The Hon. Donald Ethell, OC, OMM, AOE, MSC, CD OFFENDER OF THE MONTH!

Olympic style neck badges! How many more can he add?

Although this is a new blog, I thought it only fitting to select each month a prime offender of the rules for wearing orders, decorations and medals in Canada. Colonel Ethell is the first winner of this prize. There is no medal associated with this award. We wouldn't want to be responsible for Lieutenant Governor Ethell being forced to commit additional medal wearing errors. 


While he may be the most decorated peacekeeper in Canadian history he doesn't know how to wear his medals at all. First off his medal bar is twice the length allowed by CF regulations. If the Duke of Edinburgh can overlap his medals, surely Colonel Ethell can do the same. Next there is the issue of two neck orders. In civilian attire you are only allowed to wear one at a time, yet this Lieutenant Governor is doubling up, as though he is a recently returned athlete from the Beijing Olympics, wearing all his gold medals. It just looks utterly ridiculous. We all know that Colonels are difficult to control but surely someone can offer this otherwise distinguished Canadian some direction on the proper wearing of his many orders, decorations and medals. You would think that a retired Colonel would be at least peripherally aware of the rules and regulations for wearing his various honours -- especially as they are so plenteous in this case.