Color Guard: Wearing BDUs while in a color guard parade

[XLVIII]

Okay, WA Wing, Green River Composite Squadron, participated in the 50th Album Veterans Day parade and they had there color guard, with cadets in BDUs!

I know that there's no "color guard" uniform manual, but I think that wearing BDUs while on a color guard participating in a parade is unnecessary. Think about it, wearing BDUs on a color guard? Would you all agree!?

[EMT-83]

Nope.

[Spam]

Yeah, so they screwed up.


You could go two ways here:


1. Authoritative, judgmental, and entirely correct, but in a way that might totally piss off fellow members:  the correct uniform for Color Guard elements is USAF Blues, and is covered extensively in http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/P052_008_B38750453C56C.pdf. The Color Guard is an element of the Honor Guard program (see chapter 5), and per page 6, "Similarly, our National Board approved standardized uniforms for Unit Honor Guards. Details about these uniforms are available CAPM 39-1, CAP Uniform Manual... Commanders need to be mindful of the expenses associated with these uniforms and may opt to start their Unit Honor Guard with the "short sleeve combination" until the team is able to sustain the full "performance combination."  So, the short simple answer from that perspective is, Class B Blues (short sleeve) minimum, not BDUs.


2. Supportive and guidance-oriented:  So they screwed up... but they SHOWED UP, where you perhaps stood and watched rather than participating?  The people you saw may have been highly motivated to express their patriotism, but just lack the experience and training.  After all, not all of us hold CP Masters ratings nor are HG experts.  If you consider yourself qualified to critique, then an alternate approach at this point could be to channel any affronted outrage into a positively oriented drive to organize, train, and equip a joint color guard element activity. Perhaps a cross-border (OR/WA Wing?) drill and ceremonies clinic?


THAT would be an appropriate venue to effect positive change to improve the total Team solution. Wouldn't you say?


From my end: I am a past Master at approach #1 (being correct but pissing off my CAP teammates), but I try to learn.  My Wing is experiencing some "issues" regarding Cadet Comp and D&C. Our units approach is not to take shots, but to organize, train, equip and partner with a local university AFROTC program for a series of (open to all) drill clinics (the next is on 5DEC at Ga Tech) to foster a rising tide that may lift all boats.  Stop taking shots, and lead the way, hooah?


V/R,
Spam

[kwe1009]

Yeah, so they screwed up.

The Color Guard is an element of the Honor Guard program (see chapter 5), and per page 6, "Similarly, our National Board approved standardized uniforms for Unit Honor Guards. Details about these uniforms are available CAPM 39-1, CAP Uniform Manual... Commanders need to be mindful of the expenses associated with these uniforms and may opt to start their Unit Honor Guard with the "short sleeve combination" until the team is able to sustain the full "performance combination."  So, the short simple answer from that perspective is, Class B Blues (short sleeve) minimum, not BDUs.

That only applies to CAP Honor Guard.  The document states that color guard is part of the HG program but is it not only for HG, just like DDR is part of the HG program but not exclusive to HG.

I do agree that wearing anything other than Blues for color guard is bad form but it is not forbidden.  I have seen and been a part of Air Force Honor Guard color guards that were not in Blues but those were under very specific circumstances, very rare, and never in a parade or any very public event.

[Garibaldi]

Okay, WA Wing, Green River Composite Squadron, participated in the 50th Album Veterans Day parade and they had there color guard, with cadets in BDUs!

I know that there's no "color guard" uniform manual, but I think that wearing BDUs while on a color guard participating in a parade is unnecessary. Think about it, wearing BDUs on a color guard? Would you all agree!?

Dude, if you look closely at the internet, you will find organizations such as the US Army, US Air Force, and others that have a color guard in ACU/ABUs. The State Defense Force in Georgia routinely performs color guard duties in ACUs.

Drive by troll.

[Garibaldi]

Yeah, so they screwed up.


You could go two ways here:


1. Authoritative, judgmental, and entirely correct, but in a way that might totally piss off fellow members:  the correct uniform for Color Guard elements is USAF Blues, and is covered extensively in http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/P052_008_B38750453C56C.pdf. The Color Guard is an element of the Honor Guard program (see chapter 5), and per page 6, "Similarly, our National Board approved standardized uniforms for Unit Honor Guards. Details about these uniforms are available CAPM 39-1, CAP Uniform Manual... Commanders need to be mindful of the expenses associated with these uniforms and may opt to start their Unit Honor Guard with the "short sleeve combination" until the team is able to sustain the full "performance combination."  So, the short simple answer from that perspective is, Class B Blues (short sleeve) minimum, not BDUs.


