U.S. Civil Air Patrol tape

[ColonelJack]

Trying to avoid a LOCK or topic change...












TAKE YOUR PICK! It's a TP free-for-all!

I'm sorry, sir ... what was the name of your organization again?

Jack

[RiverAux]

As I recall a very dark blue tape with white letters was heavily favored, but don't see it on yours. 

[Hawk200]

As I recall a very dark blue tape with white letters was heavily favored, but don't see it on yours. 

I'd agree on the dark blue tapes. This royal blue garbage is a leftover from the 70's.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Hawk:

"Ultramarine Blue" was one of the two branch colors of the Army Air Corps.  The other was "Golden Orange." 

The branch colors have been re-born as the colors of the Aviation branch now.

[Hawk200]

Hawk:

"Ultramarine Blue" was one of the two branch colors of the Army Air Corps.  The other was "Golden Orange." 

The branch colors have been re-born as the colors of the Aviation branch now.

Doesn't make them suitable nametape colors (Can you even imagine an orange nametape? A bit of a stomach churner, there.) 

They were probably most en vogue in the '60's and '70's, when the Air Force wore them. It's a style that certainly doesn't fit in the here and now.

So, I'll stick to my original opinion.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Not challenging you, hawk.  I hate them too.  Just pointing out why the choice was not a random one.

[Hawk200]

Not challenging you, hawk.  I hate them too.  Just pointing out why the choice was not a random one.

Understood, John, no worries. I just think they're ugly.

[RiverAux]

Here is a newer update to the KB (dated 1/8/08) on this issue:

Question 
Is it true that CAP has rescinded the use of US Civil Air Patrol including the wearing of "US Civil Air Patrol" tapes on the BDUs?

Answer
  Yes the November 2007 NEC rescinded use of US Civil Air Patrol and return to the title Civil Air Patrol. Expect a reasonable phase out period for wearing BDUs with the US Civil Air Patrol tapes. Dates will be posted when available.

Ref: National Executive Committee Meeting Minutes  2 – 3 November 2007
U.S. Civil Air Patrol.
ACTION:  Approved that the name "Civil Air Patrol" is the official name and that all references to "U.S." be permanently removed and other references to "U. S. Civil Air Patrol" be phased out over a reasonable transition period based upon logistical practicality.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

FOLLOW-ON ACTION:  NHQ instructions to Vanguard not to make any more items with the name, "U. S. Civil Air Patrol."  These items will be phased out over a reasonable time frame.

[jimmydeanno]

I was watching "Good Morning Vietnam" the other day and wouldn't you know it...the fatigues with white on ultramarine tapes were being used when the movie was made.

I know this really has nothing to do with the USCAP tapes specifically, but while I'm generally not for "change just for change" I think it is time to relegate the nearly half-century old uniform items we still wear. (BTW, you can see the plastic encased grade insignia being worn in "Iron Eagle") 

Just a thought.

[cnitas]

I think we were watching the same shows this weekend; Good Morning Vietnam and Iron Eagle.   

And yes, I also noticed the ultramarine tapes and wondered when CAP got left in the past.

[jeders]

BTW, you can see the plastic encased grade insignia being worn in "Iron Eagle"

You can also see it in Dr. Strangelove.

[JayT]

I think we were watching the same shows this weekend; Good Morning Vietnam and Iron Eagle.   

And yes, I also noticed the ultramarine tapes and wondered when CAP got left in the past.

We didn't get left in the past, we just never changed. If I remember my readings correctly, the Air Force orginally just changed the nametapes for guys going to Vietnam, then changed for everyone. 

Besides looking more 'Air Force,' why do we need subdued tapes?

[Hawk200]

BTW, you can see the plastic encased grade insignia being worn in "Iron Eagle"

You can also see it in Dr. Strangelove.

Didn't see Dr Strangelove, but remember Iron Eagle. The uniforms shown were fairly appropriate to the time period. There were a few curveballs, but for the most part everything fit the time.

[mikeylikey]

Besides looking more 'Air Force,' why do we need subdued tapes?

Cost.  My Local MCSS will sell me 3 last name tapes for .75 cents!  It also does not make the wearer "stand-out".  Whats the big deal with subdued, are you afraid you may blend in with the donut station if you are not wearing white and blue tapes?

