CAP Uniform Regulation Working Group Change Suggestions

[lordmonar]

How about whatever uniform changes there are going to be no matter how big or small, National pays to outfit everyone in the program with them!  Just like all the other Military Branches.

The military does not pay for uniform changes.

Enlisted personnel get a yearly uniform allowance and they are expected to pay for it then...but the O's have to pay for it out of pocket.

So...you are out of luck. 

[SarDragon]

^^^

Mostly correct. When I went through uniform changes, all or part of the initial issue of the new uniform was a freebie, without any effect on my paycheck.

[PHall]

^^^

Mostly correct. When I went through uniform changes, all or part of the initial issue of the new uniform was a freebie, without any effect on my paycheck.

You guys must have had a better union in the Navy, because when we went to BDU's in the Air Force we didn't get any extra money to buy them.
You were expected to buy your new BDU's as your old fatigues wore out.

[SarDragon]

Oh, so you just got the kick in your uni allowance to get the new stuff. The first time they tried to get rid of dungarees, they issued us two sets of the new crap, and changed the uni allowance for further acquisitions.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Ok, listen we should not get rid of any uniforms we have and not adopt new ones. If you think about it while on a SAR mission of a missing person (non crash related actual missing person) people need to realize that there are threats while very small there are potential threats! If it is a missing person and someone has caused the subject to go missing there is a probable chance that that person will try to inject themselves into the search and the BDU as so many of you may not think so, actually assists in keeping the cadet safe, they look trained professional and tougher than they ever would in the BBDU. By the way, there are more SWAT teams that wear the BBDU than do the BDU mainly because they notice that the BDU uniform is useless in an urban environment and the chances of a SWAT team going to a wooded area is very small and even if they do they are probably not going to be trained in woodland tactics. No new uniforms and keep the ones we have.

P.S. I have been on a team where we saved the life of a Marine vet who had Alzheimers and he said oh thank God the Army is here. Later his wife told us that he thought we were military and it relaxed him greatly!


Also I am an Iraq and Afghanistan vet.... we never got more thank a quarter of the special pay that we NEEDED to get a single uniform... we usualy got enough to get a new rack of ribbons and our new rank for our Dress Greens,but not even enough for the Full size medals when the Blues were being standardized... not to mention they didnt pay for the blues either

[RickRutledge]

This board kills me.

I don't understand why people continue to press the "let's get rid of all AF uniforms" issue. We do that, we can stand by and watch our bridge burn and watch the organization crumble.

I don't understand how others can't see this kind of discussion as engineering our finale.

Rather than bickering about uniforms we need to concern ourselves with showing our value to our elected officials and the public, work harder to do our jobs better and continue our education toward FEMA standards.

Just a suggestion.

[Short Field]

How about whatever uniform changes there are going to be no matter how big or small, National pays to outfit everyone in the program with them!  Just like all the other Military Branches.

?? When did the RM started paying members extra for uniform changes? Enlisted get a monthly uniform allowance, officers just get an initial allowance.  There was not a special allowance anytime there was a new uniform item or a change.  I don't remember the BDUs being issued free.  The DCUs were issued to us but we couldn't buy them in the clothing store.

[heliodoc]

Rick

I for one after being the RM for 21-22 yrs is for getting CAP out of the uniform....'cuz of the various issues.

CAP is just getting used to FEMA calling for photo runs and that is a good thing

BUT It has been argued here before......

CAP needs to be a playa (with or without a uniform) in many support functions.  CAP can say they have been up with FEMA and the other State EMA's....but i got a sneaking suspicion that CAP legal is trying to fid ways around that even...

Don't rightly know...but I do know alot of State MOU's and MOA's are sitting idle at many State EMA's due to legal types at the various Wings having "problems" meeting up with the right folks........otherwise many of those would have been inked already without a lot of fanfare.

And when those things get signed....please CAP, do it without a dog and pony show.  Do the work.  Its a liiiiitle more than just lobbying and saying we are a low cost organization to the various State EMA's.....

[manfredvonrichthofen]

How about whatever uniform changes there are going to be no matter how big or small, National pays to outfit everyone in the program with them!  Just like all the other Military Branches.

?? When did the RM started paying members extra for uniform changes? Enlisted get a monthly uniform allowance, officers just get an initial allowance.  There was not a special allowance anytime there was a new uniform item or a change.  I don't remember the BDUs being issued free.  The DCUs were issued to us but we couldn't buy them in the clothing store.

Ok lets crush this little lie... I was enlisted for 5.5 yrs went thru multiple deployments to multiple theaters of action... the RM DOES NOT PAY FOR YOUR UNIFORMS unless you are being deployed. Even then its not enough uniforms to get you through the deployment. You get ONE yearly Uniform allowance for Refit aka UAR pay... but it is nothing compared to the actual cost of the uniforms and parts needed even the Army soldiers will have to buy their own dress blues that are replacing the Dress Greens... alot of tradition and heritage being stolen by the way. But the UAR pay wont even get me my full sized medals that are going to be worn on that uniform... mine alone costs over $300... so no the RM DOES NOT PAY FOR ALL YOUR UNIFORMS

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I for one after being the RM for 21-22 yrs is for getting CAP out of the uniform....'cuz of the various issues.

