The RCAF, RCN and CA are back

[The Big Gimper]

Folks:

I just received this message from the AirForce Association:

Subject: CANAIRGEN 015/11 CAS 022/11 REINSTATEMENT OF ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE/LE COMMANDEMENT AÉRIEN RENOMMÉ AVIATION ROYALE DU CANADA

01  01  151637Z AUG  11  RR      UUUU                 CAS 022/11

NDHQ CAS OTTAWA
CANAIRGEN
UNCLAS CAS 022/11
SIC WAA
SUBJ: REINSTATEMENT OF ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE
CANAIRGEN 015/11 CAS 022/11
BILINGUAL MESSAGE/MESSAGE BILINGUE
REINSTATEMENT OF ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE

1. IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE I TELL YOU TODAY THAT THE HISTORICAL
DESIGNATION QUOTE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE (RCAF) UNQUOTE IS ONCE
AGAIN THE OFFICIAL NAME FOR CANADA'S AIR FORCE, REPLACING THE
DESIGNATION AIR COMMAND

2. THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE  IS EXPECTED TO MAKE THE
ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW IN HALIFAX. THE NAMES ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY
(RCN) AND CANADIAN ARMY (CA) ARE ALSO BEING REINTRODUCED FOR
MARITIME COMMAND AND LAND FORCE COMMAND, RESPECTIVELY

3. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CELEBRATION OF THIS HISTORIC EVENT, WHICH
RECOGNIZES AND HONOURS OUR MILITARY HISTORY AND HERITAGE, AND PAYS
TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US. ONCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS
MADE, YOU CAN PROUDLY SAY YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR
FORCE

4. THE HISTORIC NAMES OF THE THREE SERVICES ARE THOSE UNDER WHICH
CANADIANS FOUGHT AND DIED DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE KOREAN
CONFLICT, CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEFENCE OF EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA
DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COLD WAR, AND PAVED THE WAY IN
INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS. THEY ALSO CONTINUE TO BE THE
COMMEMORATIVE NAMES BY WHICH MOST CANADIANS, AND INDEED MANY OF OUR
SERVICE PERSONNEL, IDENTIFY WITH THE THREE SERVICES

5. OUR AIR FORCE FIRST BECAME THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE ON 1
APRIL 1924, WHICH WE STILL CELEBRATE AS OUR OFFICIAL ANNIVERSARY.
WITH THE UNIFICATION OF THE FORCES IN 1968, THE NAVY BECAME MARITIME
COMMAND AND THE ARMY BECAME MOBILE COMMAND (LATER LAND FORCE
COMMAND). HOWEVER, FUNCTIONAL CONTROL OF AIR ASSETS WAS ALLOCATED TO
VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS UNTIL THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AIR COMMAND IN
1975, WHICH AGAIN BROUGHT CF AIR ASSETS UNDER A SINGLE COMMAND
STRUCTURE

6. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT A DIVERGENCE
FROM THE UNIFICATION OF OUR CANADIAN FORCES. WE CONTINUE TO BE A
TRI-SERVICE, UNIFIED FORCE WITH NO CHANGE TO OUR ORGANIZATION

7. ALL CURRENT AIR COMMAND ORDERS (ACOS), DIRECTIVES, RULES,
INSTRUCTIONS OR SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT
UNTIL AMENDED TO REFLECT THE NAME CHANGE OF THE COMMAND.  ALL
REFERENCES TO AIRCOM SHALL BE READ AS READING ROYAL CANADIAN AIR
FORCE EFFECTIVE UPON RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE

8. THE REINTRODUCTION OF THE RCAF AS OUR OFFICIAL NAME WILL BE
CARRIED OUT IN A PHASED APPROACH, AND WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON OUR
CAPABILITIES, RANK STRUCTURES OR RANK INSIGNIA, COMMAND RELATIONS,
ORGANIZATION OR OPERATIONS. OVER THE COMING MONTHS, WE WILL,
HOWEVER, MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES TO DOCUMENTATION AND STAFF TITLES,
AS WELL AS BRANDING AND WEBSITES, AND ADJUST THE CURRENT INSIGNIA,
MOTTO AND COLOURS (WHICH WERE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR AIR COMMAND)

9. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF FURTHER
DEVELOPMENTS

10. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL J.P.A. DESCHAMPS, COMMANDER ROYAL CANADIAN
AIR FORCE, SENDS

[Captain Canada]

Now that's probably the best news I've read in years. Can't wait till they bring on the retro paint schemes to celebrate. Maybe we should have a Group Build !

[Leading Observer]

I wonder how the Quebecois will like the re-introduction of "Royal"?

[The Big Gimper]

About 30 seconds. Oops, too late. 

[jcf]

I wonder how the Quebecois will like the re-introduction of "Royal"?

Well as the word is from the Old French roial, why would they mind? 

[Leading Observer]

Merely because it's the English word peut-être?

[Thorvic]

Wonder if the recent visit by William & Kate  the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge as the next generation Royals helped at all ?

Anyway nice to the titles come back although the decal makers with have kittens 

[kitnut617]

Wonder if the recent visit by William & Kate  the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge as the next generation Royals helped at all ?

Anyway nice to the titles come back although the decal makers with have kittens  

Beat me to it Geoff --- I'm not a Royalist or non-Royalist but I do think the Will & Kate tour was a complete success over here, from what all the news reported about it, they blew most Canadians away ---

I was particularly impressed when they appeared at the Calgary Stampede opening parade dressed up 'Western'



This was the evening before at another function

[rallymodeller]

Two words:

HUZ. ZAH.

I am, as you would say across the pond, "right chuffed" about this. Wonder if it's gonna appear on aircraft or if that's against FIP rules?

In any event, hooray for the RCAF!

[Litvyak]

I am absolutely bouncygiddyecstatic about this news!!! 

It's about time.

Now to start a campaign to have the maple leaf rag be designated the official civil flag, and the Canadian Red Ensign as the official state flag...  (Yes, I am absolutely a Monarchist. ;P )

I haven't heard any news about it, but I assume the French titles will revert to Aviation Royale Canadienne and Marine Royale Canadienne?

[The Big Gimper]

From the French portion of the communique:

LE COMMANDEMENT AÉRIEN RENOMMÉ AVIATION ROYALE DU CANADA

1. JE SUIS TRÈS HEUREUX DE VOUS INFORMER QUE LA FORCE AÉRIENNE DU
CANADA A REPRIS SA DÉSIGNATION HISTORIQUE, SOIT CIT AVIATION ROYALE
DU CANADA FIN CIT (ARC), LAQUELLE REMPLACE L'APPELLATION CIT
COMMANDEMENT AÉRIEN FIN CIT

2. LE MINISTRE DE LA DÉFENSE NATIONALE EN FERA L'ANNONCE DEMAIN À
HALIFAX. LES DÉSIGNATIONS MARINE ROYALE DU CANADA (MRC) ET ARMÉE
CANADIENNE (AC) SONT ÉGALEMENT RÉTABLIS ET ELLES REMPLACERONT
RESPECTIVEMENT LES APPELLATIONS COMMANDEMENT MARITIME ET
COMMANDEMENT DE LA FORCE TERRESTRE

So Litvyak, your are correct.