White aviator shirt

[BradM]

How does a direct question about pressing a shirt involve beards?

Because I bought the white aviator shirt and will be wearing the aviator shirt/gray slacks combo because for 2011 I'm re-growing my goatee. But If I could I'd like to wear the Air Force uniform with the goatee.  Since I'm new to CAP wearing the AF uniform all I have to put on it at the moment is the U.S. collar insignia, the name tag and the membership ribbon. 
In mid February I will be a SM for 6 mos so I hope to become a 2nd Lt. then. By the end of 2011 I am hoping to have added at least the basic PD badge, Observer wings, and a few more ribbons. I was thinking since I dont have a lot of "bling" on my AF uniform at the moment I could regrow my goatee and wear the white aviator shirt/gray slacks combo and I wanted to wear it right. So the goatee and the white aviator shirt are interelated for me and I started the topic.

[spacecommand]

Just a correction, even though you aren't wearing the AF Style uniform, Senior Members without grade wear "CAP" cutouts instead of "US" cutouts on the Service Blue uniform.

[BradM]

Just a correction, even though you aren't wearing the AF Style uniform, Senior Members without grade wear "CAP" cutouts instead of "US" cutouts on the Service Blue uniform.

I'll have to look that up. I know you have to wear the CAP cutouts on the shirt but this is the first I heard of wearing it on the service coat as well for Senior Members without grade. The next time I shave my goatee and go back to just a mustache it wont matter anyway. I'll be either a 2nd Lt or a 1st Lt by then

[ßτε]

Lapel Insignia: Highly polished U.S. insignia worn by senior member officers; highly polished CAP
insignia worn by senior member NCOs and Airmen and senior members without grade. Insignia is
placed halfway up the seam, resting on but not over it. Bottom of insignia is parallel with the ground.

[spacecommand]

^ 39-1 page 16 note 2.

I can understand a lot of SMWOG uniform items can be unclear at times.  For example I'm glad you didn't mention wearing blank epaulets...

[billford1]

We're back on this topic again after just a few months.

[BradM]

The answer to the thread though was to have the short sleeve white aviator shirt sleeves creased the way the AF blue short sleeve shirt sleeves are creased. Pressed and creased for a more professional look.

I was wondering about that since I am switching from the AF blues uniform to the white aviator shirt/gray slacks for 2011. Unless I go to an encampment and the BDUs are required for Senior staff? Then I would go back to just the mustache for a time...

[SarDragon]

BTW, FWIW, the 'stache in the WWII uni pic is out of reg for CAP. It's too wide.

[ItalianFiremanAC130]

Hi Guys,

I'm thinking about getting into the CAP and really enjoy the information on this site. Any suggestions for a newby?

[BradM]

BTW, FWIW, the 'stache in the WWII uni pic is out of reg for CAP. It's too wide.

When I went to the Calif. Wing Conference in Santa Maria out of all the officers there only one person mentioned that. My Squadron Commander mentioned that too and for a time I did reduce it. Then on Dec. 13th I decided to grow my goatee back and have it until at least Summer of 2011. If I go to the summer encampment (which would be my first encampment) and wear BDUs then I would probably go back to just the mustache. Do Senior staff wear BDUs mostly at encampment?

[BradM]

Hi Guys,

I'm thinking about getting into the CAP and really enjoy the information on this site. Any suggestions for a newby?

See if you can sign into eServices. Then start working on Level 1.

See:
http://www.capmembers.com/cap_university/level_i_foundations.cfm

[Eclipse]

Hi Guys,

I'm thinking about getting into the CAP and really enjoy the information on this site. Any suggestions for a newby?

Yes, find a unit near you and discuss their local operations with the commander - that is where you will find the best information
in regards to CAP locally, which is really where things happen.

[coudano]

Centering the crease on the epaulet is dumb, and that rule should be changed in 39-1 immediately.  I question if the person who wrote that rule has ever worn/prepared a military shirt in their life...  or bought *ANY* shirt at the store, ever, to see where the natural crease falls, naturally (terminates at the back of the epaulet).  I suspect the rule is written this way so that wing patches (centered under the epaulet) would be creased in the center... but since wing patches aren't worn on blues anymore, let's get with the times, eh?

--That said, BDU's don't naturally crease at the shoulder seam either...


The beard is forbidden in the military because it prevents a clean seal with the gas mask (amongst other traditional reasons).

I think mythbusters did the 'flammable oxygen mask plus facial hair' thing once, but I can't remember what their finding was.  I know they burned the face off a dummy but not sure if it was under 'normal' conditions, or after they lubed it up with accelerant after the normal test failed...

[manfredvonrichthofen]

The mythbusters did say the only way to get the combustion was under non normal circumstances. But they did say the myth was plausible.

I have worn a real military uniform long enough to know where the crease goes, and I always iron the shirts myself, for the simple reason that no, dry cleaners cannot get it right. The crease goes from the center of the epaulet. Every branch that I have ever seen in a short sleeve  uniform or even long sleeve uniform without a jacket has always had the crease in the middle of the epaulet.

Facial hair has already been done on a few threads very recently. No beards/goatees has been a military standard, not for tradition at all. If it were tradition, all officers atleast would wear a pointy goatee with a mustache that has points too(I know it's a joke). The reason for the facial hair NOGO is because of pro-masks won't seal around facial hair, also for the same reason that hair is to be short, long hair gets dirty faster and harbors lice and ticks and fleas much much much easier than short hair does.

[BradM]

Facial hair has already been done on a few threads very recently. No beards/goatees has been a military standard, not for tradition at all. If it were tradition, all officers atleast would wear a pointy goatee with a mustache that has points too(I know it's a joke).

The General Custer look or the Musketeer look? The Army now allows Calvary hats correct? The General Custer look would be back in style

The reason for the facial hair NOGO is because of pro-masks won't seal around facial hair, also for the same reason that hair is to be short, long hair gets dirty faster and harbors lice and ticks and fleas much much much easier than short hair does.

Do we wear pro-masks in CAP while in a blue service coat?

[BradM]

The pointed mustache and pointed goatee would look great in the new Army blues with calvary hat

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Do we wear pro-masks in CAP while in a blue service coat?

Doesn't matter if we do or not. Does the military wear pro-masks while in their service coats? No they don't.

[BradM]

Its my opinion the military and Hollywood think that only the bad guys wear goatees and beards while in military uniforms

[AlphaSigOU]

OK guys... let's get this straight:

It's CAValry, not CALvary! (The latter is where Christ was crucified.) You might get those 'yellowlegs' slightly upset! 

[BradM]

Yes sir! Sorry about that!