Aiguillette
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An aiguillette is an ornamental braided cord worn on uniforms. It is French in origin and goes back to the use of horses in battle. A general's aide-de-camp carried a loop of cord to tie up the general's horse during dismount. As a practical approach, the aides would loop the cord around the epaulette flap on the shoulder of their tunic.
Canada
Aiguillettes with shoulder boards are worn by military Aides-de-Camp to the Governor General. The aiguillette is gold with brass tags and worn on the right shoulder. Aides-de-Camp to the provincial Lieutenant Governors wear the same gold pattern aiguilette on the right shoulder, but do not wear shoulder boards. Obsoloete style gold braid aiguilettes mixed with army green, navy blue, or air force blue may also still be worn by Aides-de-Camp to Lieutenant Governors by those officers who still have them. Aiguillettes are worn on the left shoulder by Aides-de-Camp to general or flag officers.
United Kingdom
There are four types of aiguillette worn in the British Army.
- Aiguillettes (1st Class) are of gold wire cord and are worn on the right shoulder by, among others, Field Marshals, Aides-de-Camp to the Sovereign, equerries to members of the Royal Family, and commissioned officers of the Household Cavalry (in full dress only). They are worn on the left shoulder in full dress by Warrant Officers of the Household Cavalry.
- Aiguillettes (2nd Class) are of gold and crimson and are worn on the right shoulder by, among others, military members of the Army Board and the personal staff of Governors. A simplified version with no coils is worn on the left shoulder by Staff Corporals, Corporals of Horse and Lance Corporals of Horse of the Household Cavalry in full dress.
- Aiguillettes (3rd Class) are of gold and crimson and are worn on the left shoulder by, among others, military attachés and aides-de-camp.
- Simple aiguillettes are worn by Lance Corporals of the Household Cavalry and by bandsmen of Dragoon Guards and Dragoon regiments in full dress.
United States
The aiguillette is worn on the right shoulder by military aides to the President of the United States. It is worn on the left shoulder by aides to flag officers, military attachés, General Staff Corps officers, and United States Navy boot camp Recruit Division Commanders. Navy Aides wear blue and gold cords, while Recruit Division Commanders wear red. A blue aiguillette is worn on the left shoulder by Cadets in Charge of Quarters at the United States Air Force Academy. In the Civil Air Patrol, Honor Guard members wear a silver aiguillette on the left shoulder. CAP cadets acting as Cadet Advisory Council Representatives at the national level wear a gold aiguillette, at the regional level a blue aiguillette, and at the wing level a red aiguillette.
Ireland
Aiguillettes are only worn by the Aides-De-Camp to the President and Taoiseach. The President's ADC wears it on the right shoulder, the Taoiseach's ADC on the left.
See also
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