Senior Members and the Service Cap

[Smitty]

I only wore the service cap after getting the Mitchell and becoming a Senior, right up until my membership expired.  The only exception was when I had to buy a flight cap to be on an encampment staff.

[isuhawkeye]

I wore the service cap until I became a field grade officer.  I havnt purchased a new one yet. 

With the old one I took the liner, and shaper out and wore it in the shower a few times.   

[JCW0312]

With the old one I took the liner, and shaper out and wore it in the shower a few times.  

That brings a disturbing mental image... 

[PHall]

I own a CAP Service Cap, and I normally wear it one day a year, Memorial Day.
I normally participate in a Memorial Day ceremony at one cemetery and another ceremony at Gill Robb Wilson's grave too.
I also wear it if I'm wearing CAP Service Dress at a funeral.
Those two occasions call for a bit more "formality", and Service Dress with the Service Cap does the job.

The rest of the time, flight (aka garrison) cap!

[Briski]

I go to a military school. Our normal headgear is a cover similar to the male service cap. I love it. We also don't have pockets (or belt loops, for that matter), so it's a great place to keep sticky note reminders and a little bit of cash tucked into the brim.

It was really, really weird wearing my CAP blues with flight cap for COS '06 and Encampment '06 and '07. I lived in constant fear of the wind.

But I won't go anywhere near the bucket hat (female service cap). It looks geeky. And it's not nearly as useful as the male service cap... whose usefulness is arguably questionable since the Air Force was smart enough to remember to include pockets (and belt loops, for that matter) on their uniform trousers.

[Monty]

Thought I'd offer...

I conducted a non-scientific sampling yesterday with some associates and colleagues who - prior to my conducting my little experiment - acknowledged their non-association with CAP or with the Armed Forces, but believed in their likely ability to at least point out an "army man" from a "navy man."

I passed out a collection of 20 photos of various photographed male armed forces personnel from the Army, Air Force, and Navy.  Photographed members were either in a flight cap or service cap.  The first set of 10 were in color, while the second set of 10 were in black and white/sepia toned.

I asked folks to conclude if the member in each photograph was either (a) Air Force, (b) Army, (c) Navy, or (d) "Not sure; something other than Army.

Simplifying the results: in color, folks collectively distinguished the folks in flight caps as either "Air Force" or "something other than Army" about 80% accurate.  Simplifying the results in B/W, folks distinguished folks in flight caps as either "Air Force" or "something other than Army" about 60% accurate.

Now here's the simplified interesting finding.  Folks significantly failed to identify - both in color and B/W - Air Force members in a service cap, generally considering service cap-clad personnel as Army.....especially in black and white.

So...while my little sampling was absolutely not scientifically randomized, nor did I even account for all the outlying variables, my sampling gives compelling fodder for the pondering: if uniforms mark a person as a member of a distinct group for outsiders to identify, who are the "others" we're trying to impress upon our difference?

Ourselves?  Or, the public for whom we serve?  Or, is it a combination with a scale-tilt to the outsiders?  If it's the latter, the flight cap seems to be a good hypothesized focal point to ensure our distinctiveness with both the Air Force and also, distinctiveness apart from the Army.

If we're just gunning to make ourselves happy with ourselves (which I don't personally believe uniforms are meant to do), then by all means, "service cap it" away.....even make it green for that matter and as long as CAP has a green service cap, we'll still know.

Sort of makes me think....are service caps for some folks own intra-CAP vanity?  Or are service caps part of a uniform designed to display to the public that we are a member of a team: Specifically, a part of the Air Force team?

(Again, I need no answers to my rhetorical questions.)

Though folks might be interested in my little experiment. 

[Pace]

Ultimately, I'm NOT here to change minds.  But from my vantage, this thread (sidenote: imagine that, another uniform thread) centers on these positions, of which I even question my OWN to show you my own objectivity:

-"The other services do it" (ridiculous to compare us to the other services, unless we're in their affiliation)
-"We wore 'em then why not now" (Slippery slope for tricorns)
-"They look better to me" (based on personal druthers or professional 2007/2008 AF culture?)
-"They're mandated for owning" (though not mandated for wear)
-"Flight cap is plenty acceptable alternative" (though you can't look as important as a Soviet General that way)

Ourselves?  Or, the public for whom we serve?  Or, is it a combination with a scale-tilt to the outsiders?  If it's the latter, the flight cap seems to be a good hypothesized focal point to ensure our distinctiveness with both the Air Force and also, distinctiveness apart from the Army.

