What can Active Duty wear on there CAP uniform?

[hatentx]

I have been reading through and am confused.  I am thinking about joining apon my return from Iraq and wondering what I would be authorised to wear. 

Ribbons/medal- I know all are avalible for wear.

Badges-  I see my wings are authorised but what about other such badges ie. Marksmanship badges, Regimental Affiliation, Drivers badges

Combate Patches-  I know i have seen AD Airforce wearing Army Combat Pathces on there left shoulder is this authorised in CAP?

Forien award such as the German Infantry Badge and other such divices worn over the name tag in the Army unifrom.

Not that I can to wear all of these things but just wondering and I should waer all that is authorised.  I know I not going to be able to wear my spurs and Stetson but hey in a purfect world all would be CAV.

[dougsnow]

A. Thank you very much for your service in the sandbox, and WELCOME HOME.

B. If you are Army, correct that ribbons and medals are ok for wear.
If you have an IB or a CIB, that's good too.

Marksmanship and drivers badges are not, and neither are the regimental affiliation. The German badge is also N/A.

Basically anything you would wear near your name tag, or below your rack, is N/A on the CAP uniform. However, anything you would wear on the pocket, such as a JCS badge, is ok.  Branch insignia (I'm former MI), is also N/A.

Former 96B here, welcome back to the real world...

Doug

[BillB]

Since USAF doesn't have combat patches, they are not authorized. During WW II and up until 1980 if a person served in a unit other than one assigned the patch could be worn on the right shoulder. In USAF, that meant the last unit assigned. If for example the person previously served in the 3rd Army, that patch could be worn on the left shoulder of fatigues and the USAF command patch worn on the left shoulder such as MATS. When USAF dropped the command patch on the shoulder, the previous assigned patch also was removed.  Foreign awards are not authorized unless approval is granted by National. (according to Suzie Parker)

[PaulR]

Welcome home!! Thank you for your service and sacrifice!

[hatentx]

thanks for the info that sounds good.  Im not home yet got to love the troop surge and the extentions lol.  One day i think i will be home but i seems like it will be for ever.  So in a nut shell ribbons and anything that would go above the ribbons are worn.  That is to easy and would make it that difficult to set up a uniform. 

[JohnKachenmeister]

You MAY get some grief from the Uniform Nazis if you have earned the Army Combat Action Badge.  The CAP manual (39-1) only lists the CIB/CMB as authorized.  The last time 39-1 was revised was before the Army came out with the CAB.

Don't take any guff from the Uniform Nazis.  Wear it with pride.

[DHollywood]

CAPM 39-1 tends to indicate that the AFI's control, i.e., if the Air Force allows it on their uniform then it may be authorized on a CAP uniform.

National HQ can give a final answer and CAPM 39-1 encourages questions about uniform items to be submitetd to NHQ for resolution.

That said, I wear my jump wings and medical badge first and foremost, and any CAP badges secondary to those.

[O-Rex]

CAB: We're about three years behind on 39-1, but I imagine that it will be approved.  Right now, nothing says you can't, nothing says you can.

There are enough blatant infractions out there without splitting hairs.

I've seen folks wear them on CAP uniforms, I also saw a Uniform Nazi call a Vet on it:

"Hey, you can't wear that."

"Really? then try taking if off me. . . . "

Needless to say, the conversation ended right there.

[Hawk200]

CAB: We're about three years behind on 39-1, but I imagine that it will be approved.  Right now, nothing says you can't, nothing says you can.

There are enough blatant infractions out there without splitting hairs.

I've seen folks wear them on CAP uniforms, I also saw a Uniform Nazi call a Vet on it:

"Hey, you can't wear that."

"Really? then try taking if off me. . . . "

Needless to say, the conversation ended right there.

I know there are badges that aren't specifically authorized, but half the time if worn appropriately, no one will bother you about it. They just don't know any better.

On the flip side, I've seen some really ignorant Uniform Nazi's that call people on things that are specifically authorized. The example was a crusty LTC that told a junior member that his CIB wasn't authorized because it was Army. I actually had a copy of 39-1 in my notebook and pulled it out when I witnessed this. The LTC walked away grumbling that it shouldn't be allowed because it was Army. But he left the member alone after that.

Unfortunately, there are units that forbid things because they don't like them, and they don't realize that forbidding things is breaking the rules just as much as allowing items that aren't in the uniform pub.

