Uniform Troubles

[Cadet Bonnett]

What is it with the shiny boots? Why do they need to be shiny?

i agree why do they need to be shiny.

[Pylon]

What is it with the shiny boots? Why do they need to be shiny?

i agree why do they need to be shiny.

You need to polish you boots as a sign of dedication to your uniform and appearance.  Those with dull boots make the uniform look bad, and show no level of care nor respect for the uniform.  It's a very simple concept.

[pixelwonk]

What is it with the shiny boots? Why do they need to be shiny?

i agree why do they need to be shiny.

You need to polish you boots as a sign of dedication to your uniform and appearance. Those with dull boots make the uniform look bad, and show no level of care nor respect for the uniform. It's a very simple concept.

To add to what he said:

It helps to develop discipline in you.  By spending time polishing your boots or shoes before the meeting rather than text-messaging your friends on your phone, playing PS2, or whatever else you like to do, you demonstrate discipline in the form of self respect, respect for the uniform and the type of individual it represents. 
It's no different than ironing your rumpled blouse or taking care to make sure your gig line is straight.

Oh, and, it makes them look good, period.

[MIKE]

Oh, and, it makes them look good, period.

True, they do look good and it is important to not look like a rag bag but sometimes I think this garri-trooper thing with CAP is getting out of hand... I know cadets who starch there BDU to death and spend hours on their boots so their uniform looks perfect (Except for the excessive fading from the starch.), yet they don't know how to wear the Service Uniform properly... If your BDU looks better than your S/S Service Uniform we have a problem.  I think we in CAP are losing sight of the difference between a "Dress Uniform" and a "Battle Dress" or utility uniform.

Notice how the Army and Marines have done away with shiny black boots and starching or ironing with the no shine tan boots and permanent press and wrinkle free treatments on the new ACU and MCCUU... Already seeing a desert boot cleaning kit from Kiwi out though.  The Air Force and Navy both have utility uniforms in development that have similar features.

[pixelwonk]

True, they do look good and it is important to not look like a rag bag but sometimes I think this garri-trooper thing with CAP is getting out of hand... I know cadets who starch there BDU to death and spend hours on their boots so their uniform looks perfect (Except for the excessive fading from the starch.), yet they don't know how to wear the Service Uniform properly...

Although I haven't seen that, I do not doubt it for a second.
I do believe that is a localized problem, however, and not a CAP-wide trend.  There are some units that do almost no get-yourself-dirty types of activities at all, and wear their blues most of the time.  Guess how that turns out when they send a few of their members to a SAREX?  Nametape/insignia edges not folded under... patches applied with adhesives , etc...

Every squadron, and sometimes group, is it's own little fiefdom, with idiosyncrasies particular to that unit.  Often, the problems are related to uniforms, whether they're BDUs or blues.

[ladyreferee]

Hi Tedda,
  You spiked my interest - Nametape/insignia edges not folded under...   OK, when I sewed them I used my zigzag alot from the sewing machine.  Is that not right then?  Being that you and I are from the same wing, are there any training sessions on these types of knowledge for uniforms that teach us to do it right the first time?  Or does that come from attending the SLS (that was canceled this June....).  Would it be OK if I attended a Madison meeting sometime to brush shoulders with others (or is that frowned upon having 'outside' squadron members visiting)?

[MIKE]

You spiked my interest - Nametape/insignia edges not folded under...   OK, when I sewed them I used my zigzag alot from the sewing machine.  Is that not right then? 

A rather close straight stitch is better using a thread color that closely matches the tape... But then, they don't tell you that in the manual.  Folding the raw edges of the tapes under at the pocket edges prevents them from fraying... If you do not do this they will come undone... Happened to me on my first set of BDUs WIWAC.

Edit: Wash the tapes and insignia first to prevent them shrinking up ones sewn on the uniform.

[pixelwonk]

Hi Tedda,
You spiked my interest - Nametape/insignia edges not folded under... OK, when I sewed them I used my zigzag alot from the sewing machine. Is that not right then? Being that you and I are from the same wing, are there any training sessions on these types of knowledge for uniforms that teach us to do it right the first time? Or does that come from attending the SLS (that was canceled this June....). Would it be OK if I attended a Madison meeting sometime to brush shoulders with others (or is that frowned upon having 'outside' squadron members visiting)?

Hi Cheryl,  nice to sse you here.

Like Mike said, the insignia should have the ends folded under to eliminate fraying, which will happen after a few trips through the laundry.  As far as a stitch goes, I can't recall ever reading regulations requiring a certain stitch.  Having said that, you want to have the stitching as least visible as possible, so just use your best judgment. 

As far as training in the wing, unfortunately not.  I do have good news though!
I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Gieco.  Ok, well not really... It just popped into my head and I couldn't resist.  What I actually was going to say was that being not too far away, I could stop by the unit meeting sometime and give a few pointers on uniform issues that are often confused or misinterpreted.  Also, although I'm not a member of the Madison unit, I know they would have no objection to visitors.  They meet on Monday nights around 7pm, I believe.

