Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets did business in the front and partied in the back at an annual military skills competition in the US.
“Canadians have embraced the mullet,” an American cadet from the gold-winning team told the crowd. British Forces Broadcasting Service. “We prefer well-combed hair, with a clean cut, and that is our secret.”
A video from April 30 posted on the broadcast service Force News Facebook Page shows a handful of uniformed Canadians sporting the retro hairstyle, with long locks in the back and shorter hair in the front, top and sides.
Two Canadian teams He participated in the 57th annual Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, representing the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, and the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in Quebec.
They placed an impressive second and fifth respectively and competed against 46 teams from 14 other countries on April 26 and 27. The grueling two-day competition tests officer cadets’ military skills, physical endurance and teamwork, and includes events such as rifle marksmanship, swimming in full combat gear, performing combat first aid and sailing 43 kilometers of difficult terrain. The Canadians have finished first four times since 2006.
“This year’s Canadian team also seems to be powered by mullets, not a tactic adopted by the Americans,” he says. The Forces News correspondent said in their coverage of the event. “Canada thought they and their mullets had done enough, but in the end it was [the United States Military Academy’s black team] who brought him home.”
Mullet chaos! 💈 The Canadian team brought their own sense of style to the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition in…
published by Forces News in Tuesday, April 30, 2024
As part of an attempt to attract more troops and diversify its ranks, the Canadian Armed Forces relaxed its dress code in 2022 to allow everything from artificial nails to facial tattoos and dyed hair. The changes also mean that recruits will no longer have to shave their heads for basic training, while hair can be any length as long as it does not cover the face and is tied back if it is longer than shoulder length.
“Our members have told us that the existing dress instructions were not inclusive and did not allow our members to represent their authentic identity while wearing uniform,” the major general said. Lise Bourgon said at the time the dress code changes were announced. “Professional skills and competencies are not defined by hair length or color.”
With Canada’s second place finish in this challenging competition, Bourgon appears to be right.
He US Army, on the other hand, requires men to have their hair completely shaved or closely trimmed. Only natural hair dyes are allowed, although women are allowed to put up long hair. The US military also only allows beards for religious reasons, while Canada allows carefully groomed sideburns, beards, mustaches and goatee of any length.
in a April 29 press releaseThe Canadian team commanders congratulated them on their performance, without a single mention of their winning style in a field of clean competitors.
“The performance of the RMC and RMC Saint-Jean teams in this international competition attests to the quality of military training provided at Canadian military colleges,” said Canadian Defense Academy Commandant Major General Denis O’Reilly. “The lessons learned will help them throughout their careers as future leaders and serve as an inspiration to the rest of the military community.”