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New CANSOF Dress Uniform

At CANSEC, Logistik Unicorp unveiled the new dress uniform for CANSOF personnel.

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Reminiscent of US WWII issue ‘Pinks and Greens’, the uniform honors CANSOF’s lineage back to the service with the joint Canada/US unit, the First Special Service Force. Like the famed Black Devils, unit members will wear bloused jump boots, as well as a more modern affectation, their distictive Tan beret.

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49 Responses to “New CANSOF Dress Uniform”

  1. Darkhorse says:

    SHARP!

  2. Queeg says:

    As I understand it, these new uniforms will only be worn by badged Assaulters and SF Operators.

  3. Queeg says:

    As I understand it, these new DEUs will only be issued to badged Assaulters and SF Operators.

  4. Strike-Hold says:

    Definitely some cool threads there. Very nice.

  5. Bill says:

    Looks sharp. The US Army could learn a lesson here. The “blues” look ridiculous with the amount of junk pinned to them.

    • Gerard says:

      I completly agree

    • buckaroomedic says:

      I agree too. Wish the Army had “gone back to their roots” also.

      • SSD says:

        I hear the SMA is interested in Pinks and Greens.

      • Will Rodriguez says:

        Roots? Blues have a tradition going back to before the Civil War and was the color of the Continental Army.

        Maybe folks don’t appreciate the blues because they don’t know their history? Unlike the Marines, the Army doesn’t devote a lot of effort in inculcating our history or traditions in our soldiers. It’s all too often left to the few units that do or the individual.

        Heck, most soldiers don’t know the Army motto or Birthday.

      • Will Rodriguez says:

        Roots?

        Blues have a tradition to before the Civil War. Blue was the color of the Continental Army.

        Many don’t seem to appreciate Blues because they don’t know the Army’s history. Unlike the Marines the Army does a poor job of teaching history and inculcating tradition in basic. We tend to leave it to the few units that do it at the unit level which is often leader dependent. Short of that it’s up to the individual.

        Heck, most soldiers don’t even know the Army motto or its birthday.

        • Jester says:

          That’s an easy one. “We do more before 9 AM than most people do all day.”

  6. Unimog says:

    That is classy. Wish we would go back to the old style. Especially here in the Navy. Some tradition needs to be left in place.

    • PTMcCain says:

      Has the Navy formally dropped the “aquaflage” yet? Just seemed to me the only point was making sure nobody could possibly spot you if you fell overboard.

      • Bill says:

        Yup. They should’ve stuck with the boondockers and dungarees.

      • tcba_joe says:

        I always thought the blue camo was to hide oil/grease stains.

        I’m fairly certain the Navy is going to the woodland NWU now. Although, the USCG style ODU is probably the most appropriate uniform color for most Navy personnel.

      • Unimog says:

        Yea the blueberries are out , woodland nwu is in. I agree on dungarees course I came in in 1995 heck even blue bdu’s would be ok.

    • Ed says:

      So here is the low down, All assigned “shore-duty” personnel will wear AOR2, aka: NWU Type III. Personnel assigned to “sea-duty”, aka big gray things are wearing/issued a dark grayish coveralls for all work related duties aboard ship. This make the most sense since submariners have always worn coverall type uniform for decades. The Navy mandate for all shore personnel to have AOR2 uniforms is by 2019. NWU Type I, aka “aqua-flage” will be phased out by that same time.

      SSD, correct me if I’m off on date details.

      • SSD says:

        You’re pretty much spot on except the coveralls are dark blue. The Navy has been experimenting with new work coveralls for quite a while, trying to decide if they can afford the FR variants. As I have a kid in the Navy, it’s something I hope they figure out.

      • Steve says:

        So how does one make an expedient flotation device from coveralls?

        • Ed says:

          Good one! In reality I’d reckon only 30-40% of any crew on our finest US Navy ships could actually swim (survive) if they ended up in the water without flotation or non-life threatening injuries. that 60-70% can barely swim (float) in a calm pool. I’ve seen it several times having visited Great Lakes RTC/NTC over the last 15 years. From what I know about most threats to ships, I’m talking about other countries with naval weaponry, “floating” is gonna last thing they need to worry about if we are ever are in a shooting war with another “1st world” navy. Now another “terror attack”, like USS Cole, or even a mine, the surviving crew is gonna patch it up and lock down those spaces. MHO.

  7. FormerDirtDart says:

    Five buttons?
    Has to be symbolic of something, right?

  8. Kirk says:

    Would that the US Army exhibited similar good taste in dress uniforms…

    Although, one might reflect on the fact that a few generations ago, this would have been acceptable as a combat uniform. Soooo… What makes a dress uniform, then? Time, impracticality for current use, and enshrinement in popular memory?

    Makes you wonder what the hell we’re going to be wearing for playing dress-up in few more generations… BDUs?

    • Bert says:

      I believe this has already begun. The ACU cut of uniform is being relegated to a garrison utility uniform, while specialized shirts and pants are being worn with armor in the field (pants less so, but it is coming, I am sure). We may see a complete separation of the uniform types of utility and combat in the near future.

      • Bradkaf308 says:

        I think the Aussies already do that.
        Diggers is that true?

        lol a Canuk uniform but really has the Yanks talking.

