Another Sex-Related Scandal in Canada’s Armed Forces

A fighter jockey’s handle, or call sign, that led to another well-publicized scandal in the RCAF was homophobic in nature, it has been reported. Two senior officers are facing charges relating to the incident, which took place last June at 4 Wing Cold Lake in Alberta. Several junior officers are also facing administrative penalties.

According to The Ottawa Citizen, which cites social media accounts as the source, a male pilot’s CF-18 colleagues, pilots all, assigned him the call sign ‘FAWG’, which is apparently widely understood to mean ‘F—-ed A Woman Gay’. The Citizen article explains that the target of the handle was a male pilot who had experienced a consensual relationship with a female officer who then went on to have a consensual same-sex relationship.

When asked about the incident, Defence Minister Anita Anand told The Citizen that her top priority was “to build a modern military where all members feel protected and respected by their own colleagues — and where our senior leaders’ conduct is beyond reproach. I was appalled and deeply concerned to hear of this unacceptable incident and believe that our military must uphold the highest standards of professionalism. I expect the chain of command to respond to this type of conduct with the seriousness that is required.”