If the majority of our Air Force is brought to combat ineffectiveness for a 2 hour parade every 2 years, I have some serious questions about recruiting, retention, and force employment.
They’re not; LRP continued to do CofC parades during IMPACT which was a 3 year sustained op for us. We also continued doing several other international Ops, domestic ops, exercises etc. Downing tools and clearing the FlyPro for a day or 2 (less no duff SAR sorties) is a fairly big PITA for people already at max capacity for extended times. CofC Parades in the RCAF also include a fly past usually, so crews to fly/launch/recover, efforts from the MSS and OSS for same.
CofC ceremony in the mess? Very easy to do and requires WComd team and other unit Comd Teams vice “the whole gang” from all units. Our upcoming one, only 9 people total will be in 1As, including the Colour Officer and Orderly. Everyone else, comfortably seated in 3B. Image tech? 3B.
The army isn’t operational in garrison; big difference. The RCAF also doesn’t appreciate the value in large parades - the effort, focus, esprit de corps etc that comes with something like the big CTC grad parade with roll pasts etc.
Having lived both DEU lifestyles, I get both and think both suit the environments. TacHel folks are maybe the closet hybrid of the 2 worlds.
The only parade I saw take a whole week was the CTC grad parade but it also was more than “just a parade”.