where to get the cadet service coat

Started by civil air patrol king, October 31, 2017, 12:57:44 AM

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civil air patrol king

Hello fellow CAP members. I will soon be promoting to a Staff Sergeant which means I get to where a service coat. When you look on vanguard they have the senior service coat but not the cadet coat. I looked at my local surplus store and they do not have any

C/Sra King

xray328

First it's just a service coat, there is no "cadet service coat".  If you can't find it locally then you'll have to go to eBay. There is a new and old version, but either is fine (IMHO the new looks much better).  There's also an officer version with stripes on the wrist area, don't get that one. The officer version also has epaulets, with or without is fine.


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xray328

For instance...

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F122617678446

Extra small female is probably a size 6, average is size 8-10.


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hamburgee

Your squadron should give one to you if it's absolutely necessary for you to have one... Correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't be forced to purchase a uniform item that's not required (optional) per CAPM 39-1?

spaatzmom

Whatever version, old or new, the pants must be the same color as the jacket.

foo

Quote from: civil air patrol king on October 31, 2017, 12:57:44 AM
Hello fellow CAP members. I will soon be promoting to a Staff Sergeant which means I get to where a service coat. When you look on vanguard they have the senior service coat but not the cadet coat. I looked at my local surplus store and they do not have any

C/Sra King

You could have worn the service coat as a slick sleeve.

kwe1009

Quote from: spaatzmom on October 31, 2017, 02:34:22 AM
Whatever version, old or new, the pants must be the same color as the jacket.

Great point and good luck finding pants to match the old service coat.  I see a lot of cadets wearing them and while I prefer the look of the old service coat, it just looks bad with mismatched pants (and flight cap).

wacapgh

Quote from: civil air patrol king on October 31, 2017, 12:57:44 AM
Hello fellow CAP members. I will soon be promoting to a Staff Sergeant which means I get to where wear a service coat.
C/Sra King

There is no "minimum grade" to wear the Service Dress Uniform (Class A).

CAPM 39-1:

4.1.5. Men's Service Dress Uniform (Class A) New Style (Figure 4.6)
4.1.5.1. This USAF-style uniform may be worn by active members.

It specifically designates how it is worn by cadet a Airman Basic:

4.1.5.3.4. Cadet NCOs and Airmen will wear metal chevrons on both coat lapels.
Rank insignia will be placed halfway up the seam, resting on but not over the seam, and parallel with the
ground. Cadet airmen basic wear no collar insignia.

The old style version is restricted to Cadets only:

4.1.6. Men's Service Dress Uniform (Class A) Old Style (Figure 4.6)
4.1.6.1. This USAF-style uniform may only be worn by cadets.

Again, cadet airmen basic are given specific direction on wear of the coat:

4.1.6.3.2. Cadet NCOs and Airmen will wear metal chevrons on both coat lapels.
Rank insignia will be placed halfway up the seam, resting on but not over the seam, and parallel with the
ground. Cadet airmen basic wear no collar insignia.

Jester

I've heard this C/NCO=service coat more than once, and I guess it's something units do to cut down on issuing service coats they may have in limited supply.  I don't know but it's interesting.  Since the average cadet will never really need one I don't see the point. 

The old coat needs to die in the next 39-1 revision.  It's been literal decades since the new(ish) coat came in, old shade pants are hard to come by, and flight caps even harder.  Just kill it already.

TheSkyHornet

Quote from: Jester on October 31, 2017, 07:10:49 PM
I've heard this C/NCO=service coat more than once, and I guess it's something units do to cut down on issuing service coats they may have in limited supply.  I don't know but it's interesting.  Since the average cadet will never really need one I don't see the point. 

The old coat needs to die in the next 39-1 revision.  It's been literal decades since the new(ish) coat came in, old shade pants are hard to come by, and flight caps even harder.  Just kill it already.

Agreed on the old coat.

Regarding the C/NCO thing....I think this is stemming more from a cadet staff, per some random unit SOP, dressing in Class As while everyone else wears Class Bs. I see that time and again. For some reason, people seem to think you look more "Commander-ish" (i.e., in charge---CEO wears a suit jacket, janitor wears overalls) by going full dress than wearing the flat-out stated UOD.

If the UOD is "Blues," I'd ask "which ones?"


So as my fellow CAPettes have stated above, C/NCO does not equal a service coat. You can have that the moment you walk into CAP. You aren't required to have one at any time, and if your unit mandates that you have a service coat, per regulations, they are required to provide it to you. The mandatory uniform for cadets is the short-sleeved service dress uniform. Tie, service cap, long-sleeved shirt, and service coat are all optional items that your unit cannot force you to wear or purchase.