RAAMC Honorary Colonels
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| COL John Taske Rep Honorary Colonel |
Historically, a senior retired officer in each geographic region fills the role of 'elder statesman'of the RAAMC. These officers are titled 'Honorary Colonels' regardless of the officer's retirement rank. An Honorary Colonel provides a link between serving and former members of the Corps. They have no role in the chain of command but are a valuable source of advice and counsel for all ranks. One Honorary Colonel is appointed to represent the Colonel-in-Chief, The Governor General of Australia. This officer is the Representative Honorary Colonel. This officer may, if requested, put the collective views of all Colonel Commandants (on appropriate RAAMC matters) to the serving hierarchy of the Corps, in particular, the Head of Corps.
Selection and Appointment of RAAMC Honorary Colonels
The detailed procedures for the selection and appointment of Honorary Colonels are contained in Defence Instruction (Army) Personnel 99-1. In essence, the HOC recommends the appointment of an Honorary Coloenel to CA through SO2 Ceremonial. The CA, if he agrees, then makes the formal appointment. Honorary Colonels are appointed for an initial period of two years. Further extensions, each not exceeding 12 months, may be requested by the HOC.
In order to maximise effectiveness and minimise costs, one Honorary Colonel is normally appointed within each geographic region. For this purpose, geographic regions are as follows:
- Northern Region. Queensland and the Northern Territory.
- Eastern Region. New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
- Southern Region. Victoria.
- Central Region. South Australia.
- Western Region. Western Australia.
RAAMC Honorary Colonel Duty Statement
The duties and responsibilities of the Regional Honorary Colonels are as follows:
- Provide advice when required to regional unit CO/OC on esprit-de-corps, Customs,Traditions and Heritage.
- Provide feedback to the Representative Honorary Colonels on regional Corps issues.
- Provide a regional report on Corps issues to the RAAMC Committee.
- Attend regional unit activities as required when time permits.
- Liaise with regional RAAMC ex Serviceman's Associations and provide feedback to the Representative Honorary Colonel on Corps related association issues.
- Foster relationships and activities between regional RAAMC Units and regional RAAMC Ex-Serviceman's Associations.
- Represent the RAAMC at ceremonial activities, including funerals, in the absence of the Representative Honorary Colonel or Head of Corps.
RAAMC Honorary Colonel - Uniform and Embellishments
An officer appointed RAAMC Honorary Colonel or Representative Honorary Colonel, may wear uniform when attending activities of the RAAMC, or representing the RAAMC on official occasions; including embellishments of the RAAMC, such as lanyard, with badges of rank of a Colonel, but without coloured cap-band, gorget patches or senior officers cap badge. Alternatively, an Honorary Colonel may wear the badges of rank and other insignia of the rank which they held on the Active List, Inactive Reserve or of the military rank or title granted on retirement. For example; a retired Brigadier may wear the embellishments of that rank, and would not wear any Corps/Regiment embellishments such as shoulder titles, lanyard or Corps/Regiment badges. Regardless of rank. Honorary Colonels wear either the mess dress of the corps with the rank insignia of colonel or the mess dress to which they are entitled by virtue of their rank on retirement. RAAMC Honorary Colonels, are not authorised to wear the unform and embellishments (scarlet gorget patches and mess dress jacket, cumberbund etc) of a Senior Officer of the Staff Corps unless they were entitled to wear such prior to their retirement. This would only apply to a General Service Officer. In Mess Dress, an Honorary Colonel wears the same mess dress as a RAAMC SSO. In Mess Dress White Jacket, RAAMC collar badges are worn with dull cherry cumberbund and trouser stripe.
Click here to read about wearing of uniform for RAAMC Honorary Colonels Click here to read about the wearing of Senior Officers Uniforms, in particular, gorget patches and RAAMC Honorary Colonels. Click here to read about wearing of mess dress by RAAMC Honorary Colonels.