Class A Blues

[williamsra12]

I've heard the term Class A Blues used a lot in CAP, and I am just wondering what the heck that means? Does Class A Blues refer to the Air Force Style blues uniform? With short sleeves and the flight cap? Does it mean the Service Dress Uniform? What gives?

Can anyone help me out? What is Class A Blues REALLY referring to? I've researched this so much, but I can't find anything that says Class A Blues is a type of Civil Air Patrol authorized uniform. I'm assuming it is some type of slang used to refer to an actual uniform.

Could anyone provide me with the details of Class A Blues, specifically what it is really called and all the items that complete it. Thanks!

[davidsinn]

I've heard the term Class A Blues used a lot in CAP, and I am just wondering what the heck that means? Does Class A Blues refer to the Air Force Style blues uniform? With short sleeves and the flight cap? Does it mean the Service Dress Uniform? What gives?

Can anyone help me out? What is Class A Blues REALLY referring to? I've researched this so much, but I can't find anything that says Class A Blues is a type of Civil Air Patrol authorized uniform. I'm assuming it is some type of slang used to refer to an actual uniform.

Could anyone provide me with the details of Class A Blues, specifically what it is really called and all the items that complete it. Thanks!

Class A,B, etc do not exist in CAP. It's a hold over from much older days or people that are prior military. You'll hear it because people don't like to change. Class A usually means Service Dress(with jacket) class B usually means blues shirt only.

[Major Carrales]

You are about to be bombarded by the incredulous.  However, there is no official "uniform classes" in CAP or the USAF.  It does mean, in unofficial parlance,  service dress with the service coat.

My opinion on such issues...when all unofficial parlance is forbidden (including things like identifying CAP aircraft by the last two numbers...example calling N737YP..."Yankee Papa"...calling a unit citation the "Green Weenee" or calling a Wing Commander a "Wing King")  then it is a non-issue.

Until those that hate people calling uniform classes verboten get rid of it all, then I can tolerate its use.

[arajca]

There are no "Class A, B, C, etc" uniforms in the AF or CAP, however, each uniform has a name.

Service dress
Service uniform
Battle Dress Uniform
Mess Dress Uniform
Semi-Formal Uniform
Flightsuit

CAP distinctive uniforms are:

Blazer
Aviator shirt
Field Uniform
Utility Uniform
Golf shirt
Blue flightsuit
Corporate service dress
Semi-Formal Blazer uniform

[RADIOMAN015]

I've heard the term Class A Blues used a lot in CAP, and I am just wondering what the heck that means? Does Class A Blues refer to the Air Force Style blues uniform? With short sleeves and the flight cap? Does it mean the Service Dress Uniform? What gives?

Can anyone help me out? What is Class A Blues REALLY referring to? I've researched this so much, but I can't find anything that says Class A Blues is a type of Civil Air Patrol authorized uniform. I'm assuming it is some type of slang used to refer to an actual uniform.

Could anyone provide me with the details of Class A Blues, specifically what it is really called and all the items that complete it. Thanks!

Class A (and old term) would be considered the Service Dress Uniform, see CAPM 39-1, Chapter 2, page 17 for the pictures of it.  Ref:  http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/M39_1_chap_2.pdf
RM

[ol'fido]

You are about to be bombarded by the incredulous.  However, there is no official "uniform classes" in CAP or the USAF.  It does mean, in unofficial parlance,  service dress with the service coat.

My opinion on such issues...when all unofficial parlance is forbidden (including things like identifying CAP aircraft by the last two numbers...example calling N737YP..."Yankee Papa"...calling a unit citation the "Green Weenee" or calling a Wing Commander a "Wing King")  then it is a non-issue.

Until those that hate people calling uniform classes verboten get rid of it all, then I can tolerate its use.

:clap:

[lordmonar]

As it has been said.  Class A is slang for the service dress uniform.  Class B is short sleeve blues.

It is old style talk.

It is one of the pet peeves of some here on CT.

They are the Class A Nazis.

And since I have referenced nazis....we need to lock  .

[PHall]

As it has been said.  Class A is slang for the service dress uniform.  Class B is short sleeve blues.

It is old style talk.

It is one of the pet peeves of some here on CT.

They are the Class A Nazis.

And since I have referenced nazis....we need to lock  .

It's not "old style talk", it's Army talk.

[williamsra12]

Thanks guys! This clears up a lot!

[manfredvonrichthofen]

It is not Army talk, I have heard it from more Air Force personnel than I can count.

Class A is the Service jacket, Class B is no Service Jacket. Class B has two other classifications that can be used, Summer Bs would be short sleeve, and Winter Bs would be long sleeve.

