Two Canadian Air Force Pilots Are in Hot Water Over An ‘Inappropriate’ Call Sign

During an informal social gathering last June a group of fighter pilots from the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 4 Wing at Cold Lake, Alberta gave a new pilot what’s been deemed an “inappropriate’ call sign by RCAF leadership. Now, two senior RCAF officers face non-criminal charges and disciplinary hearings over the matter.

“Call signs” – essentially nicknames – are a longstanding tradition in western military aviation. They typically refer to particular traits of an individual, to incidents in which the person may have been involved or play on names/surnames. They are often irreverent or derogatory and just as often celebrated for the leveling quality they impart inside the military hierarchy.

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But in allowing a cadre of pilots meeting in a “call-sign review board” (an informal meetup, possibly in an officer’s club setting) to apply the inappropriate call sign to a new Second Lieutenant, RCAF Colonel Colin Marks and Lieutenant Colonel Corey Mask (senior officers at 4 Wing) have preliminarily been charged with having failed to effectively enforce Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAOD) 9005-1, addressing sexual misconduct.

The details of the case aren’t clear since the RCAF has chosen to withhold specific information. The call sign in question was not divulged, nor was the identity of the individual to whom it was to be applied. In an email RCAF spokesman, Major Trevor Reid, did divulge that the call sign implicated another Second Lieutenant.

Reid added that, “In this case the Affected Persons have been met with and supported throughout. Commander 1 Canadian Air Division sent each of the pilots a letter apologizing for the incident, describing the steps that have and are being taken and detailing to them how they can seek and receive further updates and support.”

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The matter apparently came to the attention of RCAF authorities following a complaint to Canadian Military Police “concerning the harmful nature of the alleged call-sign” shortly after the event according to Major Reid.

Reid did not say who made the complaint or whether Canadian Military Police are typically involved in language/culture enforcement. Col. Marks and Lt. Col. Mask were subsequently charged On October 19. The charges are non-criminal and confined to Canadian military service code.

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A third junior officer was charged with “Undermining Discipline, Efficiency, or Morale for having participated in the assignment of an inappropriate call sign at the event” according to the RCAF. However, the service determined the junior officer will not face a summary hearing. Instead, separate disciplinary administrative measures will be applied to the officer. Internal administrative measures have also been applied to several other officers present at the call-sign review board ranging in rank from Second Lieutenant to Major.

Major Reid confirmed that Col. Marks and Lt. Col Mask were present at the gathering. The officers will face separate summary hearings overseen by a Canadian Army officer and another Air Force officer respectively. Colonel Robert McBride (Army), Commander, 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton will conduct the hearing for Lieutenant Colonel Mask. Brigadier General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet (an RCAF tactical helicopter pilot) Commander of the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers will conduct the hearing for Colonel Marks.

Major Reid did not elaborate on what specific jurisdiction these officers hold. He did explain that, “The Summary Hearing is relatively new to the Canadian Armed Forces and is designed to be a non-penal and non-criminal process used to fairly address breaches of military discipline at a unit level.”

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Reid went on to say that, “RCAF leadership has the utmost confidence that these two officers, chosen for their impartiality [they are not connected to the RCAF fighter community] will ensure a fair process unfolds in both cases.”

According to initial reports, neither hearing will be public and their closed nature has raised concern. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Rory Fowler, who is now a lawyer specializing on military cases, told The Canadian Press that, “While an officer conducting a summary hearing does have the discretion to close part, or all of a hearing, the expectation is that such a derogation from transparency will only arise in exceptional circumstances.”

In a minor twist, Maj. Reid said this afternoon that, “A final decision concerning public access has not been reached as of yet.” The decisions will ultimately be left to Brigadier General Speiser-Blanchet and Col. McBride according to the RCAF which further stressed that “it is important that members of the armed forces witness the proceedings as part of unit discipline and accountability.”

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The hearings will certainly have career implications. Both Col. Marks and Lt. Col. Mask are senior F-18 pilots and Marks was in line to take command of RCAF 3 Wing at Canadian Forces Base Bagotville, Quebec last summer. The change-of-command ceremony and Col. Marks accession to command was postponed. His prospects for assuming command hinge on the hearing according to Major Reid.

Reid declined to comment on reaction to the disciplinary measures/hearings from the rank-and-file at 4 Wing but he did say that, “It is the intent of the Commander 1 Canadian Air Division to be as open and transparent as possible with members of the division on matters of misconduct and culture growth so that we, as an Air Force, can learn from these situations as we continue to evolve into an RCAF where the mental wellbeing of members is considered a critical enabler of operations.”

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The capacity of the Canadian military writ large to be a critical enabler of sustained operations is an open question. Canadian Armed Forces Chief of the Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre, recently made comments on Canadian television that the country’s military is struggling to retain people and stock weapons systems and munitions to such an extent that it would be “hard pressed” to launch another large-scale operation like it had in Afghanistan.

Pending the outcomes of the hearings on the call sign, the RCAF may be hard pressed to deal with its own espirt de corps.