CAP has official grade abbreviations

Started by Pylon, November 13, 2006, 02:21:29 AM

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adamblank

Quote from: mikeylikey on September 19, 2007, 10:38:02 PM
What about on the CAC card.  Mine says CPT (as in Captain).  Does an AF CAC card also say CPT, as the CAC program is run through DEERS, I seriously doubt they would differentiate between the services.  So based on if it is the same abbreviation scheme by the DEERS (DOD) then that is the greenlight to use it, right?

Air Force CAC cards use the abbreviation Capt. 
Adam Brandao

LittleIronPilot

I will do my best to *unlearn* what over eight years in the Army taught me...but I find the CAP abbreviations idiotic.

SarDragon

As has been pointed out in older threads (or maybe even this one), the corresppondence abbreviations, as referenced above differ from the ones used in computer applications due to an economy of effort.

Many moons ago, memory and storage space was at a minimum, so the abbreviations were shortened up to support that. In today's world, memory and storage space are cheap, but the cost of converting everything isn't, and our dollars are best spent elsewhere.

Bottom line - there are differences. The situation probably won't change any time soon. Get over it. Salute and execute.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

mdickinson

As the original post pointed out, CAP has official grade abbreviations; but based on a highly scientific poll on captalk.net, only 61% of members actually adhere to them.

see the poll at http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2583.0

Actual results:
48 voters (61%) said they use the correct abbreviation
13 voters (16%) said they use an incorrect abbreviation, even though they know it is incorrect
18 voters (23%) used their vote to poke fun at Maj Gen Pineda or to say that the topic is a waste of time

The succinct page of correct CAP grade abbreviations is at:
http://cap.mdickinson.com/abbreviations.htm

ZigZag911

Quote from: LittleIronPilot on November 13, 2007, 02:18:56 AM
I will do my best to *unlearn* what over eight years in the Army taught me...but I find the CAP abbreviations idiotic.

Actually, I think the CAP abbreviations (based on USAF) are historically what the Army (and Army Air Force) used at least through the Korean War, possibly longer.

Sp while they may be unfamiliar to you, awkward, and inconvenient, you really don't want to call them 'idiotic' because in so doing you're attacking Army heritage!

Grumpy

You know, with the war on terrorism and things like over 724 square miles of land having just burned in the San Diego area and a whole lot more going on, one would have more to worry about than if Captain was abbreviated as Capt or CPT.

I'm sure that depending on what branch of the service you were in you learned it one way and you still use it that way.  If you don't like the way it's abbreviated you can spell it out.  I'm sure the services all spell it the same way.

shorning

Quote from: Grumpy on November 16, 2007, 07:37:56 AM
You know, with the war on terrorism and things like over 724 square miles of land having just burned in the San Diego area and a whole lot more going on, one would have more to worry about than if Captain was abbreviated as Capt or CPT.

You'd think the same could be said for uniforms, yet we have how many uniform threads?

Grumpy


Eclipse

Quote from: Grumpy on November 16, 2007, 07:51:03 AM
That's my point.

That attention to detail is unnecessary?

Its one thing when either new members, or members from other services, use an incorrect abbreviation, but why would anyone argue the point once the correct use has been pointed out?

Whether you can find places inside or outside CAP that use the wrong abbreviations,
once you know we're supposed to use "Capt., 2d Lt., 1st Lt", etc., just make the change and move on.

Obviously no one should be refused a sortie during Armageddon because they have their grade incorrectly indicated on their flightsuit nametag, but by the same token, when Armageddon is over, order it the right way.

"That Others May Zoom"

mikeylikey

Quote from: Grumpy on November 16, 2007, 07:37:56 AM
You know, with the war on terrorism and things like over 724 square miles of land having just burned in the San Diego area and a whole lot more going on, one would have more to worry about than if Captain was abbreviated as Capt or CPT.

I'm sure that depending on what branch of the service you were in you learned it one way and you still use it that way.  If you don't like the way it's abbreviated you can spell it out.  I'm sure the services all spell it the same way.

Glad I don't live in California!  In fact, compared to what burns throughout the rest of country, that is a small area.  You and the news make it sound like the whole State was on fire.  Don't forget California is a desert and that they steal all of their water from other states. 

Perhaps you can start by stopping illegals from entering through your state.  I think I read that one of the California fires was actually started by an illegal Mexican boy anyway!

So anyway.......I will use Capt.  Thank you everyone for clearing that up for me!
What's up monkeys?

Grumpy

Quote from: mikeylikey on November 16, 2007, 12:20:22 PM
Quote from: Grumpy on November 16, 2007, 07:37:56 AM
You know, with the war on terrorism and things like over 724 square miles of land having just burned in the San Diego area and a whole lot more going on, one would have more to worry about than if Captain was abbreviated as Capt or CPT.

