Uniform for promotion

[Smokey]

I've been invited to a promotion ceremony at an Air Force base next month.  A Col that I deal with on a regular basis is pinning on a star.  I haven't gotten a formal printed invite but was told by phone.

Question is...what uniform to wear.  I've heard that  "uniform of the day" is proper which at that base is a flight suit or BDU. However.....the ceremony is at the O' club and not sure if flight suit would be appropriate.  It's an afternoon event. Promtion to the general ranks I think is a bit more of a big deal and formal than say maj to lt col.

Any ideas folks...after all I am respresenting CAP and want to make a proper impresssion.  I do not want to stand out though.

Help!

[Pylon]

I've been invited to a promotion ceremony at an Air Force base next month.  A Col that I deal with on a regular basis is pinning on a star.  I haven't gotten a formal printed invite but was told by phone.

Question is...what uniform to wear.  I've heard that  "uniform of the day" is proper which at that base is a flight suit or BDU. However.....the ceremony is at the O' club and not sure if flight suit would be appropriate.  It's an afternoon event. Promtion to the general ranks I think is a bit more of a big deal and formal than say maj to lt col.

Any ideas folks...after all I am respresenting CAP and want to make a proper impresssion.  I do not want to stand out though.

Help!

The one rule that always seems to work is:  Never out-dress the General.

Find out from the base Public Affairs Officer, the Colonel's secretary, or whomever is coordinating the event what the official UOD is for the ceremony.  That should give you the best clue.

[Hawk200]

I'd wear service dress, with short sleeves on underneath. If everybody else happens to be in something lesser, you can always drop the coat and tie. Short sleeve blues isn't nearly as glaring as full service dress in a crowd of cammies and zoom bags.

[mikeylikey]

The paper invite would have had more details, since you didn't get one you need to call the CAP rep at the base.  Each AF base has an officer assigned (usually additional duty) to work with CAP.  If no help there, call the adjutant or stop by their office.  Enjoy the party!

[shorning]

Don't wear service dress.  You'll be overdressed.  UOD is normally flightsuit or BDU and that's exactly what you'll see most poeple in the audience wearing.  Even at the O-club. 

However, as a CAP member, I'd recommend wearing a service uniform.  Short-sleeve blue shirt, no tie, flight cap, no ribbons, wings (if applicable) and one badge is the look I'd go for.  If you do it "right" they won't give you a second though.  Do it "wrong" and you'll have them wondering, "who is this bozo?"

YMMV...

[DNall]

Don't wear service dress.  You'll be overdressed.  UOD is normally flightsuit or BDU and that's exactly what you'll see most poeple in the audience wearing.  Even at the O-club. 

However, as a CAP member, I'd recommend wearing a service uniform.  Short-sleeve blue shirt, no tie, flight cap, no ribbons, wings (if applicable) and one badge is the look I'd go for.  If you do it "right" they won't give you a second though.  Do it "wrong" and you'll have them wondering, "who is this bozo?"

That's pretty good advice all around. Most of these things are just 10 min of people walking over from the office in standard work attire, but there may be some other reason they're making it more formal. Call ahead to confirm, then do your best to blend in (which is why blues instead of BDUs w/ the glow in the dark blue on them). They'll notice the differences in your uniform right off, but wearing to their standards is going to make them more comfortable w/ you.

[Camas]

Never out-dress the General

Or never out-dress the commander.  A very good piece of advise.

I had the privilege of attending a squadron change-of-command ceremony recently and I was aware of the fact that the squadron commander doesn't own or wear a service dress coat even though the uniform of the evening was blues.  I didn't want to "show him up" so I elected to simply wear a blazer uniform instead.  I think I made the right choice.  The last thing a squadron commander needs is for some wingding to walk in with service dress uniform with all the bells and whistles and show everybody up.  Not cool unless others are wearing the same thing.  Just my thoughts!

[lordmonar]

Call the base protocol office.  They will tell you what the dress is for the event.

If it is UOD...that means blues for CAP unless you were in the field or flying that day.

I would go with short sleeve/long sleeve with our with out tie depending on how you feel.

The general/Col will be in service dress most likely...so you don't have to worry about out dressing him.

If you were invited as a special guest or part of the official party....again check with protocol to see what uniform they want you in.

[DNall]

Never out-dress the General

Or never out-dress the commander.  A very good piece of advise.

I had the privilege of attending a squadron change-of-command ceremony recently and I was aware of the fact that the squadron commander doesn't own or wear a service dress coat even though the uniform of the evening was blues.  I didn't want to "show him up" so I elected to simply wear a blazer uniform instead.  I think I made the right choice.  The last thing a squadron commander needs is for some wingding to walk in with service dress uniform with all the bells and whistles and show everybody up.  Not cool unless others are wearing the same thing.  Just my thoughts!

It works the other way top to bottom. If you're representing Wg (even unoffically) then there's some extra legitimacy lent to the ceremony by looking like the symbol of the source of power handing down command to this local officer. A little flash is a good thing now & then.

