BDU Cover with Insignia

[DWilkins]

3. BDU Cap: Either the USAF or Army style BDU cap or camouflage BDU baseball cap may be worn
with the BDU uniform. Senior members, cadet NCOs, and airmen do not wear any type of insignia
on the cap. Cadet officers wear the embroidered grade insignia centered 1/2 inch above the visor on
the BDU cap. Cap will not be worn crushed or rolled. Marine style BDU cap is not authorized.

The above is directly cut/paste from 39-1 page 41, stating senior members do not wear insignia on BDU cap.  So one of you regulation geeks please explain why every SM I see has their rank insignia on their BDU cap.  Is there some other reg stating contrary?

[DakRadz]

g.  Embroidered Grade Insignia on BDU cap for senior members.  Effective
20 November 2006, the Air Force authorized the wear of the ultramarine blue
embroidered grade insignia centered on the BDU hat by senior member officers.  The
grade insignia may be worn immediately and a mandatory wear date of 1 May 2007 was
established.

The above is a direct quote from ICL dated 25 January 2008, stating that the manual has been changed.

[RiverAux]

Thats why you always check for ICLs on regulations, in particular with regard to uniforms. 

[Eclipse]

Heh - awesome...

[PWK-GT]

3. BDU Cap: Either the USAF or Army style BDU cap or camouflage BDU baseball cap may be worn
with the BDU uniform. Senior members, cadet NCOs, and airmen do not wear any type of insignia
on the cap. Cadet officers wear the embroidered grade insignia centered 1/2 inch above the visor on
the BDU cap. Cap will not be worn crushed or rolled. Marine style BDU cap is not authorized.

The above is directly cut/paste from 39-1 page 41, stating senior members do not wear insignia on BDU cap.  So one of you regulation geeks please explain why every SM I see has their rank insignia on their BDU cap.  Is there some other reg stating contrary?

Bad / incomplete word usage aside, the intent here was to indicate "Senior Members without Grade" (SMWOG)....who have no corresponding grade insignia to wear on the BDU cap. Upon promotion to 2d Lt or higher, then that grade is worn.

These kind of verbal foul-ups are all over the regs .....enjoy em! 

[DakRadz]

3. BDU Cap: Either the USAF or Army style BDU cap or camouflage BDU baseball cap may be worn
with the BDU uniform. Senior members, cadet NCOs, and airmen do not wear any type of insignia
on the cap. Cadet officers wear the embroidered grade insignia centered 1/2 inch above the visor on
the BDU cap. Cap will not be worn crushed or rolled. Marine style BDU cap is not authorized.

The above is directly cut/paste from 39-1 page 41, stating senior members do not wear insignia on BDU cap.  So one of you regulation geeks please explain why every SM I see has their rank insignia on their BDU cap.  Is there some other reg stating contrary?

Bad / incomplete word usage aside, the intent here was to indicate "Senior Members without Grade" (SMWOG)....who have no corresponding grade insignia to wear on the BDU cap. Upon promotion to 2d Lt or higher, then that grade is worn.

These kind of verbal foul-ups are all over the regs .....enjoy em! 

Actually, it used to be that NO Senior Member was allowed to wear rank on the BDU cap. Not just SMWOG.

That's why they published a letter specifically authorizing said rank placement. Nowadays you are correct- only SMWOG are without BDU cap cloth rank.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I think PWK-GT knows that, though his join date is right around the time the wear on the hat was approved I believe.

[Eclipse]

Not just SMWOG.

SMWOG have always been authorized to wear their grade insignia on their hats.

[JC004]

ICLs SUCK.  Why can't they make a new, simpler ONE so you don't have to FOLLOW the changes, compare and contrast everything?  It's ALREADY outside the ICL limits anyway so WHATEVER - just do it.  Attach a list of change dates at the end like 39-1 has.  Or do two, since the corporate uniform is gone soon anyway.  Then rescind that one when it's officially dead.  KEEP IT SIMPLE.  This is too complicated for new members who can't understand why there are multiple nameplate changes and why one ICL basically says "we haven't made up our mind on nameplates yet."

I will write it if NHQ will issue it.

I want to make a uniform site for CAP like the AF has (except mine would be better).  I want to include videos, zoomable images, links to all the charts and diagrams you need - all in one place and EASY to use.  The one I am offering to do is like this, but better:  http://www.afpc.af.mil/dress/index.asp  I think this would be a great project and I'd just need a couple people to assist.  It would be a very beneficial project for the members, IMO.

[DakRadz]

Not just SMWOG.

SMWOG have always been authorized to wear their grade insignia on their hats.

Oh, very true. Thinking back, I've seen all of them doing so. Or not seen. Regardless.

[spacecommand]

Lets not forget about Senior Member NCOs.  They would not wear insignia on the BDU cover either to my knowledge.

[DakRadz]

Lets not forget about Senior Member NCOs.  They would not wear insignia on the BDU cover either to my knowledge.

Given that the only insignia they are authorized to wear are the sleeve stripes (think about the size of those) and nothing else, I hope they aren't authorized to wear them on BDU caps!

I want to make a uniform site for CAP like the AF has (except mine would be better).

I hope yours would be- don't use a shield as the policy button image just because policy and police look alike..

[JC004]

I want to make a uniform site for CAP like the AF has (except mine would be better).

I hope yours would be- don't use a shield as the policy button image just because policy and police look alike..

I don't think it'd use a set of graphics like that at all.  The content and the way it is presented is what matters.  The Air Force version is good, but lacking in some ways.

If we did something like this and expanded on it to allow quick reference to the things like graphics on how to place your collar insignia or ribbon devices, we'd be good.

Too often, those of us with many years in CAP (especially us former cadets) forget about how very ALIEN this stuff is to people with no CAP or military experience.  Other than the military and some first responder types, who goes to work wearing ribbons? 

It may seem simple to many of us, but how many times do we see a new SM with their LT insignia facing the wrong way?  (even more common with CAP cutouts on the BDU/Blueberry Suit)  It's just such a new concept to those people from the outside that we NEED to have an easy to read, easy to use, easy to understand way to present the information quickly.

[BGNightfall]

Great idea on the website!  I suggest that you include easily printable diagrams (possibly at a 1:1 scale) to present to tailors as well.  While most military members will simply present their uniforms and insignia to the AAFES tailor's shop, our civilian membership is much more likely to either DIY it, or take their sewing needs to the local shop.