New Canadian Army insignias to pay for themselves, military says

OTTAWA ? Changes to Canadian Army insignia will cost about $245,000 but the military is hoping the move will pay for itself over a five-year period.

The Conservative government announced July 8 that Canadian Army rank insignia, names and badges would revert to their traditional forms; the army would replace the maple leaf rank designation on the uniforms of officers with traditional ?pips? and Crowns. The ranks of non-commissioned officers will return to the original designations that were in place during the First and Second World Wars. Those were based on the British Army.

The move follows the Conservative government?s push to re-introduce symbols of the British monarchy to Canadian military organizations. The cost of its 2011 move to reinstate the word ?royal? back into the titles of the navy and air force, as well as changing the name of Land Force Command to Canadian Army was around $1 million.

The latest changes will be phased in over a four to five year period as new uniforms are replaced.

What exactly the new insignias will look like hasn?t been finalized, according to the military.

Army spokeswoman Capt. Melina Archambault said that it is estimated the changes will cost around $245,000. But since the changes will save approximately $53,550 per year, they will pay for themselves in five years, she added. The money being saved is because the new insignia is a pin-on as opposed to a uniform change.

?The cost of promoting an officer will be reduced from an individual tailoring and braid procurement cost of approximately $33.00 per promotion to a cost of approximately $5.00-$6.00 for a pair of metal stars or crowns that pin-on like the current metal rank badges for non-commissioned members,? she said. ?Based on the average number of promotions and new hires each year, the annual steady-state cost savings is estimated at $53,550.?

The move has received mixed reaction. While some veterans have hailed a return to traditional insignia of the First and Second World Wars, others have pointed out that a whole new generation of Canadian soldiers fought and died under the more recent type of insignias and ranks.

Last week, the army?s new commander, Lt.-Gen. Marquis Hainse, announced that the army would also adopt a new primary badge, visual identifier, and tag line.

The new primary badge of the Canadian Army is based on one used prior to the unification of the Canadian Forces in 1968, the military notes.

It will feature crossed swords and three maple leaves.

The visual identifier, derived from the primary badge, will feature a crown atop the maple leaves and swords, as well as the words ?Canadian Army? in both official languages. The new tag line for the army is ?Strong. Proud. Ready.?

Source: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/canada/Canadian+Army+insignias+themselves+military+says/8689160/story.html

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