Canadian Armed Forces members rock mullets and place second at annual military skills competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S. (Forces News)
Share
Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets were business in the front and party in the back at an annual military skills competition held in the U.S.
"The Canadians have embraced the mullet," an American member of the gold-winning team told the British Forces Broadcasting Service. "We prefer a nice combed head of hair – clean cut – and that's our secret sauce."
An April 30 video posted on the broadcasting service's Forces News Facebook page shows a handful of uniformed Canadians rocking the retro hairstyle, with long locks in the back and hair trimmed shorter on the front, top and sides.
Two Canadian teams participated in the 57th annual Sandhurst Military Skills Competition held at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., representing the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ont., and the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in Quebec.
Placing an impressive second and fifth respectively, they competed against 46 teams from 14 other countries on April 26 and 27. The gruelling two-day competition tests officer cadets' military skills, physical endurance and teamwork, and includes events like rifle marksmanship, swimming in full combat gear, performing combat first aid and navigating 43 kilometres of difficult terrain. Canadians have placed first four times since 2006.
"The Canadian team this year also seem to be powered by mullets, not a tactic adopted by the Americans," a Forces News correspondent said in her 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 it home."
Mullet Mayhem! 💈 The Canadian team brought their own sense of style to the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at...
As part of a bid 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 face tattoos and coloured hair. The changes also mean recruits no longer have to shave their heads for basic training, while hair can be any length as long as it doesn't cover the face and is tied back if longer than shoulder-length.
"We've heard from our members that the existing dress instructions were not inclusive, and did not allow our members to represent their authentic selves while in uniform," Maj.-Gen. Lise Bourgon said at the time the dress code changes were announced. "Professional skills and competence are not defined by the length or the colour of your hair."
With Canada's second-place finish in this challenging competition, Bourgon appears to be right.
The U.S. army, by contrast, requires men to have completely shaved or closely trimmed hair. Only natural hair dyes are permitted, although women are allowed to tie back long hair. The U.S. army also only permits beards for religious reasons, while Canada allows neatly groomed sideburns, beards, moustaches and goatees of any length.
In an April 29 news release, the Canadian teams' commanders congratulated them for their performance – without a single mention of their winning style in a field of clean-cut competitors.
"The performance of the teams from RMC and RMC Saint-Jean at this international competition attests to the quality of the military training provided at the Canadian Military Colleges," Canadian Defence Academy commander Maj.-Gen Denis O'Reilly said. "The lessons learned will help them throughout their careers as future leaders and show them as an inspiration to the rest of the military community."
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
Police have moved on pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, with video on social media showing lines of officers advancing on demonstrators rallying at a main intersection.
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
A group of prominent former politicians and current academics is asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to change his tone on the possibility of arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders.
Police have moved on pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, with video on social media showing lines of officers advancing on demonstrators rallying at a main intersection.
A British Columbia man will be extradited to the United States, where he faces a possible life sentence if convicted of charges that he repeatedly sexually assaulted his stepdaughter, after losing his appeal of the extradition order Tuesday.
Toronto MPP Bhutila Karpoche used her umbrella to shield herself from heavy rain Monday morning when she walked over to a high school in her riding to speak with Grade 10 students. The last thing she expected was to need to use it inside.
Alberta RCMP are warning the public to take steps to protect their personal property after members in several communities in the Calgary area have seen more incidents of break-and-enters and thefts from vehicles.
Protesters blocked traffic outside a major military industry trade show in Ottawa Wednesday morning before moving on to Parliament Hill to condemn the ongoing violence in Gaza and Canada's arms trade with Israel.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) and six other boards across Ontario are joining a lawsuit against tech giants like Meta, Snapchat and TikTok, accusing them of "disrupting student learning and the education system."
A Quebec judge ruled Wednesday that smoking during a stage performance is a valid form of artistic expression, overturning a lower court's decision and clearing three theatres that had been fined for allowing the practice.
The federal Fisheries Department is giving $850,000 to a Montreal-based startup that has developed artificial intelligence technology to protect whales and other marine life from ship strikes.
An Alberta school principal who was previously charged with sexual assault has been arrested again after another woman reported that he had sexually assaulted her.
The Edmonton Oilers are shaking things up. Down 2-1 in the NHL's Western Conference final to the Dallas Stars, head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed there would be lineup changes for tonight's Game 4.
