USAF O-6 blue

[LSThiker]

Looking at his Wikipedia page, IMHO, he should be entitled to wear whatever he feels like. However, I suspect that the insignia are correct for when he retired. I have heard him speak (it's been awhile)He is a professional, a warrior and wouldn't sully his uniform or reputation with affectations.

Did not see this post, but just wanted to respond even though it is a bit old.  My intention was not to say he was not professional or to "sully his uniform or reputation".  Rather a mere curiosity question that involved a bit of history on the USAF uniform, especially since you rarely see the different combinations of flight suit uniforms on USAF uniform history pages.

Thank you PHall for explaining the different variations to the ATC, SAC, and MAC uniforms.

[PHall]

Looking at his Wikipedia page, IMHO, he should be entitled to wear whatever he feels like. However, I suspect that the insignia are correct for when he retired. I have heard him speak (it's been awhile)He is a professional, a warrior and wouldn't sully his uniform or reputation with affectations.

Did not see this post, but just wanted to respond even though it is a bit old.  My intention was not to say he was not professional or to "sully his uniform or reputation".  Rather a mere curiosity question that involved a bit of history on the USAF uniform, especially since you rarely see the different combinations of flight suit uniforms on USAF uniform history pages.

Thank you PHall for explaining the different variations to the ATC, SAC, and MAC uniforms.

Yeah, I got to listen to my pilots grumbling about having to go get their grade insignia changed out, at their cost.
Poor babies...

[Storm Chaser]

The ultramarine grade insignia doesn't look terribly bad and it's more practical (and cheaper) than plastic encased. Since there's a historical use of these insignias in the Air Force, why can't National approve them for CAP?

[lordmonar]

The ultramarine grade insignia doesn't look terribly bad and it's more practical (and cheaper) than plastic encased. Since there's a historical use of these insignias in the Air Force, why can't National approve them for CAP?

a) No one has asked the uniform committee to ask the commander to ask the USAF.
b)While the plastic rank is a PITA.....it is not that big of a PITA that makes it a "priority" for  the NUC.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

It's a PITA if you don't have an awl or icepick to pre-punch the holes in the plastic.

Why couldn't we go to the navy-blue cloth insignia?  It looks good on the blue flight suit.  It is also incomprehensible to me why we are not permitted to use the navy-blue grade/nametapes on the BBDU.

Almost as logic-defying is why metal grade is one of the many elephant-in-the-room uniform subjects NUC is not allowed to/unwilling to broach...but yet it is OK for us to wear it on the BBDU hat!

[Eclipse]

It's a PITA if you don't have an awl or icepick to pre-punch the holes in the plastic.

Never seen this issue - my standard sewing machine has never had an issue, but I agree it should
just be ultramarine blue cloth, or dark blue, or orange, or even green / bright like the Navy wears today.

Almost as logic-defying is why metal grade is one of the many elephant-in-the-room uniform subjects NUC is not allowed to/unwilling to broach...but yet it is OK for us to wear it on the BBDU hat!

The last thing you'd want is pin-on grade sticking in your shoulder.

The member's grade is already on the namebadge - just ditch it on the shoulder altogether - one less
thing to buy and sew.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Well, SOME of us aren't clever enough to have sewing machines....   I had to learn to sew when I was in the BSA because my mother had arthritis and couldn't handle a needle very well.

I didn't mean metal grade for the flight suit, unless it had epaulettes.  I have a green zoom bag with epaulettes that I got in the mid-90's.

Nameplate-only grade is how it's done for enlisted/NCO aircrew in the Air Force.  I imagine that as our NCO corps develops, it will be that way in CAP as well.

But orange?  It would be nearly impossible to see the embroidery on orange cloth, except for maybe second looies and gold bottlecaps.

Having said all that, I would not mind doing what the USAF experimented with a few years ago.  Ditch nametapes and collar junk altogether, and go with leather nameplates on the BBDU's.  That would really be K.I.S.S.

[winterg]

I was on active duty in the AF when we went to the leather aircrew name patch on the BDU's. 

It was almost universally reviled by one and all.  I seriously doubt it would be received any better today in CAP. 

[lordmonar]

I was on active duty in the AF when we went to the leather aircrew name patch on the BDU's. 

It was almost universally reviled by one and all.  I seriously doubt it would be received any better today in CAP.

I like it at first......but by the time they started making us wear stripes as well.....by then it was just stupid.

[winterg]

I was on active duty in the AF when we went to the leather aircrew name patch on the BDU's. 

It was almost universally reviled by one and all.  I seriously doubt it would be received any better today in CAP.

I like it at first......but by the time they started making us wear stripes as well.....by then it was just stupid.

The only winner from 1990 to 1996 was AAFES Clothing Sales.

[lordmonar]

I was on active duty in the AF when we went to the leather aircrew name patch on the BDU's. 

It was almost universally reviled by one and all.  I seriously doubt it would be received any better today in CAP.

I like it at first......but by the time they started making us wear stripes as well.....by then it was just stupid.

The only winner from 1990 to 1996 was AAFES Clothing Sales.

No....they hated it too.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I was on active duty in the AF when we went to the leather aircrew name patch on the BDU's. 

It was almost universally reviled by one and all.  I seriously doubt it would be received any better today in CAP.

That was the AF, and I remember being told that it was because of officer recognition, failing to receive salutes.

For us, that really wouldn't matter, since, except for cadets, in my experience C&C's among SM's in CAP has long gone down the pipe.

Or we could have something like on the Goretex jacket; a fitting to slide the single rank/CAP marking.

The BBDU is, after all, a work/duty uniform and not something supposed to be worn to show off how many patches you can wear.