Epaulet Conversion Kit

[Abby.L]

I have recently gotten my hands on 2 service coats, one old-style, one new-style. Problem is that neither of them have epaulets(You'd think the old style would?). I've heard through the grapevine that there are conversion kits out there, but I have no idea where they are. I am a C/2dLt(As you can see in my sig), so I would really prefer to have epaulets as it makes things easier for color guards, honor guards, ect. Besides, it's easier to sew velcro on through an epaulet than 2 inches of fake shoulders.

So, anyone know where these fabled kits of magic are? Thanks for the help!

[lordmonar]

They don't exist anymore.

Once you add tailoring costs.....it would just be cheaper to buy a new service coat.

IMHO cadets officer look better with out the epaulet.  YMMV.

[Abby.L]

Well, okay. I still want epaulets, so are there any epaulet templates or something? At this point, I don't care about the tailoring cost, as I have some money to throw around. Okay, not really, but I'll find a way to get them on.  :angel:

[abdsp51]

If you have the funds just procur a new coat.   Trying to modify something is not always in your best interest.

[lordmonar]

Well, okay. I still want epaulets, so are there any epaulet templates or something? At this point, I don't care about the tailoring cost, as I have some money to throw around. Okay, not really, but I'll find a way to get them on.  :angel:

Then buy a new coat.   

[Eclipse]

Most cadets velcro the shoulder boards and move on with their day.

There are some tailors who can use material and buttons from an serviceable jacket and build some epaulets, but again, not worth the hassle
for cadets.

[MSG Mac]

Check the local MCSS. They may have some kits laying around in a back room.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Most cadets velcro the shoulder boards and move on with their day.

There are some tailors who can use material and buttons from an serviceable jacket and build some epaulets, but again, not worth the hassle
for cadets.

Or use press-studs.

[Pylon]

An officer in my squadron took an unserviceable new-style jacket and cut and sewed his own epaulets from the fabric, found matching buttons and made the whole thing look identical to the real deal for zero cost.  But it takes a fairly knowledgeable handle on sewing to do it well.


The conversion kits should be something that Vanguard creates for us.  There's enough cheap enlisted jackets out there on eBay (in the $20-$40 range) that could be converted to officer versions (and a corresponding lack of abundance of second-hand officer service jackets) that a conversion kit would make good fiscal sense and save CAP members money.


What I also don't understand is that the Air Force new-style enlisted and officer jackets are 100% identical, except that AAFES adds epaulets to the shoulder and sleeve braid to the sleeve on the officer version.  Yet, they charge $86.54 MORE for the officer version ($179.95 for the officer vs. $93.41 for the enlisted from the exchange).  I can't fathom how sleeve braid and a pair of cloth epaulets can possibly cost an extra $86.54.

[abdsp51]

The officers coat comes with the braid but it is not attached to it due to the alterations that would need to be made.  But it's crazy the additional cost for an officers coat.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

What I don't get is why there have to be two different styles anyway...there weren't two different styles of the Tony Nelson service coat.

When General Fogleman partially demodded the Tony McPeak coat the version with epaulettes should have been standard.

[flyboy53]

I have recently gotten my hands on 2 service coats, one old-style, one new-style. Problem is that neither of them have epaulets(You'd think the old style would?). I've heard through the grapevine that there are conversion kits out there, but I have no idea where they are. I am a C/2dLt(As you can see in my sig), so I would really prefer to have epaulets as it makes things easier for color guards, honor guards, ect. Besides, it's easier to sew velcro on through an epaulet than 2 inches of fake shoulders.

So, anyone know where these fabled kits of magic are? Thanks for the help!

Military bases where there is accession training, especially officers, has a uniform shop off base that caters to officers. So, like Lackland AFB, Texas, has a uniform shop called Kellac's just outside the rear gate that goes to the Madina Annex. They have a web site. You can call them and ask to purchase the kit. The last one I bought there was for my daughter, when she converted from cadet to flight officer. I think I paid $17 dollars for the kit: two epaullets, two buttons and the sleve braid.

Otherwise, the BX at Maxwell may be another good site because that's where OTS is now. For Rocky Mountain Region, perhaps the Air Force Academy has such a uniform shop off base.

[titanII]

If the two service coats you got your hands on belong to you, and not your squadron, then you could sell them, and use the cash from those two to buy an actual service coat with epaulets.

[spacecommand]

Slightly OT, but the "old style" (pre-mcpeak) service coat had epaulettes even for enlistedmen.  Which version of the old style one had no epaulettes, are you sure it's even an old style jacket or even USAF jacket at all?

[VPI18]

Slightly OT, but the "old style" (pre-mcpeak) service coat had epaulettes even for enlistedmen.  Which version of the old style one had no epaulettes, are you sure it's even an old style jacket or even USAF jacket at all?

It definitely an old style jacket. I would know because I sold it to him.

IMHO cadets officer look better with out the epaulet.  YMMV.

Which is why I had the epaulets removed.

[Abby.L]

Slightly OT, but the "old style" (pre-mcpeak) service coat had epaulettes even for enlistedmen.  Which version of the old style one had no epaulettes, are you sure it's even an old style jacket or even USAF jacket at all?

It definitely an old style jacket. I would know because I sold it to him.

IMHO cadets officer look better with out the epaulet.  YMMV.

Which is why I had the epaulets removed.

Bahaha. I was expecting this, actually. I had purchased them with the intent of getting epaulets put on anyway. I purchased them mainly because of the size(They fit fantastically, might I add), so epaulets were a secondary concern. Now that the first concern's finished with, I can now focus on the second.

[abdsp51]

Slightly OT, but the "old style" (pre-mcpeak) service coat had epaulettes even for enlistedmen.  Which version of the old style one had no epaulettes, are you sure it's even an old style jacket or even USAF jacket at all?

It definitely an old style jacket. I would know because I sold it to him.

IMHO cadets officer look better with out the epaulet.  YMMV.

Which is why I had the epaulets removed.

So the coat was rendered unserviceable....

[Abby.L]

Slightly OT, but the "old style" (pre-mcpeak) service coat had epaulettes even for enlistedmen.  Which version of the old style one had no epaulettes, are you sure it's even an old style jacket or even USAF jacket at all?

It definitely an old style jacket. I would know because I sold it to him.

IMHO cadets officer look better with out the epaulet.  YMMV.

Which is why I had the epaulets removed.

So the coat was rendered unserviceable....

Looks perfectly fine, actually. If I had gotten this coat back when I was enlisted, I would've been pretty happy. It's a professional removal, as I couldn't find a broken seam if I tried.

[abdsp51]

Just saying, and honestly I think we should redesign the shoulder boards for cadet officers.

[PHall]

Just saying, and honestly I think we should redesign the shoulder boards for cadet officers.

The bigger question is who do we still have the Cadet Officer shoulder boards?