New Uniform update from NHQ 11/13/06

[DNall]

If it's a 1/2 in up, that means resting over the seam of the horiz band, which is the right place. It'll be the same as the BBDU hat, so don't worry about bad work in photoshop. I wouldn't count on lots of goretex being on surplus any time soon. The AF won't be switched fully to ACUs till 2009, and goretex will not neccessarily happen at the same time. eBay tends to have several of these if you keep your eyes open.

[A.Member]

However it still isn't CAPM 39-1, so it remains irrelevant.

I agree, it's not in 39-1.  However, the fact that it's not in 39-1 is exactly why it's relevent.  Since, the wear of these items is not defined anywhere, what is the specific wear requirement?  That's the question - not only by me but apparently by several others here as well.  As you indicated earlier, a formal change/clarification to CAPM 39-1 is needed for these updates.

It appears that the Newsflash was hastily distributed for some unknown reason.  Why the rush?  It's been ~9 months, surely they could've taken a little more time to complete the requirement and get the ducks in a row.  The e-mail (at least the one I received) does not include any specific guidance for wear of either item aside from the attachment of a couple photos.  As a result, wear is entirely open to intepretation of a photo (which a number seem to question). 

The e-mail never should've have been distributed without a specific requirements on wear.  Nonetheless, it did go out and hopefully clarification on these issues is forthcoming soon.  And when the requirement is finally documented, it's my hope that they looked to AFI 36-2903 for guidance on wear.   That was the point. 

[arajca]

They'll probably look to CAPM 39-1 which specifies the location for cadet officer insignia on the bdu cap. That is what they did for the bbdu patrol cap.

[shorning]

The AF won't be switched fully to ACUs till 2009...

The Air Force isn't switching to ACUs.  That's the Army.  The new Air Force uniform is the ABU.  It may seem nitpicky, but they aren't the same thing.  It would be like referring to the Army's new uniform as "MARPATS".

[MIKE]

ABU - Airman Battle Uniform

ACU - Army Combat Uniform

[lordmonar]

The AF won't be switched fully to ACUs till 2009...

The Air Force isn't switching to ACUs.  That's the Army.  The new Air Force uniform is the ABU.  It may seem nitpicky, but they aren't the same thing.  It would be like referring to the Army's new uniform as "MARPATS".

And we have already switched to ABU's....it is a done deal.  The ABUs (so I have been told) will be on the shelf and issued to deploying Airman in January.  2009 may be the manditory wear date (I don't recall ever seeing a hard date yet) but if so 90% of the force will be wearing ABU's by '08 if we use the fatigues to BDU switch as a model.

[shorning]

The AF won't be switched fully to ACUs till 2009...

The Air Force isn't switching to ACUs.  That's the Army.  The new Air Force uniform is the ABU.  It may seem nitpicky, but they aren't the same thing.  It would be like referring to the Army's new uniform as "MARPATS".

And we have already switched to ABU's....it is a done deal.  The ABUs (so I have been told) will be on the shelf and issued to deploying Airman in January.  2009 may be the manditory wear date (I don't recall ever seeing a hard date yet) but if so 90% of the force will be wearing ABU's by '08 if we use the fatigues to BDU switch as a model.

No, no, no...we haven't switched yet.  We are in the process of transitioning from one uniform to the others.  In fact, we're just beginning the transition.  They aren't even on the street yet.  We'll have switched when the BDUs are phased out.  Semantics?  Yes.  But the point is the Air Force isn't the ones wearing the ACU.


But what do I know...I wear blues every day...

[lordmonar]

But what do I know...I wear blues every day...

HQ weenie!

[shorning]

But what do I know...I wear blues every day...

HQ weenie!

Dude, "echelons above reality".  Heck, I'm not really in the Air Force right now.

[LtCol White]

There really isnt much need for guidance on these 2 items. Come on guys. use some common sense.

Gortex parka is authorized for wear. When do u wear it? Whenever u want with your BDUs. Just like the M 65. What do u put on it? The new blue slide when it is available.

Rank on the BDU cap: We had it before and now its back. Placement of the rank will be as it is with all branches and was for us in the past.

It was probably put out so fast becuase they felt these items were simple enough for everyone to figure out on their own. Perhaps not

[lordmonar]

But what do I know...I wear blues every day...

HQ weenie!

