Design a new CAP-distinctive Uniform

[JK657]

My contribution to the drift:
Army Military Police are also allowed to blouse their pants if actively engaged in law enforcement duties in the class B uniform 

Sorry to bust your bubble, but he is NOT a paratrooper.  HE is AIR ASSAULT.   Air Assault wear the black beret, while Airborne wear the marron beret. Only Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces, and Air Assault Units are authorized to blouse pants into boots. 

[RogueLeader]

Sorry to bust your bubble, but he is NOT a paratrooper.  HE is AIR ASSAULT.   Air Assault wear the black beret, while Airborne wear the marron beret. Only Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces, and Air Assault Units are authorized to blouse pants into boots. 

OK, first off: I was not in the Army, so I am not well-informed about the distinctions you make above, between Airborne, Air Assault, etc.

Also, my friend (sadly deceased) in the 101st Airborne wore a maroon beret, bloused trousers and a parachutist's qualification badge.

As well, I have seen, either in person or in pictures, troops from Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and others who wore maroon berets, and they all had one thing in common: they jumped out of/were carried into battle by fixed- and/or rotary-wing aircraft.

So I see maroon beret and think "parachute," as in the UK's "Red Devils" Parachute Regiment.  I know what the Air Assault badge looks like, but the picture provided wasn't close or detailed enough to see that.

And, as I understand it, almost everyone in the Army - Active, Guard and Reserve - now wears the black beret, which was quite a controversial move, since, unlike many other armed forces, berets in the US armed forces denote special status (like Rangers and Green Berets).

So, the problem here is one of nomenclature, and it shouldn't be a problem, since I was going on the information I had available at the time.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off as I did.  the 101st wears the black beret (My brother is in it right now)  I don't know why he's wearing the maroon beret, I honestly thought it was black, until I zoomed in close enough.  It mught be that caertain units are authorized the maroon ones.  I'll have to do some research.

My bad.

[Hawk200]

It mught be that caertain units are authorized the maroon ones.

A little excerpt from Army Regulation 670-1: "Maroon beret. All personnel assigned to airborne units whose primary missions are airborne operations wear the maroon beret. The airborne designation for a unit is found in the unit modification table of organization and equipment (MTOE)."

There are other personnel authorized maroon, but it's an additional 9 lines of info. The above criteria is sufficient to show the primary purpose of the headgear.

As to tucking trousers, 670-1 has this: "Only soldiers authorized to wear the tan, green, or maroon berets, those assigned to Air Assault coded positions and MPs performing MP duties may wear bloused (tucked-in or by the use of blousing rubbers/bands) trousers with black leather combat boots."

That pretty much shows the intent of that manner of wear. It's pretty much something combat or duty related. We don't have anyone that jumps out of airplanes/helicopters, performs Special Operations related to combat, or law enforcement. Blousing service trousers with boots for CAP is a non starter. I know people think it looks cool(and it is, kinda); but it signifies things, it's not done for the sake of appearance.

[lordmonar]

but it signifies things, it's not done for the sake of appearance.

I disagree.  It signifies something AND it looks cool.  It is part of the concept of eliteism....in the good sense of the word.  By giving special badges, uniforms, hair cuts, language to a group you develop a sense of specialness that helps develop esprit de corps.

The military has used this in may ways over the centuries.  It is almost never simply a practical issue.  Usually it may have started out as a practical change....such as calvary boots for those who ride horses instead of walking boots for the infantry.   Or distinctive uniforms to identify different units on the smokey battle field.  But in modern times these sort of "practical" concerns are almost always overshadowed by "tradition" or "unit cohesion" issues.

[Gunner C]

Sorry to bust your bubble, but he is NOT a paratrooper.  HE is AIR ASSAULT.   Air Assault wear the black beret, while Airborne wear the marron beret. Only Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces, and Air Assault Units are authorized to blouse pants into boots. 

OK, first off: I was not in the Army, so I am not well-informed about the distinctions you make above, between Airborne, Air Assault, etc.

Also, my friend (sadly deceased) in the 101st Airborne wore a maroon beret, bloused trousers and a parachutist's qualification badge.

As well, I have seen, either in person or in pictures, troops from Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and others who wore maroon berets, and they all had one thing in common: they jumped out of/were carried into battle by fixed- and/or rotary-wing aircraft.

