QR&O: Volume I - Chapter 17 Dress And Appearance

Section 1 - General

17.01 - UNIFORMS

Members of the Canadian Forces shall wear the uniforms prescribed by the Chief of the Defence Staff.

(C)

17.02 - PERSONAL APPEARANCE

The dress and appearance of officers and non-commissioned members shall on all occasions be such as to reflect credit on the Service.

(C)

17.03 - BEARDS AND MOUSTACHES

The wearing of beards and moustaches is subject to any restrictions ordered by the Chief of the Defence Staff.

(C)

17.04 - WHEN UNIFORM WORN

(1) Unless the Chief of the Defence Staff otherwise directs, an officer or non-commissioned member:

1. on duty shall wear uniform; and
2. not on duty may wear civilian clothes.

(2) An officer or non-commissioned member who desires to wear uniform while on leave outside Canada shall request permission to do so at the time that the member applies for the leave.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to an officer or non-commissioned member serving in a ship outside Canada when on leave at or in the vicinity of a port, in which the ship is lying.

(4) When a request for permission to wear uniform is made under paragraph (2), the authority having power to approve the leave:

1. may, subject to any restrictions imposed by the Chief of the Defence Staff, approve the request if the leave is to be spent in any country
   1. of the Commonwealth,
   2. of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or
   3. in which Canadian Forces are stationed in accordance with any instrument entered into by Canada; and
2. shall, in all other cases, refer the request to National Defence Headquarters.

(5) Where permission is granted to wear uniform on leave outside Canada, the authority granting the leave shall record the permission on the leave form and, where permission has been given under subparagraph (4)(b):

1. if the authority granting the leave is outside Canada, he shall:
   1. inform the Canadian representative in the country concerned, or
   2. if there is no Canadian representative in the country concerned, inform the representative of the United Kingdom; and
2. if the authority granting the leave is in Canada, the Chief of the Defence Staff shall cause the Department of External Affairs to be notified.

(M)

(17.05: NOT ALLOCATED)

17.06 - WEARING OF UNIFORM - RESTRICTION

(1) Except that an officer or non-commissioned member may wear a military uniform of obsolete pattern that is not likely to be confused with current dress, no member shall wear any part of military uniform at a fancy dress ball.

(2) No member of the Reserve Force shall wear uniform except when:

1. on service; or
2. attending a military entertainment or a ceremony at which the wearing of uniform is appropriate.

(3) A former member of the Regular Force or Reserve Force, who was released for a reason other than misconduct may wear uniform:

1. with the permission of an officer commanding a command or his designated authority and such other officers as may be designated by the Chief of the Defence Staff, when attending a military entertainment or ceremony at which the wearing of uniform is appropriate; and
2. on other occasions with the permission of the Chief of the Defence Staff.

(M)

17.065 - WEARING OF UNIFORM IN THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS

An officer commanding a command may authorize an officer or non-commissioned member to wear uniform in a theatrical production, stage play or other public performance, where the officer is satisfied that no discredit to the Service will ensue.

(M)

(17.07: NOT ALLOCATED)

17.08 - PROVISION AND MAINTENANCE OF UNIFORMS

(1) Officers and non-commissioned members shall be issued with articles of uniform on such scale and in such manner as may be prescribed by the Chief of the Defence Staff.

(2) Officers and non-commissioned members shall maintain articles of uniform in accordance with orders issued by the Chief of the Defence Staff.

(M)

(17.09: NOT ALLOCATED)

17.10 - WEARING OF ACCESSORIES WITH UNIFORM

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), no officer or non-commissioned member of the Canadian Forces shall wear with a uniform any visible article that is not authorized as part of an order of dress.

(2) The Chief of the Defence Staff may authorize specific accessories for optional wear.

(C)

(17.11 to 17.14 INCLUSIVE: NOT ALLOCATED)

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Section 2 - Mourning

17.15 - COURT MOURNING

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), court mourning does not apply to the Canadian Forces.

(2) An officer shall wear court mourning only if the court is in mourning and the officer is:

1. attending court functions including levees;
2. in attendance upon the Governor General or the Lieutenant-Governor of a province; or
3. on duty with an escort or guard of honour provided for the Governor General or the Lieutenant Governor of a province.

(M)

17.16 - SERVICE MOURNING

(1) Service mourning applies to officers only.

(2) The Chief of the Defence Staff may order service mourning on the occasions, under the conditions and for the period he considers necessary.

(M)

17.17 - OTHER CASES OF MOURNING

Subject to article 17.15 (Court Mourning),

1. an officer or chief warrant officer shall wear mourning while taking part in service funerals or ceremonial services connected with service funerals;
2. an officer or non-commissioned member may wear mourning at a private funeral in the event of a personal bereavement; and
3. no officer or non-commissioned member shall wear mourning at the unveiling of memorials, Remembrance Day services or other similar ceremonies.

(M)

(17.18 TO 17.99 INCLUSIVE: NOT ALLOCATED)