Best place online to order

[wayne242]

Just seeing if any one know's of any online stores to buy cap uniform and items(not ebay). Vanguard is over priced imo for what they offer.

I'm former cost guard aux until i moved, and getting uniforms was so much more simpler and cheaper. The BDU with name tags etc at Vanguard cost's 2x what i paid for ODU with names etc through aux.


Side question.
It seems the air force relationship with CAP is terrible compared to USCG's relation with its aux. Anyone explain this to me(with out a rant/bashing please)? I know its a bit of a loaded question.

[EMT-83]

That opinion is shouted by a few vocal members of this forum, and is by no means held by all. YMMV.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Get any and all non-CAP items like BDUs and nametapes elsewhere. Anything CAP specific you can only get at Vanguard.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

YM really MV, but if you do a search on this board, you'll find a lot of threads dealing with the CAP/AF relationship.

My take is that it's been going downhill (at various rates) since about the mid-'90s, especially since some dim bulbs got the idea to make us the AF Aux only on AF missions.  It was also around that time that a "corporatist" mindset set in at higher levels that wants the AF to leave hands off us...except for when it comes to funding their flight time.

The relationship isn't horrible, but no way is it as cordial as the relationship with the CG/AUX (I'm a former Auxiliarist and I miss that friendly relationship).

I would break it down as follows:

• A LOT of junior officers and Airmen simply do not know who we are.  I find that to be more true with AD than with ANG/AFRES.
• One of our "top brass," Colonel Ned Lee, who shows up here now and then, says that at higher levels; i.e., CAP-USAF, the Air Force does value us.  The "love" just hasn't trickled down.
• A lot of the ag comes down to uniform issues/customs and courtesies.  There have been idiots in the past who have tried to troll for salutes from AF personnel.  That's why we have to have so many "distinctive" things on the uniform, plus a separate uniform for those outside the height/weight/grooming requirements (another touchy issue).
• It really varies on the local level as to how we're treated by AF personnel.  Most I've found are largely indifferent to us, some are friendly, and a smallish number are hostile ("wannabes," "poseurs," etc).  On the whole, though, my personal experience is that I've been much better treated by Army/NG personnel than by the AF.

Per your other questions...VG is pretty much the exclusive supplier to CAP, but there are a few other places where you can get CAP insignia.

http://www.flightbadge.com/cap.htm

https://www.ultrathin.com/index.htm

http://www.militarynames.com/search.aspx?find=Civil+Air+Patrol

For anything to do with rank insignia, though, VG is pretty much your lot.

[Thrashed]

From the Vanguard website:

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A portion of all Civil Air Patrol sales are donated to Civil Air Patrol Headquarters for the enhancement of C.A.P programs.

Don't you support CAP?

[Майор Хаткевич]

From the Vanguard website:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A portion of all Civil Air Patrol sales are donated to Civil Air Patrol Headquarters for the enhancement of C.A.P programs.

Don't you support CAP?

[Devil Doc]

From the Vanguard website:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A portion of all Civil Air Patrol sales are donated to Civil Air Patrol Headquarters for the enhancement of C.A.P programs.

Don't you support CAP?

Do you Really think they give a "Portion" to CAP? Im sure it looks good for Tax Write offs, but im sure the portion is not much. Who Knows they may give more than we are informed of.

[Майор Хаткевич]

They give quite a bit when you look at it from the CAP budget scale. Now I know some people have issue with how it is spent...

[wayne242]

From the Vanguard website:

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A portion of all Civil Air Patrol sales are donated to Civil Air Patrol Headquarters for the enhancement of C.A.P programs.

Don't you support CAP?

I expected a none sense post like this  :clap:

I can sell something on ebay and say a portion sales are donated to so and so. sell the item for $200 and donate 5 cent or a dollar, there's your portion of sell.  I guess my membership dues and time giving to CAP does not support CAP, lack of common sense amazes me.

@ CyBorg thanks for the very helpful and informative post.

And thanks to any one else who posted that actually contributed to the question.

[Luis R. Ramos]

...my membership dues and time giving to CAP does not support CAP, lack of common...

When something is common, as in "members pay dues," there is no need to state that "my membership dues and time giving to CAP support CAP." That should be common sense. What is not obvious is that Vanguard supports CAP by giving back to CAP even if it may be 1/2 cent of what they sell. So they have to say so.

Flyer

[Storm Chaser]

Don't you support CAP?

While it's nice that they support CAP, I'm sure that's part of their exclusive contract to be the only (official) supplier of CAP-specific items. I, like most members here, spend quite a bit of money at Vanguard. Nonetheless, if I can get a uniform item at a lower price elsewhere, I will do so without hesitation. I'm confident that purchasing from other vendors in no way diminishes the support I give CAP, whether it is monetary support or time volunteered.