[SarDragon]

It is not Army talk, I have heard it from more Air Force personnel than I can count.

Class A is the Service jacket, Class B is no Service Jacket. Class B has two other classifications that can be used, Summer Bs would be short sleeve, and Winter Bs would be long sleeve.

It is Army talk, left over from the '40s. I would like you, or anyone else, to show me a single source that defines AF or CAP uniform combinations by that terminology. We can continue the discussion from there.

I know that it hasn't been official in CAP since at least 1968.

[lordmonar]

As it has been said.  Class A is slang for the service dress uniform.  Class B is short sleeve blues.

It is old style talk.

It is one of the pet peeves of some here on CT.

They are the Class A Nazis.

And since I have referenced nazis....we need to lock  .

It's not "old style talk", it's Army talk.

My TI called them Class A's back in '86
At my tech school there was a big sign on the Training Office Wall that said "Uniform of the Day" Class B Short Sleeve No Tie.

Like I said.....it is SLANG.  I don't see a regulation on SLANG anywhere. 

[Major Carrales]

It is not Army talk, I have heard it from more Air Force personnel than I can count.

Class A is the Service jacket, Class B is no Service Jacket. Class B has two other classifications that can be used, Summer Bs would be short sleeve, and Winter Bs would be long sleeve.

It is Army talk, left over from the '40s. I would like you, or anyone else, to show me a single source that defines AF or CAP uniform combinations by that terminology. We can continue the discussion from there.

I know that it hasn't been official in CAP since at least 1968.

Get rid of all SLANG in CAP and I might support your contention.  But, if you are gonna remain so incredulous about this issue...you shouldn't pick and choose.

[RVT]

As it has been said.  Class A is slang for the service dress uniform.  Class B is short sleeve blues. My TI called them Class A's back in '86
At my tech school there was a big sign on the Training Office Wall that said "Uniform of the Day" Class B Short Sleeve No Tie.

The USAF used "Combination' 1 thru 4.  Combination 3 no longer exists. What you describe above would have been 4.

The "combination" terminology ceased when we got the windbreakers and sweaters as now there were a half dozen variants of the uniform instead of dress coat or nothing.  If you tried to use that system with the current 39-1 you would have "Class M" and "Combination 16" and such, and it wouldn't help.

[speedbird]

Well, What ever you want to call it, I can't find one anywhere in Vanguard.
Paul

[ol'fido]

When we were in garrison at Schofield Barracks, we were required to be in "spits and starches". This meant spit shined boots and starched BDUs. We would have a Class A inspection about every 6 months and the only time I wore Class Bs was doing CQ on Christmas or Thanksgiving(It was Hawaii which meant it was usually about 82 on those days). It may be slang. It may be Army slang. As long as you know what they're talking about, who cares?

[HGjunkie]

As long as you know what they're talking about, who cares?

CAPTalkers. 

[SarDragon]

When we were in garrison at Schofield Barracks, we were required to be in "spits and starches". This meant spit shined boots and starched BDUs. We would have a Class A inspection about every 6 months and the only time I wore Class Bs was doing CQ on Christmas or Thanksgiving(It was Hawaii which meant it was usually about 82 on those days). It may be slang. It may be Army slang. As long as you know what they're talking about, who cares?

A significant number of CAP members haven't been exposed to this terribly outdated terminology, and don't understand. It is, IMHO, a disservice to the members, and to CAP in general, to perpetuate this nonsense. This terminology hasn't been official in CAP for at least 43 years, so why are we still using it?

[NCRblues]

When we were in garrison at Schofield Barracks, we were required to be in "spits and starches". This meant spit shined boots and starched BDUs. We would have a Class A inspection about every 6 months and the only time I wore Class Bs was doing CQ on Christmas or Thanksgiving(It was Hawaii which meant it was usually about 82 on those days). It may be slang. It may be Army slang. As long as you know what they're talking about, who cares?

A significant number of CAP members haven't been exposed to this terribly outdated terminology, and don't understand. It is, IMHO, a disservice to the members, and to CAP in general, to perpetuate this nonsense. This terminology hasn't been official in CAP for at least 43 years, so why are we still using it?

I think, on the cadet side of the house at least, that the cadets hear one of our *older* members say it. The cadets then turn around and repeat it to other cadets and so forth and so on.

Everytime i hear it come out of a cadets mouth i stop them and inform them that the term is no correct. 90% of the time i get this response "oh, i thought that's what the AF call's them"......

So now, when i teach a class on uniforms in our SLS's, i make sure to point out that class A's and class B's are not real, and if we used that system, we would have class G's and class F's....

[SarDragon]

Thank you.