I'm sure that depending on what branch of the service you were in you learned it one way and you still use it that way.  If you don't like the way it's abbreviated you can spell it out.  I'm sure the services all spell it the same way.

Glad I don't live in California!  In fact, compared to what burns throughout the rest of country, that is a small area.  You and the news make it sound like the whole State was on fire.  Don't forget California is a desert and that they steal all of their water from other states. 

Perhaps you can start by stopping illegals from entering through your state.  I think I read that one of the California fires was actually started by an illegal Mexican boy anyway!

So anyway.......I will use Capt.  Thank you everyone for clearing that up for me!

Maybe if he who leads this country would choose to enforce the borders instead of hand cuffing the Border Patrolmen. We could fix that problem.  Then there's New Orleans they knew those levies needed to be fixed for years but chose not to.  But it's all California's fault.

mikeylikey

Blame it all on the current administration.  Last I looked, those border issues and those issues in New Orleans, are State, local, and CONGRESSIONAL issues.  Perhaps if they would appropriate money better.  Instead of putting earmarks in the budget for highways to nowhere, and pet projects they could fix some junk! 

What's up monkeys?

Grumpy

Well, we could carry this on and on.  It would be more appropriate to use email.  But to bring it back on line, things must be getting better if all we have to worry about is how to abbreviate Captain.

jb512

Quote from: Grumpy on November 16, 2007, 06:03:33 PM
Well, we could carry this on and on.  It would be more appropriate to use email.  But to bring it back on line, things must be getting better if all we have to worry about is how to abbreviate Captain.

Well suit up, grab a fire hose, and knock that out for us.  We'll put everything else on hold and when you get back we'll get those abbreviations under control.

Grumpy


teesquared

Quote from: MIKE on December 20, 2006, 04:36:11 PM
I think you could make the case that someone who was a Sgt (E-4) prior to the elimination of the rank in the USAF would qualify for the CAP grade of Sgt... As long as those persons were not required to revert to SrA, and loose NCO status with the change in structure.

As far back as 1959 when I was in the AF they didn't have Sgt rank. E4 was A/1C, the next rank was Ssgt. A person would have had to be in the brown shoe corps (AAF) to be a Sgt.
Maj Terry Thompson
DP/DA   RMR-CO-147

mikeylikey

^ Strange how they did not have SGT.  You would think you would have to be a Sergent before you can be a Staff Sergent.
What's up monkeys?

afgeo4

Quote from: teesquared on January 19, 2008, 05:11:17 AM
Quote from: MIKE on December 20, 2006, 04:36:11 PM
I think you could make the case that someone who was a Sgt (E-4) prior to the elimination of the rank in the USAF would qualify for the CAP grade of Sgt... As long as those persons were not required to revert to SrA, and loose NCO status with the change in structure.

As far back as 1959 when I was in the AF they didn't have Sgt rank. E4 was A/1C, the next rank was Ssgt. A person would have had to be in the brown shoe corps (AAF) to be a Sgt.
The change to Sgt E-4 was made on 19Oct67 with change of title for E-4 from Airman 1st Class to Sgt, thereby restoring the NCO rank of the grade. This was done to exactly align the Air Force with other services. Completion of 5 level was required for promotion to E-4 (previously required for SSgt).
GEORGE LURYE

afgeo4

Quote from: adamblank on November 13, 2007, 12:14:38 AM
Quote from: mikeylikey on September 19, 2007, 10:38:02 PM
What about on the CAC card.  Mine says CPT (as in Captain).  Does an AF CAC card also say CPT, as the CAC program is run through DEERS, I seriously doubt they would differentiate between the services.  So based on if it is the same abbreviation scheme by the DEERS (DOD) then that is the greenlight to use it, right?

Air Force CAC cards use the abbreviation Capt. 
DEERS stores rank appropriate to branch of service. Thus, an Army O-2 would be a 1LT, a Navy O-2 would be a LtJg and an Air Force O-2 would be a 1st Lt. Same for O-3 and other grades. DEERS doesn't care how things are abbreviated, but officers sometimes do.
GEORGE LURYE

afgeo4

Quote from: Cecil DP on September 19, 2007, 04:17:27 AM
Today was the 60th anniversery of the establishment of the Department of Defense and the services still don't use 1 system of writing  grade between the Army, Navy, and Marines. I would think that with all the forms and publications they put out someone would have decided on one.
Sure they do... all paygrades are written in the same manner. E-1 through O-9
GEORGE LURYE