The end of the TPU?

[ZigZag911]

and I think the whole thing just pissed off the AF.

Initially that was what I thought, too....however, I later heard from reliable sources that  USAF was actually pleased to see a corporate uniform that fit in with the AF service uniform (note to Terminology Police: if 'service uniform' is the wrong phrase, i officially apologize in advance!)

[AlphaSigOU]

and I think the whole thing just pissed off the AF.

Initially that was what I thought, too....however, I later heard from reliable sources that  USAF was actually pleased to see a corporate uniform that fit in with the AF service uniform (note to Terminology Police: if 'service uniform' is the wrong phrase, i officially apologize in advance!)

String 'im up! Run 'im outta town on a rail! Tar and feather 'im! Espousing such heretical and incorrect terminology will get you a one-way ticket to the gulag! 

I really don't think it matters how you describe it, as long as you don't give someone from the CAP terminology Gestapo a coronary by referring to 'em as 'Class As'.  (And I'm not one of 'em.)

[davedove]

I believe the corporate uniform will be around for some time.  First of all, a lot of members have purchased one, so there would be resistance to its removal because of all the money spent.

Second, it's a good concept.  Develop a single uniform equivalent to the AF-style service uniform that all members can wear.  Certainly there are details that could be adjusted.  For one, everyone (including fuzzies) should be able to wear it.  It's a corporate uniform, so all the corporate membership should be able to wear it.  And the different devices and such could be adjusted.  But overall, the idea was a good one.

[MajorChuck]

Keep the CSU.  But Modify it.
Grey slides on service coat
3 line grey name badge and slides on Aviator shirt.
loose the silver braid on coat.

Then We will look as close in uniform as possible.

eliminate older Corprate Uni Except for Polo/Grey slacks.

[Chaplaindon]

As far as the "Will the TPU stay?", I think it probably will. It was a mistake, but McPeak did the same thing. Hopefully, Amy Courter will follow in Fogleman's footsteps and clean it up. It could use a little work, but overall it's really not a bad concept overall.

I agree with you.

An alternative to the USAF uniform for the chubby rascals has been a long time in coming.  The overall look of the TPU however is that of a Third-World Admiral of a patrol boat navy.  Or a Nebraska admiral, I'm not sure.

I don't know why the Air Force is so strict about the weight of CAP members to wear the USAF uniform, but has ZERO rules for state guardsmen who wear the USAF uniform.

My personal choice would be to develop ONE uniform, make it corporate, and ALL officers wear the same one.  Make it close to the USAF uniform so that people can see what team we are on, but sufficiently different that the AF can rest assured that nobody will mistake us for them.

That's not likely, so I hope we can just clean up the TPU, maybe lose the silver braid.

I think the one UNIFORM idea is the only real solution as it is the only solution that brings about uniformity.

Although, I would vote (if I HAD a vote, mind you) against any short-term dismissal of the CSU, particularly due to the expense involved in its replacement and the numbers of members who've invested hundreds of dollars to buy one ... I would suggest a 5-year (perhaps) phase-in of a distinctive uniform adult OFFICERS and NCOs would wear.

Since the USAF issues a basic service uniform to cadets, let them continue to wear the USAF blue combos.

My recommendation --stated before-- would be for a return of a modernized khaki uniform (wrinkle free w/sewn-in creases, teflon stain resistant, e.g. Docker's twill material) with a blue flight cap, belt, nametag, and black shoes. It would be military. It would reflect CAPs history and heritage. It would be functional.

The blue flight suit could be maintained and the BBDU (or a khaki BDU, option for those in more tropical areas, where it would be cooler than the dark blue).

Add a nice khaki overblouse (for dress) and a blue tie and we have a uniform wardrobe.

I think it's absurd that there are active duty USAF personnel who do not meet  H/W to wear the CAP/USAF uniform combos (because the weight standards are those of basic training) and not a 20+ year career officer or NCO.

If the USAF myopically won't budge on their needlessly restrictive standards (and hypocritically allowing SDF personnel to wear their uni's regardless of H/W), CAP should do the budging for them and seek uniformity on our own.

Until something better comes about, though, I'll support the CSU as it is ... a handsome, professional uniform (with or w/o the silver braid) that can be worn by those no longer meeting USAF BMTS H/W standards.

[jimmydeanno]

I don't think the TPU looks that bad with the service coat on, but as pointed out, double-breasted isn't too flattering a cut of large people in the first place.  However, if I were to buy the uniform the first thing I'd do is take the aviator shirt to the tailor and have it "altered" to more of a "military cut" so it is more fitted like the AF light blue shirts are...

[JohnKachenmeister]

I don't think the TPU looks that bad with the service coat on, but as pointed out, double-breasted isn't too flattering a cut of large people in the first place.  However, if I were to buy the uniform the first thing I'd do is take the aviator shirt to the tailor and have it "altered" to more of a "military cut" so it is more fitted like the AF light blue shirts are...

Somewhere in the bowels of CAPtalk is a thread with links to alternative sources for the white aviator shirt.  I just ordered one from "Pilotshirts.com" that is the same cut, material, pocket flaps, and style as the USAF shirt, except it is white in color.  About $31 including tax, title, delivery, and dealer prep.

