Is this allowed in general?

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I know it's mandated for overseas CAP units, but is this patch restricted to only overseas units?



I've looked hither and yon throughout OMICLC* 39-1 and I don't find any language saying so.

I've always liked it; it is part of our history and if it's allowed, I would like to wear it on the right shoulder of my flight suit/utility suit and blue flight jacket.

*Overgrown Mutated Interim Change Letter Collection

[lordmonar]

You may wear YOUR wing patch or one of the other authorised patchs on the right shoulder (Archer, check pilot, O-ride, ect).....so NO you can't wear it.

[ProdigalJim]

You may wear YOUR wing patch or one of the other authorised patchs on the right shoulder (Archer, check pilot, O-ride, ect).....so NO you can't wear it.

Pretty explicit, I'm afraid, and the overseas patch is no doubt even now being cornered in some abandoned NHQ hallway by a knife-wielding Triangle Thingy...

(half-degree thread drift ahead)

Since Archer is going away, and GIIEP is coming along, mightn't we get a nice GIIEP patch for the right shoulder of our flying clothing?

[lordmonar]

We have been waiting for the Surrogate Predator Patch for about 2 years now.

So...don't hold your breath.

[davidsinn]

We have been waiting for the Surrogate Predator Patch for about 2 years now.

So...don't hold your breath.

Design one and send it up?

[jimmydeanno]

We have been waiting for the Surrogate Predator Patch for about 2 years now.

So...don't hold your breath.

I've been waiting for an endowment fund for 70 years...

[lordmonar]

We have been waiting for the Surrogate Predator Patch for about 2 years now.

So...don't hold your breath.

Design one and send it up?

You have no idea!

We have sent it up....and all we get back is that "someone has issues with it".
We don't know who "someone" is...
We don't know what the "issues" are so we can make changes....

[a2capt]

Probably the same people that said not to use those two words to describe the whole thing.

..and then the same HQ does just that.

They have Issues.

[PHall]

We have been waiting for the Surrogate Predator Patch for about 2 years now.

So...don't hold your breath.

Design one and send it up?

You have no idea!

We have sent it up....and all we get back is that "someone has issues with it".
We don't know who "someone" is...
We don't know what the "issues" are so we can make changes....

You're doing it all wrong.

Come up with a design that you guys, the ones who are doing the mission like.
Get it made at your favorite patch vendor.
Wear it with pride.

Even money that nobody from National will even know you did it if you don't tell them...

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I thought no, so this just confirms what I thought about the "overseas" patch.

If National axes that, it will be proof that they really don't give a fig for our history.  That patch, in its various forms, was arguably the first recognisable symbol of CAP.

I have several concrete proposals for remaking the "corporate" uniforms but I don't send them up the chain for two reasons:

1. They're not grey.
2. I'd probably get a response like lordmonar has got.

As to what PHall says...I've seen loads of unauthorised patches on flight suits.  Some years ago when I attended a training session for the assistance we (used to?) render to certain agencies, there was a former Marine Harrier pilot there, and he had his "Harrier V/STOL" patch on his zoom bag.

[jimmydeanno]

The guys at green flag east have a patch...

[lordmonar]

We have been waiting for the Surrogate Predator Patch for about 2 years now.

So...don't hold your breath.

Design one and send it up?

You have no idea!

We have sent it up....and all we get back is that "someone has issues with it".
We don't know who "someone" is...
We don't know what the "issues" are so we can make changes....

You're doing it all wrong.

Come up with a design that you guys, the ones who are doing the mission like.
Get it made at your favorite patch vendor.
Wear it with pride.

Even money that nobody from National will even know you did it if you don't tell them...

Shhhhh.....you are telling secrets now. 

[lordmonar]

The guys at green flag east have a patch...

We got the same one.....it's just not authorised.....and of course......no up standing member and leader in the CAP would ever wear an unauthorised patch.    What do you take us for.....the USAF? 

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

We got the same one.....it's just not authorised.....and of course......no up standing member and leader in the CAP would ever wear an unauthorised patch.    What do you take us for.....the USAF? 

Since I'm relatively close to Canada, this might look good on my flight suit/jacket:



or, as a qualified Observer...



No,  honestly, I've seen so many permutations of different patches (everything from the Harrier V/STOL to old CAP insignia) on right sleeves of flight suits/jackets...maybe they're attached with Velcro so that if a senior officer sees it, they can pull the patch off,  hide it and put it back on when said senior officer passes by...

[sarmed1]

Surpisingly very few CAP outside of CAPTALK seem to be the uniform/reg nazi's you find here... likely any patch you wear on the right side of the flight suit will not meet any criticism.  And if some one does, pull the classic senior answer: "My squadron commander told me I can."

mk

[Eclipse]

... likely any patch you wear on the right side of the flight suit will not meet any criticism. 

Never mistake not being called publicly on something for that "thing" not being noted or cared about.

People lose cool points all the time without even know it.

[Hawk200]

The Air Force used to have a policy for the flightsuit left shoulder that "any patch in good taste may be worn." Personally, I think it's a good policy. Unfortunately, I don't get a say in it. It would be nice though. It's a simple, no cost (to CAP) morale builder. Maybe if I become one of the Powers That Be, it may be adopted. Time will tell.