2. Supportive and guidance-oriented:  So they screwed up... but they SHOWED UP, where you perhaps stood and watched rather than participating?  The people you saw may have been highly motivated to express their patriotism, but just lack the experience and training.  After all, not all of us hold CP Masters ratings nor are HG experts.  If you consider yourself qualified to critique, then an alternate approach at this point could be to channel any affronted outrage into a positively oriented drive to organize, train, and equip a joint color guard element activity. Perhaps a cross-border (OR/WA Wing?) drill and ceremonies clinic?


THAT would be an appropriate venue to effect positive change to improve the total Team solution. Wouldn't you say?


From my end: I am a past Master at approach #1 (being correct but pissing off my CAP teammates), but I try to learn.  My Wing is experiencing some "issues" regarding Cadet Comp and D&C. Our units approach is not to take shots, but to organize, train, equip and partner with a local university AFROTC program for a series of (open to all) drill clinics (the next is on 5DEC at Ga Tech) to foster a rising tide that may lift all boats.  Stop taking shots, and lead the way, hooah?


V/R,
Spam

Really? Noooooo, not you 

[Luis R. Ramos]

Spam,

EXCELLENT answer.

Myself I usually take your approach number 1...

[lordmonar]

Okay, WA Wing, Green River Composite Squadron, participated in the 50th Album Veterans Day parade and they had there color guard, with cadets in BDUs!

I know that there's no "color guard" uniform manual, but I think that wearing BDUs while on a color guard participating in a parade is unnecessary. Think about it, wearing BDUs on a color guard? Would you all agree!?

Did it on active duty. It is being done on active duty. There is no regulation against it.

Define "unnecessary".  What is the real reason you don't like the idea of a BDU color guard?

[Storm Chaser]

This is what CAPM 39-1 says about uniforms wear:

Service Uniforms
Service uniforms are the everyday uniform for CAP business. The appropriate combination depends on the commander's direction and the type of event, but these uniforms are usually worn for unit meetings, professional development events, conferences, etc.

Working Uniforms
These working uniforms are the appropriate uniform in a flying, field, or mission environment. Choice of which combination is appropriate depends on the commander's direction and the type of event.

The appropriate uniform for a given activity is determined by the applicable commander or activity director using information found in Table 1.1 and considering the minimum basic uniform requirements found in paragraph 1.2.2.4.

CAP members attending a military or civilian event representing CAP must determine whether wear of the uniform is appropriate, must obtain their commander's permission to attend the event in uniform, and must wear the uniform most appropriate to the situation based on formality and the commander's direction.

There is no prohibition of BDU wear for honor or color guard duty per se, but it's clear from this that the more appropriate uniform for that is the service uniform.

There are times when a Color Guard wearing BDU may be acceptable. One that comes to mind is in field type activities where the uniform of the day is BDU. That said, I don't believe BDU is the appropriate uniform for a CAP Color Guard in a Veteran's Parade.

Now, we all have opinions and are ready to give our own interpretation of the regulations and manuals, but why don't we go directly to the source? NHQ can and should be the one clarifying their policy in order to ensure standardization. Maybe Col Lee can shed some light on this.

[goblin]

BLUF: who cares?

[lordmonar]

NHQ has already clarified it.    They left it up to the local commander/activity director to determine what the appropriate uniform is.

[Garibaldi]

NHQ has already clarified it.    They left it up to the local commander/activity director to determine what the appropriate uniform is.

Zip. Zop. Zooie.

[Storm Chaser]

NHQ has already clarified it.    They left it up to the local commander/activity director to determine what the appropriate uniform is.

As usual, you selectively quote the part of the publication that supports your argument. You got to read the whole thing. Anyway, I'm too busy to argue with you so do as you will. Cheers!

[lordmonar]

NHQ has already clarified it.    They left it up to the local commander/activity director to determine what the appropriate uniform is.

As usual, you selectively quote the part of the publication that supports your argument. You got to read the whole thing. Anyway, I'm too busy to argue with you so do as you will. Cheers!

I did not quote anything.
And you are simply wrong.

I agree with you that blues is the more appropriate uniform for a Veteran's day parade.   But it is not up to you or I.  It is up to the local commander.

And too tired to argue....but not too tired to throw out allegations and the checking out of the debate is bad form.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Ooh come on. He retired from the "battlefield." In whatever way he did it, he left you in the "battlefield" as the winner...

[Garibaldi]

Ooh come on. He retired from the "battlefield." In whatever way he did it, he left you in the "battlefield" as the winner...

Last man standing is last man standing

[Spam]

"Last"

[SarDragon]

[AirAux]

lordmonar fires a parathion shot...

[JC004]