So I see maroon beret and think "parachute," as in the UK's "Red Devils" Parachute Regiment.  I know what the Air Assault badge looks like, but the picture provided wasn't close or detailed enough to see that.

And, as I understand it, almost everyone in the Army - Active, Guard and Reserve - now wears the black beret, which was quite a controversial move, since, unlike many other armed forces, berets in the US armed forces denote special status (like Rangers and Green Berets).

So, the problem here is one of nomenclature, and it shouldn't be a problem, since I was going on the information I had available at the time.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off as I did.  the 101st wears the black beret (My brother is in it right now)  I don't know why he's wearing the maroon beret, I honestly thought it was black, until I zoomed in close enough.  It mught be that caertain units are authorized the maroon ones.  I'll have to do some research.

My bad.

IIRC, the 101st has some folks on jump status.  Their pathfinder company comes to mind.  There's not many, but there are some.

[Senior]

Major C.  from the first page you are funny except for the cats and dogs.
Lord Monar cowboy boots?  I think that would look silly.

Seriously, IIRC at PJOC the Pararescueman bloused their blues
over their Corcoran Jump Boots.

For those that meet weight and appearance
Air Force Blues
Woodland BDUs

Those that don't meet the standard

Sport Coat/Dark Blue Slacks/White Shirt Combination
Dark Blue BDUs

[Major Carrales]

Major C.  from the first page you are funny except for the cats and dogs.

That part was meant more to be absurd than funny. 

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

In the interim, I think what would be a good compromise is to authorise solid grey BDU pants for the white/grey uniform.

When they're well-tended, they can look good.

Of course, we could always adopt current German Army dress trousers.

[MacGriffyn]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off as I did.  the 101st wears the black beret (My brother is in it right now)  I don't know why he's wearing the maroon beret, I honestly thought it was black, until I zoomed in close enough.  It mught be that caertain units are authorized the maroon ones.  I'll have to do some research.

My bad.

Just for informational purposes, everyone in the US Army now except: 82nd Airborne (Maroon), Rangers (Tan) and US Special Forces (Green) wears the black beret now.  Air Assault units have no distinctive headgear.  I wore a maroon beret for years, then the regular cap until 2002 when the units in Germany finally got our shipment of black berets and Army blue flashes.

With regard merely to field uniforms, wouldn't it suit (search team) members to have a practical, durable, and user friendly type of uniform?  I mean, the BDU uniform has had its uses as more than mere camouflage.  Depending on how they are worn and different accessories that are available for use (covers, gloves, scarves, undershirts, polypros, boot types, sock types), they may be cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and are certainly easier to standardize than any other field type.  In extreme distress, they can be used in survival situations as more than merely clothing.

There ARE better uniforms now...the Army DCU, ACU and now the USAF ABU.  But, apparently, there is resistance to improving the field uniform for whatever reason.  I'll wear my old BDU's and green zoombags as long as they'll let me, and then I'll fly in whatever comes next.  J

Just kinda seems like we're getting away from the purpose of the organization which, if I remember, was to serve the community...including locating and rescuing downed pilots...even in challenging weather environments.  If we can have a better uniform to do that with...just seems like logic would dictate that we use it.  But...you know...whatever...

[Ned]

Just kinda seems like we're getting away from the purpose of the organization which, if I remember, was to serve the community...including locating and rescuing downed pilots...even in challenging weather environments. 

That is certainly one of our missions.  And an important one.

But most CAP members participate primarily in one of the other missions.  That tends to have a significant impact on our set of uniforms, and our unique mix of missions, members, and environments is what drives our unique set of uniforms.

Form follows function.

[RogueLeader]

[Just for informational purposes, everyone in the US Army now except: 82nd Airborne (Maroon), Rangers (Tan) and US Special Forces (Green) wears the black beret now.  Air Assault units have no distinctive headgear.  I wore a maroon beret for years, then the regular cap until 2002 when the units in Germany finally got our shipment of black berets and Army blue flashes.

18th Airborne Corps, 20th ENG BDE as well as some other Airborne units in Italy and Alaska wear the marron as well.27th EN BN, 20th ENG BDE beret