Granted, if it is authorized, I feel that there should be some caveats. For example, you don't wear another wing patch because you don't feel like getting a wing patch for where you currently are. I think that a current unit assignment is more appropriate for the right shoulder, mirroring the Air Force. Do the same thing as they do, and allow anything acceptable on the left side. The Air Force has a few patches that could be permanent (Fighter Weapons School, Test Pilot School, etc.) My two cents, I can dream.

But, for now, only overseas units may wear the circle, prop and triangle. It's their "wing patch."

[PHall]

The Air Force used to have a policy for the flightsuit left shoulder that "any patch in good taste may be worn." Personally, I think it's a good policy.

Maybe in ACC or AETC but in AMC the flag is a mandatory wear item on the left shoulder.

[Hawk200]

The Air Force used to have a policy for the flightsuit left shoulder that "any patch in good taste may be worn." Personally, I think it's a good policy.

Maybe in ACC or AETC but in AMC the flag is a mandatory wear item on the left shoulder.

I understand that, but all I stated was that they "used to have"(and that was probably ten to fifteen years ago). Considering our volunteer nature, as well as our voluntary expenditure for uniforms, I don't think there is anything wrong with allowing a single patch in good taste on one shoulder. It would allow a single variance for one point out of six (one of which I don't care for <see Line 5 on the appropriate page> and could use a change anyway) for a person to excercise a little expression.

In keeping in line with the old Air Force policy for morale patches, I would add a line to this effect: "A single patch, currently authorized or a patch in good taste, may be worn on the left shoulder as a "morale patch." If a member elects not to wear a morale patch, the American flag will be worn."

"Currently authorized" would include a members current wing patch (no patch from another wing just because you don't feel like getting a new one) or something like TPS or FWS patches (as far as the Air Force goes, I wouldn't have a problem with other branch patches being allowed as long as the person legitimately earned it). For CAP, it would include Commo, Safety, or similar specialty patches.

As to "in good taste," a POW/MIA patch would be appropriate. I have a patch in memorium for an aircrew that was lost in Iraq that I feel would be appropriate. I wouldn't have any problem with "AUX ON/AUX OFF", or fun meter patches either. As long as the thing doesn't advocate or put forth entendres concerning drinking, smoking, drugs, sex, or other normal "taboo" in polite conversation subjects, I don't see a problem.

Just has to have been something the member legitimately earned or an item in good taste, not throwing whatever you want on whether you earned it or not (some people would). There may have to be a few caveats, but nothing extensive.

I feel that if people are allowed a little expression, they'll wear the rest of the unform correctly. Of course, that's my personnel view, and does not reflect views of the management.

Although, I wouldn't consider the overseas patch as an authorized one for people in the States. It's the overseas units equivalent to a wing patch, and it wouldn't be appropriate to just wear it because you like it, and call it a "morale patch" in order to end run around the pub.

[SarDragon]

IMHO, the AF took the "fun" out of things many years ago. When I was stationed at Misawa AB in the mid '70s, they had already started. It was even worse 10 years later. They had little, if any, sense of humour about things that were tacitly encouraged by the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps.

[Salty]

The F-16 pilots, Flight Surgeon and I wore "Friday" patches on our flightsuits when I was in the USAF (1994-1998).

[Hawk200]

IMHO, the AF took the "fun" out of things many years ago. When I was stationed at Misawa AB in the mid '70s, they had already started. It was even worse 10 years later. They had little, if any, sense of humour about things that were tacitly encouraged by the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps.

So, were you around for the "Official SAC Worrier" patches?

[Short Field]

Surpisingly very few CAP outside of CAPTALK seem to be the uniform/reg nazi's you find here... likely any patch you wear on the right side of the flight suit will not meet any criticism.  And if some one does, pull the classic senior answer: "My squadron commander told me I can."

mk

Yea, I had a CAP Capt strolling around an Air Show in his flight suit with his specialty name tag, morale patch, and subdued blue rank give me that excuse.  Actually he said his squadron commander wore the same uniform items to their meetings.  So I took a picture of him and sent it to the Wing Commander with his comments.  I am sure his squadron commander appreciated his efforts.

[Hawk200]

Surpisingly very few CAP outside of CAPTALK seem to be the uniform/reg nazi's you find here... likely any patch you wear on the right side of the flight suit will not meet any criticism.  And if some one does, pull the classic senior answer: "My squadron commander told me I can."

mk

Yea, I had a CAP Capt strolling around an Air Show in his flight suit with his specialty name tag, morale patch, and subdued blue rank give me that excuse.  Actually he said his squadron commander wore the same uniform items to their meetings.  So I took a picture of him and sent it to the Wing Commander with his comments.  I am sure his squadron commander appreciated his efforts.

Yeah, don't you love it when a CO "authorizes" things? Especially when it's things that have no precedent in the manual?

Edited for grammar.

[a2capt]

But.. you were just being helpful, and showing them what a good example they are setting with their uniform.. 

[Buzz]

or, as a qualified Observer...

Are those Master Bartender Wings?  It sure looks like a bottle opener to me . . .

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Nah, though that's a good joke!

They're RAF Observer wings, which became Navigator (with an "N" in the middle).