Uniform Question

[Paul_AK]

Hello all,

I separated from the Air Force into the Reserves last year and was able to return to my original CAP squadron after being unable to be an active member for some years. I'm working with the Cadets and a question came up, and the 39-1 has changed since I was last familiar with it so I would like to check with everyone in order to make sure I didn't miss something.

Military Creases-
I noticed some of my cadets had military creases and when I asked they brought up that it was done elsewhere, encampment-wise. Paragraph 4.1.10.2 states, in regards to the female blues shirt, that military crease are forbidden. It also explicitly states this in several other paragraphs such as 4.1.1.4, 4.1.2.4, and various other shirt related paragraphs. However, 4.1.9.2, regarding the males blues shirt, states nothing in this regard. Is there a paragraph I missed or another publication or is this optional for males? Is it something left up to the unit or wing?

Thanks ahead of time!

[SarDragon]

Hello all,

I separated from the Air Force into the Reserves last year and was able to return to my original CAP squadron after being unable to be an active member for some years. I'm working with the Cadets and a question came up, and the 39-1 has changed since I was last familiar with it so I would like to check with everyone in order to make sure I didn't miss something.

Military Creases-
I noticed some of my cadets had military creases and when I asked they brought up that it was done elsewhere, encampment-wise. Paragraph 4.1.10.2 states, in regards to the female blues shirt, that military crease are forbidden. It also explicitly states this in several other paragraphs such as 4.1.1.4, 4.1.2.4, and various other shirt related paragraphs. However, 4.1.9.2, regarding the males blues shirt, states nothing in this regard. Is there a paragraph I missed or another publication or is this optional for males? Is it something left up to the unit or wing?

Thanks ahead of time!

No, no, and no.

[lordmonar]

Let's also be clear....when you say military creases....you mean the two crease lines that cut through the shirt over the pockets?

Don't know where your unit is....but it may be fault of your local dry cleaner.   I fell for that once way back when...when I took my blues to a non-military dry cleaners at my home town.   

They asked "military creases" and I though they meant creased sleeves......so needless to say I had to buy a new blues shirt because I could never get those creases out.

But as Sardragon said....no CAP does not allow military creases.

[abdsp51]

Yep, just did a quick shirt and everything referring to military creases states they are prohibited. 

[PHall]

Paul_AK, does AFI 36-2903 allow military creases in any Air Force uniform?
CAP follows the same rules.

[Paul_AK]

Paul_AK, does AFI 36-2903 allow military creases in any Air Force uniform?
CAP follows the same rules.

That's what I was going by, but since the text was missing in that specific paragraph I figured I'd double check.

[MIKE]

The USCG and by extension the Auxiliary does authorize military creases.  I find they look odd on the light blue shirts with the pleated pockets.  The newer Winter Dress Blue shirt has them permanently pressed in which is kinda neat.  They do not look out of place on the Winter Blue however which is a different style than the light blue AF shirts.

[Storm Chaser]

Neither CAPM 39-1 nor AFI 36-2903 allow military creases. It's just not something the Air Force and, by extension, CAP do.

[Brad]

Military creases should come out after a couple of runs through the wash on the wash and wear blues shirt. Speaking from experience of WIWAC (NJROTC). For the record I would get military creases in both my khakis and white shirts; even with the two front pockets it looks sharp, albeit our pockets didn't have the pleats, they were just flapped.

Before CAPM 39-1 was changed the instruction specifically prohibiting military creases was present both on the male and female shirts. Again though, it falls on the "not written, can't do it" non-deviation rule given right up front.

Imagine my surprise then when my cleaners, who usually asks me about starch and creases simply put the creases in the shirt without my asking. Saving grace though is that it was the shirt I wore with my dress blue coat so I just kept the coat on.

[abdsp51]

Folks, I did a search of this a couple days ago and every chapter that references a shirt whether it is the blues, corporate and the working uniforms states that military creases are not authorized, not allowed or prohibited.  And that is straight out of CAPM39-1.

[Shuman 14]

Can I ask why  CAP (and the USAF) have such an aversion to Military creases?

I've always thought that if ironed in properly, the creases added to the sharpness of any uniform.

[Storm Chaser]

Can I ask why  CAP (and the USAF) have such an aversion to Military creases?

CAP follows the same guidelines as the Air Force when it comes to uniforms, especially with regards to the AF-style uniforms. The Air Force prohibits them, so CAP does as well. Why? This question can be better answered by the CSAF.

I've always thought that if ironed in properly, the creases added to the sharpness of any uniform.

That, of course, is a personal opinion. Some uniforms may look good with military creases over the shirt. Navy and Marine Corps shirts use this type of creases, but their material is different from the Air Force shirt. Personally, I don't think it looks right on an Air Force shirt. At a minimum, it looks odd as no one have these in the Air Force.

[AlphaSigOU]

The Air Force, since its independence in 1947 has always advocated a very simple outlook on uniforms and insignia. They don't want to look bling-happy like the Army, where a patch, emblem, ribbon or seal decorates every part of the uniform. When the light blue shirt was introduced,  the military crease was not carried over.

[PHall]

The Air Force, since its independence in 1947 has always advocated a very simple outlook on uniforms and insignia. They don't want to look bling-happy like the Army, where a patch, emblem, ribbon or seal decorates every part of the uniform. When the light blue shirt was introduced,  the military crease was not carried over.

We weren't wearing military creases on the 1505's either...    The Air Force stopped wearing military creases circa 1960 or so.

[SarDragon]

CAP stopped around 1965 or so. The only CAP uniform with military creases I ever wore was the Shade 1 khaki.

[cap235629]

The Air Force, since its independence in 1947 has always advocated a very simple outlook on uniforms and insignia. They don't want to look bling-happy like the Army, where a patch, emblem, ribbon or seal decorates every part of the uniform. When the light blue shirt was introduced,  the military crease was not carried over.

well except during the BDU era...  AF BDU's had patches EVERYWHERE

[lordmonar]

The Air Force, since its independence in 1947 has always advocated a very simple outlook on uniforms and insignia. They don't want to look bling-happy like the Army, where a patch, emblem, ribbon or seal decorates every part of the uniform. When the light blue shirt was introduced,  the military crease was not carried over.

well except during the BDU era...  AF BDU's had patches EVERYWHERE

??

We carried over those patches from the OD greens.   

[PHall]

The Air Force, since its independence in 1947 has always advocated a very simple outlook on uniforms and insignia. They don't want to look bling-happy like the Army, where a patch, emblem, ribbon or seal decorates every part of the uniform. When the light blue shirt was introduced,  the military crease was not carried over.

well except during the BDU era...  AF BDU's had patches EVERYWHERE

He's talking about the blue service uniform, not BDU's.

[Grumpy]

CAP stopped around 1965 or so. The only CAP uniform with military creases I ever wore was the Shade 1 khaki.

I remember wearing the dark blue long sleeve shirt as a cadet between 1959 and 1963.  I even wore it as AP with the white service cover.  We had military creases then.

[Mitchell 1969]

CAP stopped around 1965 or so. The only CAP uniform with military creases I ever wore was the Shade 1 khaki.

I remember wearing the dark blue long sleeve shirt as a cadet between 1959 and 1963.  I even wore it as AP with the white service cover.  We had military creases then.

Vague memory swirls are saying that military creases on the long sleeved dark blue shirt were optional. If so, it was the only uniform that had them after the demise of Shade 1 khakis.

(I have no old 39-1 to liok this up, but would appreciate hearing if I am remembering this correctly or not).