Retired Members May Wear Mess Kit Again

Thanks to Lieutenant-Colonel (ret’d) George Siket for passing this along to share among the RMR Family.

Westmount, Quebec – 23 October 2025: Former RMR officer Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) George Siket recently shared an update that will be welcome news to many of the Regiment’s alumni: retired Canadian Armed Forces members may once again wear their mess dress at appropriate military functions — provided they display the new CAF Retiree Insignia.

The Chief of the Defence Staff approved the change in May 2024, and as of August 2025, the official CAF Dress Instructions (Chapter 2, paragraph 32.b) have been updated to reflect it. The policy reads in part:

“The wear of Mess Dress (No. 2 or 2A only) after release is permitted for all retired members at the appropriate military functions… Former members are to wear the style of Mess Dress authorized by their Branch/Corps or Regiment at the time of their release, including their rank, decorations, and skill insignia to which they were entitled… To distinguish retired members from serving members, retired members are to wear the distinctive CAF Retiree Insignia, produced and sold by CANEX, on the lower left sleeve of the mess dress jacket 1.5 cm above the cuff or any embellishment including PO1/WO, CPO2/MWO or CPO1/CWO rank insignia.”

In short, if you still have your mess kit, you can proudly wear it once again—just ensure the new insignia is sewn in the proper place. The CAF Retiree Insignia can be purchased directly from CANEX here:
👉 Retired Members CAF Mess Red | CANEX

This long-awaited clarification allows retired CAF members to once again don their mess kit at regimental dinners and military events.