[isuhawkeye]

Not to be rude, but wouldn't purchasing an aviator shirt cut as though it were an air force uniform shirt destroy the uniformity of the corporate uniform?

[jimmydeanno]

I don't think so, I think it would make it actually fit me.  I've tried on an equivalent size aviator shirt and it looks like I'm wearing a potato sack.  For some reason, shirt manufacturers assume that people with 15 1/2 inch necks have a 60 inch chest and a 100 inch stomach.

I'm not talking about having it cut so that it looks like it's painted on, just normal alterations to make it more "fitting."

[O-Rex]

U.S. Civil Air Patrol:  Keep it on the BDU's/BBDU's: Vanguard, Hock & others have already phased out the old ones, and all-in-all it doesn't look that bad.

Additionally, I'm not all that worried about $1 nametapes...

I do have a problem with $5 & $10 nameplates.

It has been said that the move towards the "U.S. Civil Air Patrol" was an attempt to surreptitiously steer CAP towards more independence from USAF.

It would stand to reason that given recent events, that campaign has or will quickly lose steam.

[jeders]

U.S. Civil Air Patrol:  Keep it on the BDU's/BBDU's: Vanguard, Hock & others have already phased out the old ones, and all-in-all it doesn't look that bad.

Additionally, I'm not all that worried about $1 nametapes...

I do have a problem with $5 & $10 nameplates.

It has been said that the move towards the "U.S. Civil Air Patrol" was an attempt to surreptitiously steer CAP towards more independence from USAF.

It would stand to reason that given recent events, that campaign has or will quickly lose steam.

No, it was because Pineda was mistaken for a Guatemalan general by some old lady in New Orleans during Katrina.

I say lose the U.S., we really don't need it. However, if it doesn't get dropped, no skin off my back, just a few bucks out of my wallet.

[Major Carrales]

No, it was because Pineda was mistaken for a Guatemalan general by some old lady in New Orleans during Katrina.

Is that really true or was that a myth?

I recall strage specuations involving Pineda that were the result of someone making a comment on one forum, then having it quoted as fact on another so many times it became the "TRUTH!!!"

I don't mind true stories being floated about, but urban legends are another matter.  Can anyone here actually testify to that?

I recall on CADETSTUFF that, when shoulder chords on aides-de-camps, became an issue...someone made up a story about these people "clearing a restroom" like body guards.  By the end of the week it had become gospel.

What is/was fact and what is blaney?

[RiverAux]

He never was in New Orleans.  CAP didn't have any on-the-ground presence there during Katrina that I ever heard of.

[jeders]

No, it was because Pineda was mistaken for a Guatemalan general by some old lady in New Orleans during Katrina.

Is that really true or was that a myth?

I recall strage specuations involving Pineda that were the result of someone making a comment on one forum, then having it quoted as fact on another so many times it became the "TRUTH!!!"

I don't mind true stories being floated about, but urban legends are another matter.  Can anyone here actually testify to that?

I recall on CADETSTUFF that, when shoulder chords on aides-de-camps, became an issue...someone made up a story about these people "clearing a restroom" like body guards.  By the end of the week it had become gospel.

What is/was fact and what is blaney?

I don't know whether it's actual fact, but it was the only story I heard for about 6 months until I saw speculation about it being to separate us from the Air Force. Personally, I would believe that it was Pineda being mistaken, just seems to make more sense to me based on what we've heard about him. Not to mention the fact that there are many easier ways to separate us from the Air Force.

Back to the original topic of the TPU going bye bye, I doubt it will ever happen, but if it does stay, I hope that it gets cleaned up so it looks more Air Force and less Coast Guard.

[CAP_truth]

If you look at the Coast Guard Auxiliary uniform theirs are single breasted service coats. Why don't we trade their single breasted for our double breasted.

[MIKE]

The CGAux Service Dress Blue Bravo is a USCG Service Dress Blue Bravo with disitinctive buttons and sleeve lace.

[Hawk200]

Know anything about the reverse American Flag patches on the BDU?  Are they going to go bye bye too?  That was another Pineda screw-up.   

Personnally, I don't mind a flag on the BDU's. But I think it should have gone on the left sleeve. When the Air Force actually wore it on BDU's that's where they put it. It would have been easy to cover up the "shadow" left by wing patches.

Two, it would be a little more fitting in that we could use flightsuit stock flags. A bit of solidarity across the various uniforms.

Three, I've been seeing people putting the flag on the right shoulder of flightsuits lately. They don't know any better, and when you mention it to them, it's the same answer: "That's how my squadron told me to wear it." That's an issue.

[Dragoon]

Agreed.  We need as few special rules as possible.  One set of insignia, worn one way.

We don't do this often enough to have different rules for different suits.

[Hawk200]

We don't do this often enough to have different rules for different suits.

Mind if I borrow that? Fits what I try to tell people...

[SarDragon]

He never was in New Orleans.  CAP didn't have any on-the-ground presence there during Katrina that I ever heard of.

During? Or after? Look back a few issues of Volunteer to see what the CAP presence was afterward.