[O-Rex]

Just goes to show that in some circles (particularly in CAP) if you say something with enough authority, people will actually believe it.

My favorite exchange:

"You cant do that!"

"Why not?"

"It's against CAP regulations!!"

"Which one?  I got them all loaded in my laptop: let's find it."

"Uhh. . . .uhh. . .uhh..."

When someone tweaks your nose, tweak back: gently, politely.  Then giggle your butt off.

[arajca]

B. If you are Army, correct that ribbons and medals are ok for wear.

Just remember, CAP does not wear ribbons above the name plate. Those ribbons get mixed in with the rest - see Air Force precedence charts for where they fall.

If you have an IB or a CIB, that's good too.

IB? I presume you mean the EIB. EIB is not authorized, however the CIB (and CFMB) is. Officially, the CAB is not, but I wouldn't tell someone to remove it (and I am a 'Uniform Nazi'). I would tell someone to remove the EIB since it is only a skill badge like the marksmanship medals.

[Eclipse]

CAB: We're about three years behind on 39-1, but I imagine that it will be approved.  Right now, nothing says you can't, nothing says you can.

There are enough blatant infractions out there without splitting hairs.

I've seen folks wear them on CAP uniforms, I also saw a Uniform Nazi call a Vet on it:

"Hey, you can't wear that."

"Really? then try taking if off me. . . . "

Needless to say, the conversation ended right there.

Nice attitude.

Just goes to show that in some circles (particularly in CAP) if you say something with enough authority, people will actually believe it.

My favorite exchange:

"You cant do that!"

"Why not?"

"It's against CAP regulations!!"

"Which one?  I got them all loaded in my laptop: let's find it."

"Uhh. . . .uhh. . .uhh..."

When someone tweaks your nose, tweak back: gently, politely.  Then giggle your butt off.

Except when someone who actually KNOWS the regs proves you to be incorrect...

39-1 is as clear as any other service's uniform manual about what is AUTHORIZED.

What "should", "could", "might" or "will" be, aren't.

"Respect" is a two-way street.  We aren't going to teach anyone how to "get it right" by making up our own rules.

[DHollywood]

B. If you are Army, correct that ribbons and medals are ok for wear.

Just remember, CAP does not wear ribbons above the name plate. Those ribbons get mixed in with the rest - see Air Force precedence charts for where they fall.

If you have an IB or a CIB, that's good too.

IB? I presume you mean the EIB. EIB is not authorized, however the CIB (and CFMB) is. Officially, the CAB is not, but I wouldn't tell someone to remove it (and I am a 'Uniform Nazi'). I would tell someone to remove the EIB since it is only a skill badge like the marksmanship medals.

I think there is room to argue the EIP could be authorized.

As it stands right now, the EIB is NOT authorized for wear on the AF uniform, but only because no one in the air force could receive the award because no one in the air force is CMF 11 infantry MOS qualified.  The EIB can ONLY be awarded to 11B qualified MOS male service members.  (Did you copy that Sargrunt?)

By way of comparison, the EFMB IS authorized because Air Force members are capable of receiveing that award as medics.  I read in the AFI somewhere that authorizes the EFMB (because I have one).

A well drafted presentation to NHQ could result in the decision that the EIB IS allowed to be worn on the CAP uniform.

There is no reason to NOT allow it because its a skill badge along the lines of the EFMB that IS allowed.

Just make sure you have a copy of your DD214 to back up your bling.  And don't be a POSER claiming things that are utter and complete BS.... believe me we can smell your stench a mile away when you do....   

That said....   I'd like to see someone try to take the EIB off someone's uniform.....  my money is on my brother infantry!

[Stonewall]

A well drafted presentation to NHQ could result in the decision that the EIB IS allowed to be worn on the CAP uniform.

There is no reason to NOT allow it because its a skill badge along the lines of the EFMB that IS allowed.

Just make sure you have a copy of your DD214 to back up your bling.  And don't be a POSER claiming things that are utter and complete BS.... believe me we can smell your stench a mile away when you do....   

That said....   I'd like to see someone try to take the EIB off someone's uniform.....  my money is on my brother infantry!

I agree, I think the EIB should be authorized.  I don't have a major argument to back up my opinion other than the fact that those who earn it, truly earn it.  I personally tried for the EIB twice and bolo'd (army term for failed) both times.  Got a double no-go on the M2 (.50 cal) one time and another time night land nav.  Tell you what, I wouldn't fail either of those two skills today.  Anyway, after we invaded Panama in '89, I heard a couple of 82nd guys say it was harder to earn their EIB than their CIB.