[JayT]

Besides looking more 'Air Force,' why do we need subdued tapes?

Cost.  My Local MCSS will sell me 3 last name tapes for .75 cents!  It also does not make the wearer "stand-out".  Whats the big deal with subdued, are you afraid you may blend in with the donut station if you are not wearing white and blue tapes?

My closest Air Force Base is about a three hour haul, through New York City, etc etc. If you wanna make that haul for me, then you're welcome too. Just make sure it's THEMANN with two n's.

I don't understand the comment about 'the donut station.'

The big deal with subdued is that.........well..........the only reason to have them is to look more Air Force. Besides, we'd also have to redesign every patch and badge we have for BDUs. So how much money are we saving exactly?

[Hawk200]

Whats the big deal with subdued, are you afraid you may blend in with the donut station if you are not wearing white and blue tapes?

I think it was more of a case of him having to drop some flamebait. Subdued nametapes really have little meaning to someone that isn't wearing a compatible uniform.

[Eclipse]

Subdued nametapes really have little meaning to someone that isn't wearing a compatible uniform. 

Or to a service organization which has no need to be camouflaged...

[mikeylikey]

Subdued nametapes really have little meaning to someone that isn't wearing a compatible uniform. 

Or to a service organization which has no need to be camouflaged...

Fine......break out the orange t-shirts, and neon green sweatpants.  This topic of subdued anything has really been beaten to a pulp.  There are two sides, the ones that want to ditch BDU's (and everything military) and those that like to get FREE BDU's from the military and have no problem wearing them. 

Seriously, Eclipse not directed primarily at you, but there are others here who have previously stated they hate the BDU's and everything on the AF style side because it makes them feel "weird" to wear them, or is disrespectful to the military community if they put them on.  Well, I would rather have CAP members wearing them, instead of the punk ass kid down the street who is waiting to join the local gang, or the car mechanic at the local garage, or the guy who took a pair and made some funky cutoffs to be sexier in the local hood. 

If those of you who can't stand wearing them because of personal reasons don't want to wear them, then don't.  That is why there are other options available.  However, we look like circus clowns when we wear BDU's with orange and pink and green and ultramarine blue doo-dads all sewn wherever. 

As far as subdues tapes and patches, I don't care anylonger.  I am apparently in the minority that thought we could look "cleaner and crisper" if we got rid of Ultramarine Blue and White everything.

[Hawk200]

If those of you who can't stand wearing them because of personal reasons don't want to wear them, then don't.  That is why there are other options available.  However, we look like circus clowns when we wear BDU's with orange and pink and green and ultramarine blue doo-dads all sewn wherever. 

As far as subdues tapes and patches, I don't care anylonger.  I am apparently in the minority that thought we could look "cleaner and crisper" if we got rid of Ultramarine Blue and White everything.

I'm in the same minority. It seems that there are a few different camps. The military wearers that don't care about alternates, the alternate wearers that don't care about the military uniforms, and the alternate wearers that feel that there should be no military appearance for CAP. Not sure of the breakdown of them, but that seems to sum up what they are.

What we wear isn't as important as to how we do our jobs. There shouldn't be any reason why a person in blue and a person in cammie can't work together. But some are making it an issue. Not working with someone in a uniform other than what you wear is conflict for the sake of conflict, and so is the argument. It's a waste of time. We have better things to do. Wear whatever uniform you want, wear it right, and do your job.

[Eclipse]

Eclipse not directed primarily at you, but there are others here who have previously stated they hate the BDU's and everything on the AF style side because it makes them feel "weird" to wear them, or is disrespectful to the military community if they put them on.

I feel neither way - I own both camo and blue bdus, whites, blues, and the CSU.  I wear whatever is appropriate to the mission, or whatever I feel like that day (which I will grant you is part of the "uniform" issue).

Military affinity doesn't hurt on base, looking like the other ES guys doesn't hurt when you're doing DR, though frankly I think we all care more about this than our customers.

Given the choice, I would prefer tapes that matched better on both uniforms because of the aesthetic standpoint, my point above was just that there is no justification from a camouflage angle, and has been pointed out on 1.256 trillion occasions, camouflage uniforms on non-combatant rescue people, (from a mission standpoint only) is silly.

I'm happy to wear the military stuff, enjoy the affinity, and wish we could just accept what we have and move on (the next round of requests notwithstanding).