And replace it with...?

The "various issues" didn't start happening until the late '80s/early '90s, and we got whacked for it with the berry boards, loss of metal grade insignia and then grey nameplates/boards.

We almost started building bridges back with the AF.  I read on here that the powers that be in the AF offered us back metal grade and blue boards, but someone with infinite wisdom at National refused.

Then, of course, the Generalissimo introduced his own uniform, and we were virtually back at square one with the uniform issues.

I long for a more K.I.S.S. approach...

Service dress: metal grade, "CAP" collar dogs for EVERYONE, and the brushed-metal nameplate with "Civil Air Patrol" devised for the CSU.

Blue boards with embroidered "CAP" (or AF boards with pinned-on metal "CAP" cutouts) blue nameplate for the light blue shirt.

BBDU's/jumpsuit, blue or orange flight suit for EVERYONE.

The modified CSU (per General Courter's ICL) for those who choose to, or must because of weight issues/grooming.

[billford1]

I for one after being the RM for 21-22 yrs is for getting CAP out of the uniform....'cuz of the various issues.

And replace it with...?

The "various issues" didn't start happening until the late '80s/early '90s, and we got whacked for it with the berry boards, loss of metal grade insignia and then grey nameplates/boards.

We almost started building bridges back with the AF.  I read on here that the powers that be in the AF offered us back metal grade and blue boards, but someone with infinite wisdom at National refused.

Then, of course, the Generalissimo introduced his own uniform, and we were virtually back at square one with the uniform issues.

I long for a more K.I.S.S. approach...

Service dress: metal grade, "CAP" collar dogs for EVERYONE, and the brushed-metal nameplate with "Civil Air Patrol" devised for the CSU.

Blue boards with embroidered "CAP" (or AF boards with pinned-on metal "CAP" cutouts) blue nameplate for the light blue shirt.

BBDU's/jumpsuit, blue or orange flight suit for EVERYONE.

The modified CSU (per General Courter's ICL) for those who choose to, or must because of weight issues/grooming.

I concur. I don't wear the AF uniform but I think the problem with taking the AF uniform away after so long is what it will do to already shaky morale among so many.  If the TPU and CSU had never happened that would have been fine. Why take steps that will be a slap in the face to those who wear the AF uniform.  We should work on the various issues.

[Robert Hartigan]

Bring back the Guayabera Shirt!    :clap:

[Custer]

Bring back the Guayabera Shirt!    :clap:

I found mine the other day.  Hard to believe that ever actually consituted a uniform for anything other than parking cars or being a busboy.

[JC004]

Bring back the Guayabera Shirt!    :clap:

I guess someone had to say it...

[manfredvonrichthofen]

without the usaf uniform no one will recognize us let alone call upon us for sar missions or for public recognition, no parades no airfield recruiting all public appearances will stop. why? because we wont look as good as the boy  scouts. there is pride in the uniform the uniform goes the pride and morale goes. so do i and so will so many others. not because of how we look but because of the history and tradition of the uniform. i for one am huge on history and tradition... does anyone know how many died in this uniform in ww2? i know i do and getting rid of the uniform would disgrace their memory and make their memory fade more than it has.

[Eclipse]

^ "People" call us because of MOU's or legal mandate and because we provide a service at little to no cost, not because of the uniform we wear.  Why would public appearance stop.  PD, FD, and the ARC seem to function fine in gold shirts and vests.

Your statements suggest that those who do not wear the USAF-style combos are somehow not as worthy or proud as those who do.

Uniforms change for a variety of reasons, suggesting that this somehow disgraces the memory of those who went before is simply incorrect.
For starters, no US service is still wearing the same uniform as they did in WWII.

[JC004]

...
For starters, no US service is still wearing the same uniform as they did in WWII.

I support khakis!   

[SarDragon]

For starters, no US service is still wearing the same uniform as they did in WWII.

I agree with most of your post, but take exception to the quoted portion.

The Navy has two uniforms essentially unchanged from WWII. The first is the E-1 - E-6 enlisted Service Dress uniform. The second is the recently reintroduced E-7 - O-10 Service Dress Khaki uniform.

[JC004]

For starters, no US service is still wearing the same uniform as they did in WWII.

I agree with most of your post, but take exception to the quoted portion.

The Navy has two uniforms essentially unchanged from WWII. The first is the E-1 - E-6 enlisted Service Dress uniform. The second is the recently reintroduced E-7 - O-10 Service Dress Khaki uniform.

Ahem.  You're forgetting the Marines.  Blue and green both. 

[Eclipse]

OK, how about this...

Generalizations, for the most part, are always wrong.