USPA Parachutist Badge

[vesryn]

Haven't been able to find a concrete answer through google, the search bar on this forum or 39-1.

39-1 states "Parachutist wings are optional[...]" about 10 times, but doesn't actually specify that they must be military parachute badges. The United States Parachute Association governs most sport parachute operations in the US, and awards badges for jump numbers in 1,000 jump increments (1000, 2000, etc jumps).

My gut says that these aren't valid to wear on the uniform, but wanted to see if anyone had documentation or a citation to back that up.

[PHall]

Calling Nin...

[PHall]

Actually there is an answer in CAPR 39-1.

CAPR 39-1 3 March 2020 111
X0
CHAPTER 10 – BADGES AND SPECIALTY INSIGNIA
10.1. Policy. Only those CAP badges and patches described in this chapter will be worn on the CAP uniform. A quick reference to authorized CAP badges and patches is available at Attachment 4.

So the quick answer is that the USPA Parachutist Badge is not authorized, but, you can always check with CAP National Headquarters for an approval. They are the final authority on this.

[TheSkyHornet]

Chapter 10 authorizes the badges that may be worn. These include CAP Service Badges, CAP and Military Aviation Badges, CAP Occupational Badges (which include NRA for cadets), Military Badges, Foreign Badges, Badges of Military Societies, and the process by which to establish a new badge.

The civilian USPA Badge is not authorized per this chapter.

[vesryn]

Actually there is an answer in CAPR 39-1.

Gotcha, thanks for the quick answer. Gotta brush up on my Control+F skills.

[PHall]

Actually there is an answer in CAPR 39-1.

Gotcha, thanks for the quick answer. Gotta brush up on my Control+F skills.

Or do it old school like I did and actually read the bloody thing!

[SarDragon]

And that bloody well ends it. Col. Ninness can add his $0.02 if he likes at any time.

Click.

[NIN]

Calling Nin...

"You rang?"

So, couple of things here. And to establish my bonafides in this area: 41-year CAP member, 28-year member of the US Parachute Association, Master Parachutist (D-19617), AFF Instructor and active skydiver. I've made jumps with Golden Knights on several occasions.

1) Parachutist badge. The reference to the parachutist badge being optional in 39-1 is found first in para 4.1.1.1.3.1 (how's that for a long paragraph number? Jeez!) and SEVEN other paragraphs pretty much identical to it. All eight are oriented toward USAF-style dress unforms of some sort.

The lead on all 8 of those paragraphs is "Aviation (CAP, USAF or other service Aeronautical, Space, Cyberspace) and Occupational Badges (CAP and USAF)."

Read that again. Its not "Aviation (CAP, USAF, other service or civilian Aeronutical, Space, Cyberspace) [...]" (emphasis mine)

The USPA Wings are not USAF, other service or CAP Aviation badges. Nor are they CAP or USAF occupational badges.  So that kinda puts the kibosh on that line of thinking. There is no daylight in that part of the regulation.

The 9th reference, para 5.1.1.1.2.4, is in the section for the USAF-style ABUs in Working and Utility uniforms, with fairly similar wording (with obvious adjustments due to the wear pattern for a USAF-style utility uniform vice dress uniform). I think its safe to assume that this paragraph has a similar intent to the 8 prior paragraphs.

The 10th reference, para 5.1.2.3.6, relates to BDUs, also still under Working & Utility uniforms. Those have gone the way of the dodo bird.

The last reference is under para 10.10.2.1 for foreign badges. It reads, in part, "Are only worn in the conferring country or while attending official and social functions hosted by the awarding government (reference AFI 36-2903, para 10.5.2)"

So if I travel to, say, England, with CAP, and somehow manage to make some jumps with my brother skydivers at the Army Parachute Association's facility at Netheravon, and they had some goofball ceremony that night and awarded me Brit jump wings, I could only wear them in the host country, or at a social function hosted by the British Embassy or Consulates here in the USA. 

That is such an edge case that I can't even fathom how that set of circumstances would come about, because, well, if I'm traveling to England, I'm either bringing my rig, or I'm bringing my uniforms, but chances are I'm not bringing both.

Either way, thats covers the flyby on the current uniform regs.

2) The next thing is always is "But.. CAP had jump wings during WWII!" 

Yes, an embroidered cloth patch worn on the right sleeve of the dress uniform.  Not a badge, a patch. 

[EDIT: And its been floated thru the National Uniform Committee and NHQ/DP as long ago as 1994 (and I'm sure prior) for a parachutist badge for CAP.  The short answer is that parachuting isn't a CAP activity. We don't recognize ultralight pilots, or amateur rocketeers, etc with an aero badge for something that they do not do in CAP nor contributes to the CAP mission. Balloon wings are as close as we come, and CAP balloonists do exist because CAP has balloons.]

And, to my understanding and research, since the early 1960s, there has been incredibly little official, sanctioned CAP parachute activity. Matter of fact, between me and Lt Col Dave Siemiet, I think we have the most jumps at CAP activities since about 1998. I can't remember how many Dave has, but I've got 4 or 5 and I think he has a similar amount.

[Edit:

3) Parachuting in CAP is prohibited as a cadet activity, and non-DoD parachute ops from CAP planes is specifically disallowed under CAPR 70-1, para 9.4.10 (AKA: The Ninness Rule. LOL).  There's a wide amount of space in the middle there for things to happen, but the bottom line is that parachuting in CAP isn't generally an official sanctioned aviation activity. Which is why we don't have wings for it.

And I'll open this thread back up.]