 19, 2020

by Sponsored content

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