[Xeno]

What is it with the shiny boots? Why do they need to be shiny?

Unpolished, dull boots look sloppy and make the wearer look lazy. Especially if the wearer is military personell.

Shiny boots are pretty and make us look distinguished and responsible.

[shorning]

Thanks for the heads up!  I tried pledge and also car wax - both do a nice job on my hockey helmet but didn't help here!  Bummer.

If the scuffs aren't too deep and other methods aren't working, you can use a little fingernail polish remover (acetone).  It's only good for a limited number of uses, but it does work for some of the tougher scuffs.  If they are too deep, nothing will work.

[Cadet Bonnett]

Thanks for the heads up!  I tried pledge and also car wax - both do a nice job on my hockey helmet but didn't help here!  Bummer.

If the scuffs aren't too deep and other methods aren't working, you can use a little fingernail polish remover (acetone).  It's only good for a limited number of uses, but it does work for some of the tougher scuffs.  If they are too deep, nothing will work.

couldn't you also use gluoster black nail polish and go over it. that's what one of cadets staff have said that we could do, alot of us do it on encampments nights so that we don't die during expection...... Haven't gone to encampment yet but i am going on auguast 6th....

[SarDragon]

Thanks for the heads up!  I tried pledge and also car wax - both do a nice job on my hockey helmet but didn't help here!  Bummer.

If the scuffs aren't too deep and other methods aren't working, you can use a little fingernail polish remover (acetone).  It's only good for a limited number of uses, but it does work for some of the tougher scuffs.  If they are too deep, nothing will work.

couldn't you also use gluoster black nail polish and go over it. [redacted]

Nope. It will be very obvious that it's been touched up.

[Mike9093CAP]

Hello All,

I am new to this board but I would like to add a comment on the boots about not being polished and looking sloppy. AF personnel that work on the flightlines have combat boots that can not be polished because of the special treatment that is put on them to protect the boot from acids and other aircraft fluids, so you will see active duty AF with unshined boots walking on a base because of that reason. So a lot of times cadets that have an active duty parent may get a pair of these boots and they can not be polished to a high shine the best you will get a a lite dull shine. So sometimes the cadet is not being lazy with the polish on the boots.

[shorning]

Hello All,

I am new to this board but I would like to add a comment on the boots about not being polished and looking sloppy. AF personnel that work on the flightlines have combat boots that can not be polished because of the special treatment that is put on them to protect the boot from acids and other aircraft fluids, so you will see active duty AF with unshined boots walking on a base because of that reason. So a lot of times cadets that have an active duty parent may get a pair of these boots and they can not be polished to a high shine the best you will get a a lite dull shine. So sometimes the cadet is not being lazy with the polish on the boots.

Hmmm...I'm active duty Air Force, and I've seen those boot shine up real well.  It depends on how you're shining them.  I've heard the "myth" of boots that won't shine and found the only ones I can't get to shine are my desert boots.

[SarDragon]

[redacted] the special treatment that is put on them to protect the boot from acids and other aircraft fluids [further redacted]

Is this something new? I've never seen anything like that in my travels. I thought all the flightline/flight/flightdeck boots were pretty much the same across the services, and I know of nothing other than regular shoe care products applied by the owners. A decent coat of wax actually works pretty well as a protectant, even if the leather is scarred up to the point of not being shineable.

[airforcecolors]

Question to all.  Anyone here wear the shiny vinyl black shoes that you can get at bx's?  And if so, how do you get skuffs off of them?
Thanks!

Ma'am,

I have gotten them  at the 440th Airlift Base Exchange (in Milwaukee). I saw that you were from Wisconsin, so if you are ever in Milwaukee stop in at the BX. If they don't have your size, they will be more than happy to order a pair for you and send them to you.

[airforcecolors]

Question to all.  Anyone here wear the shiny vinyl black shoes that you can get at bx's?  And if so, how do you get skuffs off of them?
Thanks!

Whoops...sry i cant read. I just found the Orange-glo works really well if they are minor scrapes. Use newspaper to wip the orange-glo off your shoes (I know it sounds weird, but it works really well).

[airforcecolors]

What is it with the shiny boots? Why do they need to be shiny?

i agree why do they need to be shiny.

It adds to the professional look. It shows that you have a little dedication to the uniform. You will understand in good time.

[capchiro]

When I was in Warrant Officer Candidate Flight School, prior to jungle boots, a directive came down that we were not to shine our boots.  Supposedly the wax was a combustible and there was the apparent fire hazard.  I don't think anyone ever paid any attention to the directive, but it was published.  On the other hand, there was the incident with the Hershey Chocolate Bars, but that is a story for another time.

Lt. Col. Harry E. Siegrist III, CAP
Commander
Sweetwater Comp. Sqdn.
GA154

[WICAPMOM]

Hershey's Chocolate?

My interest is peeked...