When do I get to wear...?

[Nomex Maximus]

I am a new senior member of CAP. I am trying to get a BBDU and a green flightsuit  uniform together. I am unclear about when I get to wear:

1) the pluto ES patch and

2) pilot wings.

Can someone please help me out here?

Thanks

John Babrick
SMWOG (i.e, peon) GLR-MI-190

[arajca]

1) Emergency Service patch, aka Pluto patch, you get to wear AFTER becoming qualified in an ES specialty. GES is not an ES specialty.

3. Requirements for Award of the CAP Emergency Services Patch. Current and qualified in accordance with CAPR 60-3, CAP Emergency Services Training and Operational Missions as a general emergency services member with one additional specialty qualification.

2)Complete the following:

c. CAP Pilot. The following basic requirements must be met to be qualified as a CAP pilot in CAP aircraft:
1) Be an active CAP member at least 17 years of age (16 years of age for CAP glider pilots).
2) Possess a valid FAA private, commercial or airline transport pilot certificate.
3) Possess a class III or higher medical certificate (not required for gliders).
4) Possess a current flight review IAW FAR 61.56.
5) Satis factorily complete a CAPF 5 flight check in an aircraft (in an appropriate group) within the preceding 12 months.
6) Complete an annual CAPF 5 written examination and annual aircraft questionnaires (attachments 3 and 4) for each aircraft authorized to fly.

[AlphaSigOU]

[redacted] - arajca beat me to it. No sense in duplicating.

[JC004]

   Don't wear pluto.  Every time you do, a kitten dies.

[O-Rex]

 I think that the "Pluto" patch is totally unecessary: it's intended purpose is to tell the world "I'm operational."

I would think that a member's presence at SAR/DR/whatever event says jut that.

[arajca]

Not if they're a trainee or just have GES or want to see what happens at a mission.

[JC004]

I think that the "Pluto" patch is totally unecessary: it's intended purpose is to tell the world "I'm operational."

I would think that a member's presence at SAR/DR/whatever event says jut that.

Other than being unnecessary, does it project an image of professionalism to an outside audience who doesn't understand the context...say to an EMA person, the news media, political critters... 

I've done a lot of witness interviews and that kind of stuff. Do I want my first impression to be "Hi, I'm here from the Disney^(R) Army and we understand that you made an illegal copy of the Bambi DVD..."??

[RiverAux]

I agree. I'm usually all for keeping up traditions, but that particular patch does nothing to help CAP at all in terms of image.  We, more than others, need to make a strong first impression, and that patch just hurts us. 

[Major Carrales]

I agree. I'm usually all for keeping up traditions, but that particular patch does nothing to help CAP at all in terms of image.  We, more than others, need to make a strong first impression, and that patch just hurts us. 

What about the alternate ES patch...



Is not this still kosher to wear?

Personally, I would not wear the CAT EYED "Pluto Patch," but I don't think it looks that bad for Cadets.

[AlphaSigOU]

I agree. I'm usually all for keeping up traditions, but that particular patch does nothing to help CAP at all in terms of image.  We, more than others, need to make a strong first impression, and that patch just hurts us. 

What about the alternate ES patch...



Is not this still kosher to wear?

Personally, I would not wear the CAT EYED "Pluto Patch," but I don't think it looks that bad for Cadets.

Still kosher to wear the T-34 ES patch, Maj. C. No sunset date on it yet. I wear the T-34 patch on my flight suit/utilities.

[RiverAux]

I've got no problems with the plane patch.

[Pylon]

I'm pretty sure I mentioned this in another thread, but I'd really prefer to the Pluto/T-34 ES patches get treated just like every other special, non-unit, non-wing patch.  We have a place on the uniforms (shoulder for flight suits, pocket for field uniforms) for the "everything else" patches:  NCSAs, NESA/NGSAR, recruiting, radiological monitoring, Stan/Eval, proficient pilot, etc.  For some reason, the ES patches are treated entirely different and get a weird, non-standard spot to be placed.  In fact, the odd-ball "floating" space we plop the ES patch on the flight suit just looks out of place, nonwithstanding that brother blue puts nothing there on their zoom bags.

Is there anybody opposed to the idea of treating the ES patches like every other optional patch? 

[RiverAux]

fine by me. 

[Nomex Maximus]

I am still having trouble understanding what is what.

I am logged into e-services and am looking at my SQTR (I think). It lists

GES (no expire)
MS 6/2010

But CAPR 35-6 talks about the patch being "awarded". I have heard nothing yet about an award being in the works - can I just wear the patch or is there some application process that still needs to be followed?

Same question about the CAP Pilot wings. If I pass the checkride on Tuesday, do I go home and sew on wings or do I need to wait until they are awarded somehow?

