speciality badges for BDUS

[Hawk200]

2-1. c. The battle dress uniform (camouflage fatigue uniform) is worn when it is impractical or inappropriate to wear the service uniforms.

Ok, so when is it considered "impractical or inappropriate to wear the service uniforms" ? And since this is taken from a pub, I'd like an answer from a pub.

[RiverAux]

Thanks Mike. 

The main reason I don't like all the badges and do-hickies on the BDU is the fact that we're putting full-color badges on a camoflage uniform.  Granted, we're already putting the bright blue name tapes on it and we have no real need to be camoflaged, but it just looks stupid. 

The military services don't have that problem and can get away with putting more stuff on theirs without making it look idiotic. 

[Hawk200]

Thanks Mike. 

The main reason I don't like all the badges and do-hickies on the BDU is the fact that we're putting full-color badges on a camoflage uniform.  Granted, we're already putting the bright blue name tapes on it and we have no real need to be camoflaged, but it just looks stupid. 

The military services don't have that problem and can get away with putting more stuff on theirs without making it look idiotic. 

Is that pretty much the reason why you prefer to see it only in the field? If it is, I can fully understand that reasoning. And you're right, the military can add subbdued items, and it doesn't stand out in the same glaring manner as ours.

I pretty much wear BDU's for the comfort factor. Went to a tech school in '05, and had to wear blues almost everyday for about four months. I hated it. I have a lot of respect for the offices that only wear blues. That takes a lot of tolerance.

[RiverAux]

No argument from me on the comfort factor.  They are my preferred uniform.  However, even if they are to be worn around the office or in "non-field" circumstances, they should still be outfitted for the field.  In other words, no need to display your entire CAP/military history on them. 

[Hawk200]

The main reason I don't like all the badges and do-hickies on the BDU is the fact that we're putting full-color badges on a camoflage uniform.  Granted, we're already putting the bright blue name tapes on it and we have no real need to be camoflaged, but it just looks stupid. 

The military services don't have that problem and can get away with putting more stuff on theirs without making it look idiotic. 

Just had an intriguing thought based on this. Instead of bright colors, maybe we should consider "semi-subdued".

That would mean instead of bright red, white, royal blue, bright yellow; we start using medium red or maroon, grays instead of white, navy blue instead of royal, darker yellows or tan instead of bright yellow.

The colors should not be utilized to produce subdued patches like the Army or Air Force, but just to tone them down a bit. We have to wear orange vests for field work, so patches that aren't as "loud" is a moot point. If you can't see someone for the vest, a patch isn't gonna make one bit of difference.

[RiverAux]

DNall came up with some very nice looking nametape options along this line over on CAPportal before it went kaput.  The ones I liked best were a dark blue background (matching the CAP blue BDUS) with white letters.  Obviously distinctive from the AF and looked good on either BDU or BBDUs.

[Hawk200]

No argument from me on the comfort factor.  They are my preferred uniform.  However, even if they are to be worn around the office or in "non-field" circumstances, they should still be outfitted for the field.  In other words, no need to display your entire CAP/military history on them. 

I understand now. The Air Force used to wear a bunch of patches, but from what I've read lately, they are being discussed for deletion. Some will tell you that "Yes, patches are going away!", others will say "Oh no, patches are here to stay!".

Active duty I was the one that took six months to get all the local unit patches put on my BDU's. Two reasons, one didn't like them, two I did all the sewing on my uniforms.

But I think you have swayed my thinking as far as "no need to display your entire CAP/military history on them". I tend to wear the minimum anyway, with an Air Force badge (subdued) on it. Simple, not busy.

[Hawk200]

DNall came up with some very nice looking nametape options along this line over on CAPportal before it went kaput.  The ones I liked best were a dark blue background (matching the CAP blue BDUS) with white letters.  Obviously distinctive from the AF and looked good on either BDU or BBDUs.

I'll second that. With the addition that dark blue nametapes would most likely look pretty good on the ABU. May have to sew up another "concept" uniform consisting of an ABU with navy accoutrements. (not that I would get to wear it anytime soon. )

[DNall]

If I could just pop in here, I got a lot going on so I can't stay long, but... Yes I think all badges worn on the blues should be worn (embroidered) in exactly the same place on BDUs just for consistency if nothing else. Some of it is about recognizing the hard working people in CAP that focus their time on things other than ES, but mostly it's about a toned down professional appearance.

Hence a secondary part of the effort over on the portal was to redesign some of the badges in this transition to be more consistent with the AF but still distinctive. The gist of that was AF style wreath on operational jobs (ES fields, CP & AE), & AF sized shield w/o wreath (like med badges) for non-op jobs; the centers were full-color enamel. Some of those designs were pretty swett. I can put them back up if you like, but that's not the point.

I think the nametape thread was actually over here, pretty sure actually. I'd personally prefer white on OD everything for BDUs (on dark blue for BBDU), and take off ALL patches. A medium sort of gray or silver on OD/Dark blue was mentioned by someone in that thread & I have to admit that seems to look real nice also.

Then put on spec badges under the same rules as blues. tighten those rules up so you can't wear tons of crap - one wings & one ops spec badge over pocket, one non-op badge on tape-side, CC badge over/under name-side... meaning no choice to wear Observer, GT, AND IC. If observer is active on your card you have to wear it & pick one of GT/IC, if no current flt rating then you can wear two ops badges up, NONE down that's just for non-op techs. If no two mission badges then you can move up w/ the non-op badges, but only one can be worn at any time. CC badge is the ONLY thing that goes on the name side. That's on the fly & would need some de-bugging, but you get what I'm going for right? It gets what is really needed on the uniform & then encourages a streamlined professional appearance. I know this exceeds the AF rules on the subject, but they don't tend to earn 12 badges in their career then sit at home with them laid out trying to figure out which accessory to wear today. CAP doesn't have the corrective culture to keep that in the lines, so you have to write it down.

Oh also, we spent some time in a related thread talking about reworking the specialty ratings to a FOUR track system, with apprentice underneath that's about like the current tech rating & gets NO badge. Then add content over what's currently master & average teh other three together. That concept also included specialty track managers at Wing to track & oversee trainining in thier specialty.

I could go for semi-subdued on the patches, in addition to cutting many of them off in favor of smaller more professional (less boy scout jamboree looking) embroidered badges, and just outright cutting most everything beyond that. All this is a blancing act, but I think we're all looking for much the same thing, even if the details are still up for grabs to a degree.

[floridacyclist]

What gets me is the big contrast between the Safety patch, CISM patch, and the Communications patch, which all look professional and actually look good on the BDUs...

We're watching you

If you need to talk.....just let us know

But in the meantime, we're watching you

PS My wife said that if I try to make her wear one of those patches with the big eye on it (we're both CISM-trained), she'll give me a critical incident....with a baseball bat.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Is that an eye?  Or an 8-ball?

[floridacyclist]

I'm quite sure that is an eye. You can see the eyelid and the brow is about where the dove's wing would be.

I doubt I would ever wear that patch anyway; even if I were called out on a CISD (especially if it was non-CAP), I would wear the polo shirt to avoid any effects that grade insignia and other blingage might have.

Besides, I think the patch is spooky and would require me to remove my comm badge, which I feel was much harder earned.

Just remember.....we're watching you

[DNall]

I'm gonna need some CISM counselling after that. Sounds like your wife might as well - honey, put down teh bat & lets talk okay. Okay okay I'm backing away from teh sewing machine...