Conduct at Competition.

[Xeno]

I wasn't going to post information on the region or wing this occured in out of respect for the persons who really had nothing to do with this, but since it's public knowledge that I'm from AR Wing you all would figure it out anyway. Because you guys are smart like that. Just note that my grievance is not with anyone in particular. I just want address the mishandling of the event and get your opinions on this matter.

Anyway, South West Region Comp. was last week. My unit placed second at the Wing Comp but due to a technical difficulty concerning the winning color guard, my unit's color guard was chosen to represent Arkansas at Region. So, off we went.

We placed last, it wasn't a surprise since we were a first year team but my guys were just honored to be able to go. Anyway, it came to our attention that the winning team had trained with AF Honor guard members, no surprise there, we had also trained with the AF Honor Guard at Barkesdale AFB, however, the judges for this competition were from the same unit and were some of the very people that the winning team had trained with. Conflict of interests? I think so.

Furthermore, the winning team also had tailored uniforms (we learned this from the mother of one of the winning team's cadets). According to the regs this is a nono. Someone from Florida Wing has put out a "Guide to winning Regional Comp" which states that if you want to win, you have to ignore the regs and get your uniform tailored... Is this really the attitude we want to pass to our cadets?

We are filing an After Event Report to hopefully resolve this issue. We probably would not have won anyway, but this kind of attitude is unfair to the teams who drive all the way out there to compete. I think we need to consider tighter regulations concerning these issues and ensure that they are enforced.

Anyway, I'll post more later, I've got to get to class now. In the mean time, what are your thoughts on the matter?

[dwb]

The tailored uniforms are definitely a no-no.  In addition to being against the letter of the regulation, they violate the spirit of forming these teams to better the unit.

The conflict of interest is debatable, and an argument could be made that USAF professionals would be objective enough to score the team they taught equally.  Still, even the appearance of impropriety is dangerous, and another set of judges should probably be sought in the future.

[SKI304]

Here's the stance on uniform tailoring that has been accepted at NCC and is found in table 1-10, item f of ROE 5.4:

f.  Uniforms may be tailored, but not form fitting or drastically altered as to not present a comfortable fit.

Essentially, you can tailor the shirt so that there is a slight amount of room (about an inch) around the torso of a cadet.  This is especially helpful for the smaller, younger cadets who no matter how many shirt garters they wear will have a baggy looking shirt.  What they don't want is the painted on appearance that the PRWG Color Guard in the old recruiting brochures had.

Cadet Competitions can really make someone feel slighted over, especially if it is your first year competing at that level.  My advice to you guys, just sit back, cool off, and re-evaluate your concerns a month from now.  Acting on emotion never produces good results.

*This post coming from someone who made a big mistake trying to do what you're doing with similar circumstances.

[BlackKnight]

C/1st Lt Sims would seem to have a valid point in regard to the USAF Honor Guard that trained the winning team being involved with the judging.

From ROE 5.4:

1-3. JUDGING OFFICIALS

c. In no case will a relative of a competitor or a person with any affiliation to a competing unit be selected as a judge.

[Major_Chuck]

I've got a real problem with some units being able to 'stack the deck' to win.  If one unit is going to have tailored  uniforms then all unit honor guards should have tailored uniforms.

Of course, financially this can't be done on every unit level but a wing could definetly afford to make their representative team look good.

As for a conflict of interest with the judges.  That is hard to prove unless it was so obvious to everyone in attendance.

Just my two cents.

[Xeno]

I've got a real problem with some units being able to 'stack the deck' to win.  If one unit is going to have tailored  uniforms then all unit honor guards should have tailored uniforms.

Of course, financially this can't be done on every unit level but a wing could definetly afford to make their representative team look good.

Well as for our unit, we lost the Wing Color Guard Comp. to the 42nd Composite Sq. by about 2 points, but the 42nd had a problem arise and was not able to field all of its members for Region Comp. My unit was asked by Wing to field a colorguard in their place so we integrated a few 42nd members into our Color Guard and went off to AZWG. We only had about two weeks notice on this, Wing gladly flew the 42nd's members down to Texarkana to practice with us and everything went pretty smoothly. Overall our guys/girls had a great time, they got out there and did their best and thats all we could ask.

I would hope that Air Force Honor Guard members could judge the competition fairly regardless of who they have spent time with... but alot of that is still up in the air now. We saw alot of bad calls on ouselves and other units. The AZ team was good and there is no doubt they would 've still beaten us. But from our standpoint, it seemed like they had a few favors thrown their way.

Get this, during the indoor practical, someone had set up a video camera within the the parade grounds after we had already started. he was set up on the right and our color guard commander (who is also my squadron's first sergeant), not being able to see his right side because the flag was in his face, convinced him to "relocate." I still don't know how our rifleman missed the guy but the CGC hit him dead on... he has a nice bruise on his elbow to show for it as well. We lost a couple points on that one. That guy is lucky the First Sergeant didn't catch up to him afterwards.