Dude, "echelons above reality".  Heck, I'm not really in the Air Force right now.

Oh GREAT...that makes you a JOINT HQ WEENIE!

[shorning]

But what do I know...I wear blues every day...

HQ weenie!

Dude, "echelons above reality".  Heck, I'm not really in the Air Force right now.

Oh GREAT...that makes you a JOINT HQ WEENIE!

Shooh...or we'll tag you with a RFF...

[SarDragon]

There really isnt much need for guidance on these 2 items. Come on guys. use some common sense.

Gortex parka is authorized for wear. When do u wear it? Whenever u want with your BDUs. Just like the M 65. What do u put on it? The new blue slide when it is available.

Rank on the BDU cap: We had it before and now its back. Placement of the rank will be as it is with all branches and was for us in the past.

It was probably put out so fast becuase they felt these items were simple enough for everyone to figure out on their own. Perhaps not

Common sense? What a concept!

But that's exactly what the reg queens decry when situations like this come up. "Well, the reg doesn't say we can do [this or that]", or "Well, I interpret it like this", are the general answers that come up. It ends up turning into an even bigger urinating competition than we have here.

(By the way, in my posts above, I was pointing out the lack of CAP guidance, but not advocating any specific course of action.)

I think using "common sense" is an OK idea, but then you get the problem of further non-uniformity because of different ideas and interpretations.

YMMV.

[DNall]

The AF won't be switched fully to ACUs till 2009...

The Air Force isn't switching to ACUs.  That's the Army.  The new Air Force uniform is the ABU.  It may seem nitpicky, but they aren't the same thing.  It would be like referring to the Army's new uniform as "MARPATS".

Yes of course, my bad. I got ACUs in the closet, the AF is going to ABUs. Not that I think it's a good idea for everone to have dif styles, but that's another subject.

AF is scheduled to be switched into ABUs by 2009. I haven't heard anything about goretex patterns being switched at the same time & in fact that might come after the fact... all of which means the supply of surplus from the AF isn't huge for a while, but the Army is switching now, including goretex, so there is some out there from that angle.

[LtCol White]

SARDRAGON I agree with you that the common sense part can be dangerous in some areas. But come on, how can anyone NOT figure this one out.  The announcement on this was clear. The photos were crappy and caused confusion becuase people recognized that it didnt match the regs.  There are enough of us from the old days and current military who, if we do our jobs right, will explain to the others how it should be. Some things were meant for common sense while other were meant for letter of the law. I think its clear that this one is a common sense one.

[lordmonar]

But what do I know...I wear blues every day...

HQ weenie!

Dude, "echelons above reality".  Heck, I'm not really in the Air Force right now.

Oh GREAT...that makes you a JOINT HQ WEENIE!

Shooh...or we'll tag you with a RFF...

But I am a fully trained AFSOC warrior!  I got a certificate and everything!

[DNall]

If I might interject. I don't think there are enough military or old-days types around to cover all of CAP, certainly all Sqs don't have the benefit of such people. It's my belief that CAP regs should actually go well beyond the detail provided in AF regs to spell everything out, because we don't have the culture around us to clear up the unwritten details to a single standard that you could call common sense if you were talking about people with the benefit of a military background & training. I tend to feel you need to write the things like they're for martians so there is no question of the standard you're trying to attain, and would like to see a supplement instruction detailing additional stuff that is common but not required - garters & stuff like that.

[shorning]

But what do I know...I wear blues every day...

HQ weenie!

Dude, "echelons above reality".  Heck, I'm not really in the Air Force right now.

Oh GREAT...that makes you a JOINT HQ WEENIE!

Shooh...or we'll tag you with a RFF...

But I am a fully trained AFSOC warrior!  I got a certificate and everything!

Even better!  I've got a perfect place for you!

[afgeo4]

JUST FYI:

CAP ultramarine gore-tex nametapes for parkas ARE and HAVE BEEN available through www.supplysergeant.com, feel free to put in orders. These are narrow nametapes for above the left arm pocket, not the rank sleeve.

[lordmonar]

JUST FYI:

CAP ultramarine gore-tex nametapes for parkas ARE and HAVE BEEN available through www.supplysergeant.com, feel free to put in orders. These are narrow nametapes for above the left arm pocket, not the rank sleeve.

And not even authorised by this new e-mail.