        • D.B. says:

          Yes, Aussies have adopted a separate combat uniform 2 years ago with a help from Crye design team. It’s losely based on Crye Precision modified G3 combats. The uniform features some welcome upgrades like zippered main cargo pockets for quick access and leas ‘flappage’. It’s built like a tank for year-round wear from harder wearing thick fabric (the type kf cloth escapes me at the moment, but I remember it had certain level if polyester in it).

        • Bradkaf308 says:

          What a waste of money

          • D.B. says:

            Was it? At least there’s been positive response from the field that I heard of. It’s not perfect but the new cut and the newly derived Auscam/Multicam camo pattern was generally received well by the forces.

            Did you hear otherwise?

      • AbnMedOps says:

        Kirk: “a few generations ago…” – Made me think of Patton ordering a $5 fine for not wearing necktie! 🙂

        Bert: that would be another case of the wheel turning all the way around. Back in the 1800’s, the US Army wore white-ish “fatigues” as work clothes while doing all the mundane labor in garrison (called “fatigue duty”, and including carpentry, latrine digging, tending unit food gardens, etc). In the field during the Indian Wars, the Army Blue uniform was worn, but was usually supplemented with all sorts of warmer/cooler/more practical/cheaper/more “salty” looking garments, headgear, and equipment (“prairie belts” and BFK’s). Units in field chasing “John” or “Lo” (nicknames for American Indians) tended to look non-standard…much like our guys in all the later long-term counterinsurgencies.

  9. Mac says:

    Looks like the thin edge of the wedge. If Canadian SF units are going to get their own Service Dress uniform, then surely every other regiment in the Army will want the same. Next thing you know, the Canadian’s service dress will be as ‘uniform’ as the Brits!

    • Bradkaf308 says:

      I don’t mind different uniforms but with the “defense review” coming up that sounds like it’s focusing on social justice not improving force projection leaves me concerned and this appears to be bread & circuses. I hear new beret colours too. More wasted money.

      • Bill says:

        The US Army knows a thing or two about berets and wasted money.

        Thanks Shinseki!

  10. John says:

    Looks great. Really well done.

  11. CavGuns says:

    I rather like it.

  12. Mitchell says:

    I pay tax in this country and want a capability not another throw back to our past. Let’s live in the now and replace the LSVW, MLVW and CF18. Fancy looking troops are for parades. Well equipped and trained troops are for the real world.

  13. Bob McKerracher says:

    The 1st Special Service Force were known as the Devils Brigade not the Black Devils! The only Canadian unit that had black in its name were the Black Watch who wore kilts and were known by the Germans as The Ladies From Hell due to their ferocity in battle!

    • SSD says:

      No Bob, read up on your history. Yes, they were the Devil’s Brigade, but they also are known as the Black Devils. Even their unofficial logo depicts a black devil.

      • Ian Coutta says:

        The most famous “Black Devils” in the Canadian military are the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, who do carry a devil on their cap badge. Not sure about the Devil’s Brigade ever being called Black Devils. This is the first I have heard of it

  14. Phil says:

    *Die Schwarzen Teufel

  15. JBar says:

    Looks great! I wish the US services would go back to something similar.

  16. Greg says:

    What a ugly looking uniform! Why don’t we use designers from the 21’s century instead of copying suits from the 70’s!

  17. Chris says:

    Going to be the voice of disagreement here.

    There was a reason we wore that brown uniform in WW2 as part of the SSF…..it was because it was easier to equip a joint unit with US dress uniforms which were more available (along with their equipment which was also issued then Canadian/Brit uniforms and gear. the UK was so short of supplies that this would have freed up some equipment for shipment to the UK as they didn’t use US uniforms and equipment. It was a matter of Logistics. So why is a uniquely Canadian unit with no American component posted to its strength issueing a special unform of US historical origin to its troops which are part of the Canadian Army.

    This only serves to put a visual wedge into the heart of “One Army” mindset. We might as well go back to the pre-Victorian unit specific uniforms that we had in the 1800s at least they would look better then that thing. its not even very good looking

    CSOR is not. there are no American troops being posted to CSOR except possibly some exchange officers or NCOs. Why would we issue an American WW2 uniform to a Canadian Unit? Someone up in the Ivory Tower is all nostalgic and wanting to be a special snowflake without doing research.

    Sorry all but this sickens me as it shows that there is no interest in keeping morale, discipline and uniformity a high priority in the CAF.

  18. ALAN says:

    I hope USASOC units and 1st USASFC follow suit!

    I hate the blue uniform. And, as far as Blue being our ‘heritage’, no, Yeah, we had and wore blue, but during the Span Am war and the border insurrections,the uniforms were Tan/Brown, the “Banana Wars” uniforms the Army of that period wore was largely the same.

    Best uniforms the US Army had were the “pinks” as well as the Tan dress uniforms of the 70s and early 80’s, and I always hoped the Army would adopt a either Green or Tan class ‘A’ uniform this time around instead of the blues with the stolen black Ranger beret,

  19. Jason says:

    This uniform is hideous!
    Bloused jump boots? Seriously?
    Thankfully the operators are fit so they will look OK in anything.
    This new trend of putting more baubles and distinctive thingies on our uniforms every year is making us weak!
    Jay

  20. Captain Canuck says:

    The Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force already has a sharp looking uniforms and no need to waste tax payer dollars for a uniform that a Canadian Special Forces trooper will wear perhaps once or twice a year if they even wear a dress uniform during their Special Forces career.

    Our Special Forces brothers in the US Army, British Army, Australian Army etc.. all wear their respective countries Army uniform when needed.

    Money better spent on bullets and much needed equipment.