Eliminate ugly and expensive Cadet Officer shoulder boards

[dogboy]

I know it's been discussed peripherally before but I suggest that the ugly and expensive Cadet Officer shoulder boards on the service dress jacket be eliminated.

I was one of the first to wear them in 1965 (if I remember correctly, they were worn on the khaki shirt as well) and they were as weird and silly then as they are now.

Cadets can wear their blue shoulder marks with pips. It would look far neater.

[gallagheria]

I've always thought CAP cadets should just wear Air Force JROTC uniforms. That would solve that.

[MIKE]

Cadets can wear their blue shoulder marks with pips. It would look far neater.

Provided their service coat has epaulets... Note that the "new" style enlisted version does not and is significantly cheaper.

[SDF_Specialist]

Why not just make the service coat epaulets for cadets grey? I mean, they still show their rank, and you can't confuse a cadet 2nd Lt. with a senior 2nd Lt. That is, unless you are a moron. That's always the first thing I look for. Is the member a cadet or senior? If it's a senior, what's their rank?

[Cadet Tillett]

I don't think they are ugly, but you're darn right about the price.  A cheaper alternative would be nice.

[Al Sayre]

I just had to buy a set for my daughter last week.  I almost fell over.  IIRC back when I got mine they were $12.95.

[JayT]

There's nothing wrong with the shoulderboards except how much they cost.

[dogboy]

I don't think they are ugly,

IMHO they are cartoonish and childish looking. SIX colors on a single epaulet. Possibly designed by Liberace.

The whole design concept of the Air Force uniform was to make it clean and simple with a minimum of colors and patches.

[Pylon]

I don't think they are ugly,

IMHO they are cartoonish and childish looking. SIX colors on a single epaulet. Possibly designed by Liberace.

The whole design concept of the Air Force uniform was to make it clean and simple with a minimum of colors and patches.

Don't forget they've got glitter, too! 

[LtCol White]

Provided the cadet has an officer's service coat, the cadet officers could wear a blue epaulet with embroidered cadet rank on it. Same principle as our gray eps but I don't think the cadets should wear the gray. It would probably constitute harassment and violate CPPT for giving them a uniform coat as ugly as ours. 

[Pylon]

Provided the cadet has an officer's service coat, the cadet officers could wear a blue epaulet with embroidered cadet rank on it. Same principle as our gray eps but I don't think the cadets should wear the gray. It would probably constitute harassment and violate CPPT for giving them a uniform coat as ugly as ours. 

Non concur.  Embroidered grade on epaulet sleeves for cadets is a no go because of the cost.  Remember that cadets regularly promote... sometimes as often as 2 to 4 months between promotions.  The current pin on system lets them buy metal insignia for a few bucks and switch it out (maybe even trade it up in the squadron supply box).  They just pop one set off and pin the next on.  Embroidered epaulet sleeves would mean a new $7/set of epaulets everytime he or she promotes.  For a cadet going from Mitchell to Spaatz, that would equal $42 assuming they could get by with only one set of epaulet sleeves.

[jimmydeanno]

^That would be about the same for the two sets of shoulder boards you need as a Cadet Officer.  $7.00 item + $7.50 shipping = 14.50 per promotion * 6 = $87.00

At $30/pair that's $60.00 (2 sets) + $15.00 (shipping) = $75.00 in shipping (You need two pairs because once you make C/Maj there are bullet holes in the boards from the C/1st Lt and C/Capt Insignia visible.)

[Flying Pig]

Just pin the full size metal emblem to the shoulder epaulets.

[Grumpy]

"I was one of the first to wear them in 1965 (if I remember correctly, they were worn on the khaki shirt as well) and they were as weird and silly then as they are now."

I left the cadets for the AF in June of 1963.  In 1965 we were wearing 1505s in the Air Force and they were short sleeved with no epaulets.  At that time were the cadets wearing long sleeve khaki or 505s, which didn't have epaulets either.

Not a challenge, just trying to get it straight, I'm curious.  I just hope the same thing that happened to the cat doesn't happen to me.

[Cecil DP]

Just pin the full size metal emblem to the shoulder epaulets.

Thats the way they were worn prior to the boards and wow it would even cut the cost to the cadets (and parents).

[MIKE]

Not really, since they would have to get a jacket with epualets... Serious coin for a new one.

[Eagle400]

Not really, since they would have to get a jacket with epualets... Serious coin for a new one.

And the prongs on the backs of the regular size cadet rank insignias aren't long enough to reach the other side of the epaulets, anyway. 

[PA Guy]

"I was one of the first to wear them in 1965 (if I remember correctly, they were worn on the khaki shirt as well) and they were as weird and silly then as they are now."

I left the cadets for the AF in June of 1963.  In 1965 we were wearing 1505s in the Air Force and they were short sleeved with no epaulets.  At that time were the cadets wearing long sleeve khaki or 505s, which didn't have epaulets either.

Not a challenge, just trying to get it straight, I'm curious.  I just hope the same thing that happened to the cat doesn't happen to me.

The Shade 1 khakis were largely gone and the 505s were being phased out.  The shoulder boards were worn on the 505/1505 shirts and were attached with little snaps that were a pain to sew on, this was pre velcro.

[Grumpy]

Yuk!!

[JCJ]

"I was one of the first to wear them in 1965 (if I remember correctly, they were worn on the khaki shirt as well) and they were as weird and silly then as they are now."

I left the cadets for the AF in June of 1963.  In 1965 we were wearing 1505s in the Air Force and they were short sleeved with no epaulets.  At that time were the cadets wearing long sleeve khaki or 505s, which didn't have epaulets either.

Not a challenge, just trying to get it straight, I'm curious.  I just hope the same thing that happened to the cat doesn't happen to me.

The Shade 1 khakis were largely gone and the 505s were being phased out.  The shoulder boards were worn on the 505/1505 shirts and were attached with little snaps that were a pain to sew on, this was pre velcro.

Yep - and the first generation of light blue shirts (1550's) also had no epaulets, and you had to sew the snaps on for the shoulder boards as well  We absolutely hated 'em for short sleeved shirts, and many cadet officers in our wing just refused to wear them for everyday wear and instead adopted the (illegal) practice of CAP cutout on the left collar, cadet grade insignia on the right (similar to the pickle suits)

You also had to buy new boards when going from C/Capt to C/Maj because the pins on the C/Capt grade insignia left unsightly holes in the shoulder boards that the C/Maj insignia didn't cover up.