Are Cadets allowed to wear BBDUs?

[CAPed Crusader]

I was going through CAP39-1 and I stumbled upon the blue BDUs. Are cadets allowed to wear these as a uniform option[Cadet airman, Cadet NCO, Cadet officer etc]? I understand officers can wear them, but what about cadet officers? And I thought only the Coast Guard wore these. Will the ABUs take the Blue BDUs or are we keeping them?

V/R
Cadet Airman DeRosa

[TheSkyHornet]

I was going through CAP39-1 and I stumbled upon the blue BDUs. Are cadets allowed to wear these as a uniform option[Cadet airman, Cadet NCO, Cadet officer etc]? I understand officers can wear them, but what about cadet officers? And I thought only the Coast Guard wore these. Will the ABUs take the Blue BDUs or are we keeping them?

V/R
Cadet Airman DeRosa

If they are over the age of 18 and do not meet the weight requirements to wear the Air Force-style ABU or BDU.

https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/M391_E6F33EAAEC28A.pdf

CAP Manual 39-1 Civil Air Patrol Uniform Manual:

1.2.3.2. Cadets will wear the USAF-style uniforms as outlined in this manual as a key component of their cadet experience. However, cadets over age 18 who are not eligible to wear the USAF-style uniforms due to not meeting weight standards are authorized to wear all Corporate-style uniform combinations, except the Corporate Working Uniform since it does not allow for wear of rank insignia.

The CWU is the polo combination.

[arajca]

The BBDU is NOT being replaced by the ABU.

With the exception listed by TheSkyHornet, cadets do not wear the BBDU. Even though some cadets have to wear it due to height/weight requirements, they must still meet the same grooming standards as those wearing the AF-style uniforms.

[NIN]

The BBDU is NOT being replaced by the ABU.

With the exception listed by TheSkyHornet, cadets do not wear the BBDU. Even though some cadets have to wear it due to height/weight requirements, they must still meet the same grooming standards as those wearing the AF-style uniforms.

Not entirely correct.

We had a young man who wore the BBDU (and grey/white combo) under the age of 18 with a religious accommodation for grooming standards.

I wasn't in the wing when it was granted, so I can't speak to the specifics, but I do know that he had it.

[I_Am_Twigs]

The BBDU is NOT being replaced by the ABU.

With the exception listed by TheSkyHornet, cadets do not wear the BBDU. Even though some cadets have to wear it due to height/weight requirements, they must still meet the same grooming standards as those wearing the AF-style uniforms.

Not entirely correct.

We had a young man who wore the BBDU (and grey/white combo) under the age of 18 with a religious accommodation for grooming standards.

I wasn't in the wing when it was granted, so I can't speak to the specifics, but I do know that he had it.

From my understanding the h/w standards are or should be enforced if you're above 18. And the grooming and appearance standards had to be met or else you wear the corporate uniforms, regardless of age.
But that's just the way I interpreted it from the regulation.

[Eclipse]

From my understanding the h/w standards are or should be enforced if you're above 18. And the grooming and appearance standards had to be met or else you wear the corporate uniforms, regardless of age.
But that's just the way I interpreted it from the regulation.

Cadets under 18 are not authorized the Corporate variants without a waiver for cause from NHQ,
and are always bound by grooming, regardless of which variant they wear, other then
whatever exception might be made by NHQ for a religious reason.

Since NHQ cannot waive the USAF-style rules, anyone being granted an exemption
to them is going to be in a corporate variant, regardless of membership type.

[TheSkyHornet]

The BBDU is NOT being replaced by the ABU.

With the exception listed by TheSkyHornet, cadets do not wear the BBDU. Even though some cadets have to wear it due to height/weight requirements, they must still meet the same grooming standards as those wearing the AF-style uniforms.

Not entirely correct.

We had a young man who wore the BBDU (and grey/white combo) under the age of 18 with a religious accommodation for grooming standards.

I wasn't in the wing when it was granted, so I can't speak to the specifics, but I do know that he had it.

From my understanding the h/w standards are or should be enforced if you're above 18. And the grooming and appearance standards had to be met or else you wear the corporate uniforms, regardless of age.
But that's just the way I interpreted it from the regulation.

The standards are enforced, in requiring that you do not wear the uniform until you are meet the height and weight requirements. Cadets over the age of 18, who do not meet these requirements, are supposed to be working toward meeting them.

Grooming standards of cadets need to always be met, regardless of weight. To be clear on it: Even if the cadet is 5-feet tall and 250 pounds, he still needs to get his hair cut and shave.

As Eclipse said, cadets under 18 do not wear the corporate under any circumstance. As the old saying goes, "there's a waiver for everything." This only comes from up top, and should not be considered a general practice outside of an extreme case.