AS for paratroopers... um how do I put this... tried it, didn't like it... discovered I wasn't "touched" enough to hurl myself out of a perfectly functional aircraft into hostile fire.
Traditions... gave a lot of thought to this and I have discussed it before.
In the "Disgusted" thread which discussed the fratricide in 2002:
http://www.greeksource.com/gcforums/...ess#post447586
Right the Regiment is like your chapter, but with everything keyed up for rush/pledge period... the Regiment becomes everything. Each Regiment in the British system (which Canada uses) has a firmly established history that includes honours that you must live up to... additionally there is a motto (latin, greek, gaelic, or other), song (marching and parade), coat of arms, separate ceremonial uniform, mess (think chapter/bar/common room - but for Sgts, Officers, and other ranks), museum, badge, colours (flag that represents the honour of the Regiment), battle honours, honourary commander, an order of precedence (ie. which unit has privilege of place over others), shrines, even churches, and memorials at home and overseas, and even in some cases their own slang/language specific to the unit. Finally it is also important to never forget that all Canadians that have served in combat did so voluntarily, no conscription to fill the combat ranks.
For example the PPCLI or the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry the unit in question… originally raised to fight in WW1, you had to be decorated to join. Now the unit has 38 Battle Honours (ones in capitals displayed on Colours) reaching back to the WW1 – other units reach back farther (such as the Queen’s York Rangers also called the 1st Americans – they remained a loyalist unit during the American Revolution):
First World War:
YPRES 1915, ‘17 (withstood first gas attack in WW1)
Arleux
FREZENBURG
Hill 70 (Vimy Ridge)
Bellewaaarde
PASSCHENDAELE (were a member of British command staff wept: “My God we sent men to fight in this)
MOUNT SORREL
AMIENS
Somme, 1916 (graveyard of the British Imperial Army – 60,000 casualties in one day)
SCARPE, 1918
FLERS-COURCELETTE (where both my great-grandfathers were wounded)
Hindenburg Line
Ancre Heights
Canal du Nord
Arras 1917-18
PURSUIT TO MONS (final campaign of WW1)
VIMY, 1917 (ridge that Canadian Army took after French and British repulsed)
FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1914-1918
Second World War:
LANDING IN SICILY
RIMINI LINE
LEONFORTE
SAN FORTUNATO
Agria
Savio Bridgehead
Sicily, 1943
Naviglio Canal
THE MORO
FOSSO MUNIO
THE GULLY
Granarola
Liri Valley
Italy, 1943-1945
HITLER LINE
Apeldorn
GOTHIC LINE
NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1945
Korea
KOREA, 1950-1953
KAPYONG*
*Also a US Presidential Unit Citation, the only Canadian unit to every receive one.
Now every year the colours are paraded in front of the unit, and on the anniversary of each of the battle honours a gold wreath is placed on the staff supporting the colours, finally the ones in capitals are commemorated by a dinner for the Sgts or Officers messes. New recruits are constantly drilled with the history of these honours, and constantly reminded that they must live up to the tradition of honour the Regiment has. Additional tragedies or dishonours are also commemorated within the unit as well, whether it is the fact that a platoon displayed cowardice and that designation has been struck from the roster, or men were captured men were executed by the SS, or close to a company was wiped out by the US Airforce in a friendly fire incident in WW2, or now that more men were killed by US forces in Afghanistan than by the enemy… History is your constant companion within the Regiment, are you are constantly reminded of how you must strive to live up to the honours, and never forget the dishonours/tragedies.
Okay onto Mottoes or Badges… I’m sure you have seen the new beret with patch that the US Armed Forces currently wears… well the Canadians have had the same thing since before WW2, and each unit has a different “patch” on the beret (in addition to colour variations – Black for Navy & Armoured, Green other land forces, Maroon for Airborne, Red for Military Police – or Scottish headdress for Highland Regiments). However in each case the “patch” is actually a badge, think of an enlarged version of you GLO badge – it has symbolism and heraldry attached to it, as well as restrictions regarding your conduct while wearing it. Many Badges also sport the motto (or one of them) of the Regiment… in the case of the PPCLI they actually have no motto, which in its own way is a motto (as all the other Regiments do).
Now for Marches the PPCLI actually have a few “official” songs:
Regimental Quick Marches:
Has Anyone Seen the Colonel (lots of um interesting unofficial lyrics to this one)
Mademoiselle from Armantieres
and
Tipperary
Regimental Slow March:
Lili Marlene
Battalion Marches:
1st –
The Maple Leaf
2nd –
March Winnipeg
3rd –
Imperial Echoes
Finally there is the Victoria Cross winners… roughly equivalent to Medal of Honor winners, but somewhat more rare.
Lt. Hugh MacKenzie, VC, DCM
Sgt. George Harry Mullin, VC, MM
Sgt. Robert Spall, VC
Each has training grounds, barracks, and messes named after them, along with plaques again commemorating their deeds.
Now these are the official traditions and histories that are constantly before your eyes while serving in the Regiment… and just like any GLO there are also many unofficial or local ones (for units down to the size of Platoons in some cases)… and those are too many to list… and I can’t talk about many that I know
As a further example I’d encourage people to watch movies like “The Four Feathers” for a view of the strength that tradition and honour can play in the Regimental system. Also on TV today I was watching the SAS Tough Enough show on the History Channel… and the “instructors” punished recruits that were caught singing a US marching song with push-ups at mile 30 or so of a “long-drag” cross-country march…
Now the same thing goes for the snipers.. if they were caught dressing, talking (military terms), singing, performing drill, or "acting" (I know bad term.. but thats what's used) like "Americans" (or any other nation.. though British practices are somewhat forgiven up to a point) then they are seen as betraying the tradtions and histories listed earlier and official or unofficial reprecusions will follow.
PS> Keep in mind that all of the history and traditions listed earlier are specfic to one Regiment... the others have there own similar substantial collections.