Regulations pertaining to the wearing of maedals on operational clothing

The request was successful.

Dear Ministry of Defence,
under the freedom of information act I request the following: Regulations pertaining to the wearing of medals on operational clothing and the use of operational clothing as parade dress for formal occasions such as remembrance day parades.

Yours faithfully,
D J Butler

D J Butler left an annotation ()

This request concerns the Armed Forces only

Pers Trg-Sec-FOI Mailbox (MULTIUSER),

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Butler,

 

Please find attached response to your FOI request of 20 November.

 

Regards,

 

Defence Personnel Secretariat

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Ministry of Defence,

Note: Cadet Forces do not have "operational clothing" nor do they deploy on operations, a fact which may surprise the MoD.

I received an incomplete answer in as much as I requested information on Regular army dress regulations not "Cadet" regs which I am told also apply to the Armed Forces. I believe this to be misleading. I have been told by serving personnel that medals are not to be worn on "operational" clothing but regulations are being ignored. It is understandable that "cadet's etc are allowed to wear medals (what medals?) on outdated non operational clothing as they are not part of the Armed Forces (Yet !)nor issued with either No1 or No2 dress, this is not the case with a regular soldier. It is my considered opinion that to wear No8 (if I recall correctly) dress on a formal occasion is disrespectful. Dress regulations should not be an "official secret" so why is the MoD so protective of them. Maybe it's more economical to ignore regulations
than enforce them.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/r...

Yours faithfully,

D J Butler

Pers Trg-Sec-FOI Mailbox (MULTIUSER),

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Butler,

 

Please find attached a further response to your FOI request of 20
November.

 

Regards,

 

Defence Personnel Secretariat

 

D J Butler left an annotation ()

Makes you wonder who is telling the truth:

Serial No:97/13
Source:PS12(A)
Date:1stOctober 2013

REMEMBRANCE DAY PARADES AND SERVICES 2013

1. To update Army policy on the wearing of the poppy in uniform during the period leading up to Remembrance Day 2013 as well as the policy on uniform and medals worn for Remembrance Day Parades and Services and related events.

TARGET AUDIENCE
2. All Regular and Reserve personnel and Cadet Forces Adult Volunteers (CFAV). To be repeated on Unit Routine Orders.

KEY POINTS

• All officers and soldiers are encouraged to attend Remembrance Day parades and Services on Sunday 10 Nov in appropriate uniform.

• As last year, personnel from Army Reserve units who have yet to be issued with No 2 Dress may wear Combat Uniform and full sized medals providing the unit has been given authority by the appropriate Formation Commander. CFAV may wear Combat Uniform with full sized medals. This concession permitting medals to be worn on Combat Uniform applies to
events on Remembrance Day only.

• Poppies may be worn in uniform from the start of the Poppy Appeal until 11Nov subject to Corps and Regimental direction.

BACKGROUND
Uniform

3. Remembrance Day falls on Sunday 10bNovember this year. Many Army personnel will be involved in organised Remembrance Day Services and parades throughout the country. Individual personnel not involved in organised activities are encouraged to attend their local war memorial or church services in uniform (subject to any local security orders) to help mark the event and to show support and engagement with their local Community.

4. Apart from the Cenotaph Parade in Whitehall, the appropriate uniform to be worn is No 2 Service Dress with full-sized medals, leather and appropriate accoutrements. Swords should not be worn unless ordered for those attending in an official capacity. All Regular and Reserve personnel are to wear the No 2 Dress though exceptionally those within Reserve units who have not yet been issued with No 2 Dress may wear Combat Uniform with full sized medals on Remembrance Day only providing that authority has been granted by the appropriate Formation Commander at no less than 1-Star level.

5. CFAV may wear Combat Uniform with medals without authority as they are no longer issued with No 2 Dress. This concession permitting medals to be worn on Combat Uniform applies only to events on Remembrance Day and only for personnel in certain Reserve units and CFAV.

6. Combat Uniform is not to be worn by anyone attending the Albert Hall Festival of Remembrance unless required to do so as part of the event.

7. Retired officers may wear uniform, if they so wish, but only for Remembrance Day Services and parades providing that the uniform is smart and conforms in all respects to the current uniform of their previous Corps or Regiment. They should wear a gilt metal “R” in brass below their rank insignia. Anyone attending in civilian attire is encouraged to wear full sized medals.

The Poppy

8. The standard poppy as produced in England or Scotland supporting the Royal British Legion may be worn as a personal choice on all uniforms. It may be worn from the first day of the Poppy Appeal until 11 November subject to Corps and Regimental direction. In No 1 and No 2 Dress as well as Barrack Dress, the poppy is to be worn according to Corps and Regimental custom. In Combat Uniform, the poppy is to be worn pinned to the left breast with a safety pin.
9. Troops taking part in the parade at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday and the Albert Hall Festival of Remembrance do not wear poppies.

Saluting
10. When attending Remembrance Parades as with all other similar parades, officers in uniform wearing head dress either on parade or as spectators are reminded that they should salute on the first note of the Last Post and return on the last note and remain at attention throughout the 2 Minutes Silence and during the Reveille. Other Ranks and all those in civilian attire are not to
salute but are to come to attention on the first note of the Last Post and remain at attention throughout the 2 Minutes Silence until the last note of the Reveille. Those in civilian attire wearing civilian head dress are to remove the head dress during the Last Post but replace it for the 2 Minutes Silence and the Reveille. It is customary for veterans wearing military style head dress
such as berets to conform to the uniformed policy according to their rank.