Uniform for Promotion

[MNCAP]

At the next Commanders Call, the Squadron Commander will be "formally" promoting me from SM to 2d LT.  The promotion has already been processed and my eServices has been updated to reflect this.  My question is, what is proper to wear to the Commanders Call?  I have the service uniform shirt with CAP insignia on the collar but that is now incorrect as I have the grade of 2d LT.  The Commander will be putting on the 2d LT epaulettes at the Commanders Call.  I realize I could just wear civilian attire or the polo shirt, but I'd rather wear the service uniform for my first promotion.  Thanks for your help. 

[BHartman007]

I'd wear the service uniform with the cut outs, and let them change the rank out to the epaulettes.

[arajca]

Leave the cutouts off and wear the service uniform. It's a technical violation, but, presuming the promotion will happen at the beginning of the meeting, shouldn't be a concern.

If you have the epaulets already, wear them for travel and take them off before the ceremony.

[Luis R. Ramos]

I would wear the old grade and let "the powers that be" go through it all. I have heard those "powers" say in a funny way, "so and so, you are out of uniform" and remove the whatever and pin/place/whatever the new grade. Let them do so, it is part of their privileges, and a rite of passage for the rest of us...

You could always do as Arajca says. Wear your current, and replace for the ceremony.

Reminds me of the film 12'Clock High when the Sergeant gets being demoted and grade restored, Gen Savage says "put a zipper on those stripes."

I also remember a scene from an old film but not the title.

A Sergeant was going to be demoted in grade. In front of everyone he pulls a thread, a stripe falls out and presto! He is now a Corporal. The Commanding Officer who was to reduce him in grade says "now do that one more time." The night before he would have sewn the new insignia and added a stripe to look like a buck Sergeant stripes.

Flyer

[UH60guy]

If you don't want to go the way of the temporary violation, I'd wear the CAP letters on the collar- It's perfectly normal to be officially the next grade higher, but temporarily wear the old one pending a promotion ceremony. Removing the old rank is just part of the ceremony.

You can make it a little easier though by removing the backing studs on the collar just before formation so the commander doesn't have to fiddle with them too much and can just pull it right off and move on to the epaulettes.

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

If you don't want to go the way of the temporary violation, I'd wear the CAP letters on the collar- It's perfectly normal to be officially the next grade higher, but temporarily wear the old one pending a promotion ceremony. Removing the old rank is just part of the ceremony.

You can make it a little easier though by removing the backing studs on the collar just before formation so the commander doesn't have to fiddle with them too much and can just pull it right off and move on to the epaulettes.

Unless you've bought a new shirt without the holes in the collar.  Then I'd forgo the cutouts. You'll never pin anything there again

[a2capt]

Holes disappear pretty easily. Even on one that's been pinned on 11tybillion times. It's just threads spread to one side or the other.  Though I wouldn't bother with cutouts myself, either, for such a short duration.

[flyboy53]

In any other circumstance, you would wear your dress blues and let the commander or your significant other change the rank on your shoulders.

So, do what is common practice (or used to be) in the Air Force. Ask your commander if it is ok to wear your dress blues sans any rank to the meeting in order to be promoted. You're a second lieutenant now anyway.

The thing about wearing the CAP cutouts on the shirt and then changing them is technically a uniform violation because you would have pin marks on the collar that may even be soiled from tarnish or something else on the pins.

BTW, congrats LT!

[Luis R. Ramos]

So what would be wrong with having pin marks? If he had been wearing grade before there would be pin marks anyway. As to soiling, if he is careful and washes his hands, no soil marks are left!

Flyer

[lordmonar]

Okay.....first off....I'm ashamed that it took six posters....before someone correctly said "ask your commander".

Second......the day it is singed and in E-service you are poromoted and you are OUT OF UNIFORM is you are wearing the wrong rank.

Granted....some units (in correctly) tell their people to wait until the pinning ceremony....so you should ask your commander on what he wants to you wear and how to wear it.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Effective dates and ceremonies are at odds all the time. Cadets experience it almost always. Rarely do they get "clicked out" same day as they get to wear the new grade. For my Captain promotion, I wasn't promoted in eservices/in person until January. My eservices were updated that same night with an effective date in December...