[Camas]

If you're representing Wg (even unoffically) then there's some extra legitimacy lent to the ceremony by looking like the symbol of the source of power handing down command to this local officer. A little flash is a good thing now & then.

Good point.  This was my former squadron so I felt - maybe not!  But yes, it would suggest that if I wore my service dress I'd make an effort to dress up and make an effort to put on a good example for others.  I'd have to reconsider my previous position.  Thanks for the input.

[JohnKachenmeister]

If UOD, your safest bet is the blues, no jacket, tie optional.  Ditch the ribbons, too, unless you areally ARE a war hero.  I agree with Shorning on this.  If it is an "after duty" reception, you will fit in, even if dressed like the office wonks.  Wearing a flight suit might be viewed as pretentious, unless you really did have to fly there.  I wouldn't wear BDU's since our BDU's are ugly with all that blue stuff on them.

[DNall]

If you're representing Wg (even unoffically) then there's some extra legitimacy lent to the ceremony by looking like the symbol of the source of power handing down command to this local officer. A little flash is a good thing now & then.

Good point.  This was my former squadron so I felt - maybe not!  But yes, it would suggest that if I wore my service dress I'd make an effort to dress up and make an effort to put on a good example for others.  I'd have to reconsider my previous position.  Thanks for the input.

Just a dif POV, both are equally valid.

[AlaskanCFI]

There are times when the Air Force really over-does the flight-suit stuff.

A year ago there was a WWII Alaska Scout being awarded a medal by the Big Cheese of the Alaska National Guard,,, who happens to be an Air-Guard General this season. 

Everyone else showed up in nice suits & ties, the Army and Navy guys came in class A service uniforms. (Jackets, ties, Ribbons).

So here comes our Air Force vet, "now a full time Air Guard General" at the last minute in his baggy flight suit.    On TV for crying out loud.

Talk about embarrassing.



xx

[lordmonar]

There are times when the Air Force really over-does the flight-suit stuff.

A year ago there was a WWII Alaska Scout being awarded a medal by the Big Cheese of the Alaska National Guard,,, who happens to be an Air-Guard General this season. 

Everyone else showed up in nice suits & ties, the Army and Navy guys came in class A service uniforms. (Jackets, ties, Ribbons).

So here comes our Air Force vet, "now a full time Air Guard General" at the last minute in his baggy flight suit.    On TV for crying out loud.

Talk about embarrassing.
xx

Embarrassing for who?  Was the uniform of the event specified?  Was it UOD?  Flight Suits are UOD for fliers.  If you were embarrased it was the fault of protocol not the officer in question.

[RiverAux]

Actually, you should probably have your State Director call the base up and ask about the uniform.  In my experience they get very bent out of shape if someone from CAP is talking to someone in the military without having gone through them first. 

[mikeylikey]

Actually, you should probably have your State Director call the base up and ask about the uniform.  In my experience they get very bent out of shape if someone from CAP is talking to someone in the military without having gone through them first. 

Why?  I rarely speak (or see) my State Director, and am in contact with military officers and NCO's all the time.  If your SD is throwing a fit becuase you are not going through him or her, well thats a shame that they think they are so important.  Let me ask you what the last BIG thing your SD did for your Wing other than sign an Authorization.  In my experiance with numerous SD's they are sitting pretty collecting more money than they should be and wasting our tax dollars.  That is one area that the AF should re-evaluate.  Open it up to a lower GS grade and make the requirements to hold that position easier to fit, say get rid of the pilot requirement.

I guess this is a totaly different discussion, sorry!

[lordmonar]

Actually, you should probably have your State Director call the base up and ask about the uniform.  In my experience they get very bent out of shape if someone from CAP is talking to someone in the military without having gone through them first. 

Not to ask what uniform you need to wear to a promotion ceremony.  Talking to the base for support of some kind....then you should go through you SD or LO.  But calling up protocol or an officer's office to confirm the uniform of the day for a ceremony that you have been invited to.  Don't waist your SD's time.

[RiverAux]

Why should you go through the State Director?  Well, for one thing CAPR 10-1 prohibits CAP members from corresponding directly with any military activity except HQ CAP-USAF and CAP-USAF wing & state directors (the reg still has the old terms for them) unless otherwise specifically authorized by CAP regulations & manuals.

[DNall]

We have an absolutely outstanding State Director (LO) here that I'd happily stack against any other out there. In my experience, if you're Sq is actually on the base then within reason you can work with them on any local support issues. It's when you need a formal request for military support (involves money having to be accounted for) that you need to talk to the SD. It's nice to keep him posted though & go to him with questions, generally though, even for the bigger stuff he'd delegate to you locally to work it on the basis of the relationships you've developed & he's encouraged you to keep strong.

If they're flipping out about people talking to the military it's cause there's problems elsewhere with people abusing it. I'd hope it's never the case that it's ego, and if it is you need a new state director.

[AlphaSigOU]

We have an absolutely outstanding State Director (LO) here that I'd happily stack against any other out there.

Hooray for Col. Brown!