Some more questions. Is the ES badge worn on the BBDU? In addition to the ES patch ? This all is so complicated - when I was in the Army many years ago they just handed me a uniform and said, "wear this." Now, I have a BBDU package from The Hock and I have to figure out what goes where and how to get it on - and I don't know how to sew.

Thanks in advance

John Babrick

[Pylon]

Hey John,

CAPM 39-1, CAP Uniform Manual (available for download at www.cap.gov/pubs) will show you what goes where on the Blue CAP Distinctive Field Uniform and even has pictures, to boot! 

As for the patches, wings, GT badges, etc. -- once you meet the requirements set forth for them (in CAPR 35-6, Aeronautical Ratings, Emergency Services Patch and Badges, and Ground Team Badges) you can head home and sew/pin them on.  Occasionally you may find a unit who prefers to pin them on in an official ceremony, but that's fairly rare and I'm sure they'd already have let you know if that's the case.

The ES patches (either the oval one with the T-34 aircraft, or the round one with Pluto the dispatcher dog on it) are worn on both the "Blue BDUs", regular BDUs, and the flight suit.  Placement can be found in CAPM 39-1 for all three.

The ES badge (the red, shield-shaped pin) is for those who achieve a Technician Specialty rating as an Emergency Services Officer as part of their professional development track... totally different ball game.

[jb512]

I am still having trouble understanding what is what.

I am logged into e-services and am looking at my SQTR (I think). It lists

GES (no expire)
MS 6/2010

But CAPR 35-6 talks about the patch being "awarded". I have heard nothing yet about an award being in the works - can I just wear the patch or is there some application process that still needs to be followed?

Same question about the CAP Pilot wings. If I pass the checkride on Tuesday, do I go home and sew on wings or do I need to wait until they are awarded somehow?

Some more questions. Is the ES badge worn on the BBDU? In addition to the ES patch ? This all is so complicated - when I was in the Army many years ago they just handed me a uniform and said, "wear this." Now, I have a BBDU package from The Hock and I have to figure out what goes where and how to get it on - and I don't know how to sew.

Thanks in advance

John Babrick

Uhh, yeah.  Clarity doesn't seem to be a strong point for a lot of things here, especially if you're new.

Your MS serves as your ES qualification for the Pluto/Airplane patch so you can wear that now.

You can't wear the ES badge until you meet the qualifications listed for that specific badge.

In the real world people would care enough to present you with your wings since that's a pretty big achievement.  Some squadrons will award it to you, others won't and your only recourse is to wait till it shows up in eservices, sew it on all alone with a 6-pack, and then salute yourself.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Awarding the wings is a big deal, IF you went through flight training.  If you came in as a pilot, and passed a checkride, I don't see that as an occasion of major ceremony.  Congratulations and handshakes all around, but not a special formation. 

I don't wear either of the ES patches.  I think they are both outdated.

I wear my wings, my GTL badge (which recently became a GBD badge, but Vanguard has not "Approved" the award yet), the flag, the wing patch, my name, and CAP's name (subject to change).

[AlphaSigOU]

You're qualified for the 'Pluto' or 'T-34' patch, per CAPR 35-6. To doublecheck (it's not awarded automatically, log onto eServices, then to 'My Operations Qualifications' Click on the 'Ops Quals - Emergency Services' tab. Under Single Person Achievement it should list CAP ES Awards (CAPR 35-6), if not, click 'Edit' and input the date of you MS qual and submit. Approval should be painless, if the chain of command is on the ball.

[floridacyclist]

As best I can tell, The ES patch should still be awarded on a CAPF2a or Personnel Authorization. The new language is rather vague, but it does refer to "Awards requests will automatically be generated when requirements for qualifications or certifications are earned and posted in the national headquarters qualification and certification system".

Awards request sounds an awful lot like a CAPF2a to me, which is how it was spelled out in the old regs.

Note that in many wings (inc FL), approval authority for this award has been delegated to the Group or Squadron CC, rather than the Wing CC as specified in the reg - http://level2.cap.gov/documents/u_082203095100.pdf

Incidentally, I do encourage folks to wear it if they have it in order to give newbies something visible to work toward. I still prefer the T-34 patch even if the other is a facsimile of the original 1950s ES patch with a pic of a Birddog (as in O-1)...it still looks like Pluto.

[Nomex Maximus]

How about another uniform question -

Can I wear the BBDU without the nametape? One of the charts in the back of CAPM39 seemed to make it sounds like it was optional... the reason I ask is that the Hock is not sending the tape for another 3 weeks and I really hate wearing the golf shirt uniform that my squadron prefers.