The city is set to close a number of roadways in anticipation of an influx of rainbow hues, floats and marchers set to descend on downtown Winnipeg for to celebrate the 2024 Pride Parade.
An email from 2016 detailing the day Jeremy Harrison reportedly brought a gun into the legislative building shows that security were unaware of the former Government House Leader's visit.
Representatives of government and Creative Saskatchewan provided a tour of Regina's new virtual production stage – touting it as another sign that film and television have returned to the province.
Saskatchewan teachers have until 6 p.m. Thursday to vote 'yes' or 'no' on a tentative offer from the province that is being endorsed by the teachers' federation president.
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
An email from 2016 detailing the day Jeremy Harrison reportedly brought a gun into the legislative building shows that security were unaware of the former Government House Leader's visit.
When you live at the top of the mountain, you build up a number of rivalries over the years. Teams that would consider London a main foe include Windsor, Sarnia and Kitchener — but now, you can add the Saginaw Spirit to the mix.
Environment Canada issued a frost advisory on Wednesday afternoon, stating that patchy frost is possible in the evening as temperatures drop to near freezing.
Windsor police are partnering with healthcare providers to expand support for those experiencing substance use and mental health challenges as part of a downtown initiative.
A British Columbia man will be extradited to the United States, where he faces a possible life sentence if convicted of charges that he repeatedly sexually assaulted his stepdaughter, after losing his appeal of the extradition order Tuesday.
Two rescued harbour seal pups – now named Nelson and Gustav – are being rehabilitated in Vancouver, marking the start of a busy season for a local non-profit.
Lethbridge police say orange fentanyl was among the drugs seized during the most recent execution of an ongoing enforcement project focusing on the city's downtown.
The annual Canadian Automobile Association’s worst roads list for 2024 is out and three of the five worst roads in the northern region are in North Bay.
Celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Troop 17 — the first class of women recruits on the national police force — the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador led a ceremonial march through a small part of downtown St. John’s on Tuesday afternoon.
An unknown Newfoundland soldier, who fought and died on the battlefields in northeastern France during the First World War, is back home this weekend for the first time in more than a hundred years.
Students and staff at Winnipeg’s Westwood Collegiate had a unique problem to solve this month; how do you lead ducks to water from the school’s courtyard when 12 of them can’t fly yet?
It’s the chance of a lifetime for a group of Ottawa athletes who are getting ready to represent Team Canada at the World Junior Ultimate championships in the United Kingdom.
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
Defence Minister Bill Blair came to the country's largest defence industry trade show on Wednesday to announce billions of dollars in training and equipment deals for the armed forces, and faced yet more questions about Canada's commitment to the NATO spending target.
The federal health minister needs new powers to unilaterally take dangerous products off the shelves if they're hurting people and not being used as intended, Mark Holland said Wednesday.
Dermatologists are sounding the alarm about misinformation from the anti-sunscreen movement, saying not wearing sunscreen can cause cancer and other problems.
An international law enforcement team has arrested a Chinese national and disrupted a major botnet that officials said he ran for nearly a decade, amassing at least US$99 million in profits.
Five additional Ontario school boards and two independent private schools have joined a lawsuit against the owners of multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
An attorney for Backstreet Boy Nick Carter has responded to allegations of sexual assault featured in a new Investigation Discovery docuseries about the singer and his late brother, Aaron Carter.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says the country's total residential mortgage debt totalled $2.16 trillion as of February this year, up 3.4 per cent year-over-year and representing the slowest growth in 23 years.
BMO Financial Group shares came under pressure after the bank reported results that missed expectations on higher loan-loss provisions and U.S. growth issues.
Students and staff at Winnipeg’s Westwood Collegiate had a unique problem to solve this month; how do you lead ducks to water from the school’s courtyard when 12 of them can’t fly yet?
Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top male golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship.
The Edmonton Oilers are shaking things up. Down 2-1 in the NHL's Western Conference final to the Dallas Stars, head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed there would be lineup changes for tonight's Game 4.
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
Toyota has announced it will offer lean compact engines that also run on so-called green fuels like hydrogen and bioethanol, or get paired with zero-emissions electric motors in hybrids.
A new pothole-riddled street in Hamilton has taken the top spot for the worst road in Ontario, according to a new list released by the Canadian Automotive Association (CAA) on Tuesday.