Plus, in the AF, I have seen no fewer than 4 EIBs worn on AF BDUs/Blues.  Not saying they're correct in doing so, just saying.  I've seen more than one blue on OD EIB too.

As for carrying around your 214, I don't bother.  As an enlisted guy, people often question my OSD badge, usually by officers.  I've got it on my 214 and I have my certificate signed by then SECDEF William J. Perry.  Besides, I have 2 DD 214s, 2 NG 22s, a DD 215 and I forgot what I got from the AFRES.  Put them all together and you've got a complete list of all my awards and badges, but look at just one, there's at least 2 or 3 things missing.  And being the pack rat that I am, I have certificates to back everything up as well.

[DHollywood]

Let me stand corrected....  I have an Infantry brother who went blue after his first tour in Iraq with the 101st... he had EIB and got his CIB as well - also said the EIB was harder to earn.

He has been known to wear his EIB on his AF uniform from time to time and gets a little hate for it, but as we said in the Airborne... I can take that ass smoking.

The comment about the DD214 was more of a warning.. I have seen a slew of Posers lately (here and elsewhere) so I'm in that kind of mood...

All I mean is back your [mess] up hua?

[JohnKachenmeister]

The EIB is "Just a skill badge like the marksmanship medals?"

I can see you never tried to earn one!

The Infantry "Skill badge" is the crossed rifles on the lapel.  The EIB is an award for excellence.

[Dragoon]

Well, to be more specific, the EIB is an award earned only by infantrymen for completing a set of practical tests during a single testing period.

It has a decent failure rate, so many never get one.

But, I don't think it's too far off the mark to label it as a skills badge - although it represents mastering a fair number of individual skills, plus some nasty PT.

A lot of my soldiers - cavalry scouts - went through the EIB because they were assigned to infantry battalions, and the commander required that they do so.  Sadly, even those who passed all the events couldn't wear the badge because it's restricted to infantrymen.  But them's the breaks.

[Hawk200]

A lot of my soldiers - cavalry scouts - went through the EIB because they were assigned to infantry battalions, and the commander required that they do so.  Sadly, even those who passed all the events couldn't wear the badge because it's restricted to infantrymen.  But them's the breaks.

Emphasis added.

That is just wrong. Commander should be shot. It's one thing if someone wants to, but it's really wrong to require it.

[hatentx]

Well if you consider the EIB a skill badge then you should consider the Airborne badges and Air Assult as well but as i read becasue they are Aviation type badges they are authorised.  EIB talks more training and more work then either of the other badges.  To earn my army wings i had to complete AIT and pass all of the test as well. (although a year long) I would consider my maintainer wings just as much as a skill badge as the EIB.  But who knows i have seen prior service 11B now in the Air Force wearing an EIB on thier uniform as well, but who know.  i dont see and issue with it.  free fall would be authorised, EOD bagdes as well so I dont see why it isnt allowed.  And the air force has TACP which fill a similar role as that of the Infantry as well but then again i dont make the rules.

[Hawk200]

Well if you consider the EIB a skill badge then you should consider the Airborne badges and Air Assult as well but as i read becasue they are Aviation type badges they are authorised.  EIB talks more training and more work then either of the other badges.  To earn my army wings i had to complete AIT and pass all of the test as well. (although a year long) I would consider my maintainer wings just as much as a skill badge as the EIB.  But who knows i have seen prior service 11B now in the Air Force wearing an EIB on thier uniform as well, but who know.  i dont see and issue with it.  free fall would be authorised, EOD bagdes as well so I dont see why it isnt allowed.  And the air force has TACP which fill a similar role as that of the Infantry as well but then again i dont make the rules.

Airborne and Air Assault badges are not considered aviation badges. Not by CAP, or the Air Force. Jump wings used to be considered an Aerospace badge by the Air Force, and as such they were actually required for wear just like any sort of rated wings.

That being said, Air Force personnel can wear the Airborne badge, therefore CAP personnel can as well. Air Assault is specifically mentioned in 39-1 as an authorized badge.

Although not "Aviation" badges, they are authorized for wear.

And TACP's are not a similar role to Infantry. They complement and support them, but they don't perform the same function. There is some crossover in tasking, but they aren't equivalent. Tried to be one once, to be honest, I couldn't cut it.