If we're just gunning to make ourselves happy with ourselves (which I don't personally believe uniforms are meant to do), then by all means, "service cap it" away.....even make it green for that matter and as long as CAP has a green service cap, we'll still know.

Sort of makes me think....are service caps for some folks own intra-CAP vanity?

But I'm just trying to look like the General...

[Monty]

But I'm just trying to look like the General...

Nice...............   

[Stonewall]

Yes, I know, that's General Cass.

What scares me, is that there are people in CAP and on this forum who actually want to look like that, when that is exactly what we should not look like.

[Monty]

What scares me, is that there are people in CAP and on this forum who actually want to look like that, when that is exactly what we should not look like.

Agree.  My suspicion is that folks like to wrap themselves in a made-up cocoon of the following:

---Look like an Army guy without being in the Army (any more or ever)
---Big hat in the Civil Air Patrol makes me look important, like all those cool general photos from WWII
---Big hat makes me a part of the Air Force tradition, but forget about those airmen from WWI who stood by planes in flight caps
---I don't care if I look like a relic; please Air Force, bring me in closer, but respect my ability to differentiate my non-plasticity to become applicable in the modern era on account of my druthers to live in the 60s.

I guess I've now shown my hand and threw away my objectivity.  Yes, to each his own.  But I am more impressed with folks' big accomplishments than their big heads, made seemingly bigger with a big 'ole soup kettle on their skull.

9 times out of 10, I am too busy to really be impressed with Major Big Boy in his cap....but that 1 time out of 10 am left wondering, "what's he compensating for...not hugged much as a kid, not given enough attention, or ??"

Hate me if you wish...but I hate to break it to CAP that I'm not atypical from the currently-serving airmen, whose clothes we wear - and would cry like toddlers if we lost.

[Pace]

What scares me, is that there are people in CAP and on this forum who actually want to look like that, when that is exactly what we should not look like.

Agree.  My suspicion is that folks like to wrap themselves in a made-up cocoon of the following:

Not that I don't agree with ya'll, but is it too early for the sage sausage link in a service cap joke this morning? (No offense intended to Brig Gen Cass, btw)

EDIT: Apparently it's too early for me to be posting.  I caught over 6 mistakes in that short post...

[DrJbdm]

both of the gentlemen in the picture are to big to wear USAF uniforms.

I think a service cap is fine for formal occasions while wearing the service coat, otherwise wear the flight cap.

[Stonewall]

both of the gentlemen in the picture are to big to wear USAF uniforms.

I think a service cap is fine for formal occasions while wearing the service coat, otherwise wear the flight cap.

You know what?  You're absolutely right.  The service cap is fine for formal occasions while wearing the service coat.  The important thing to remember is that just becuase you wear the service jacket does NOT mean it is a formal occasion.  People seem to think that in CAP.  An appropriate time to wear the service cap would be a funeral, retirement or awards ceremony, or dawg-gone-it, when it is actually announced by the event coordinator that service caps are required.

[aveighter]

What scares me, is that there are people in CAP and on this forum who actually want to look like that, when that is exactly what we should not look like.

Are you referring to the hats or the fats?

[isuhawkeye]

Hey guys,   

Tedd, and General Cass may not have been within height weight at the time of the photo, but I would appreciate you not making fun of them.  They are both legendary CAP officers. 

[Stonewall]

My comments were in reference to the hat, not their weight.  You can be legendary and still be over weight.  It's cool.

But keep in mind, it was said this week that by 2015 75% of the US population will be overweight.  I wonder what percentage of CAP seniors are overweight today.

It's about being healthy, not looking good.  Fit to fight search!

[pixelwonk]

Hey guys,   

Tedd, and General Cass may not have been within height weight at the time of the photo, but I would appreciate you not making fun of them.  They are both legendary CAP officers. 

actually, I was then.  And... about cadet age too.

But this Tedd isn't the Ted you're looking for.