CAP Talk

Well - this one's self-explanatory.  Have at it.  ;)

Been wearing the Y type since I was a cadet... Bought a set of four of the straight ones to replace the Y onces.  I find the Y ones easier to set up, but they are getting stretched out a bit.

Anyone use one of those belt things instead of shirt garters?

I use the 4 individual straight ones.  I have since my freshman year in high school AFJROTC (6 years).  Every few years, I have to buy a new set because they get stretched out beyond usefulness.

I'm not sure what "belt things" you're referring to.  The only thing that comes to mind is suspenders, but that would only be for the mess dress and has nothing to do with tightly pulling down the shirt.

I've only seen the "belt thing" in catalogues.  It's some kind of rubber thing that wraps around the waist, holding the shirt in and down, but it's below the belt-line of the pants - so it remains unseen.

Never met anyone who's used on though.  I'd be interested to know.

yeah i don't wear them. i don't see the point. I do just fine with out them....

Quote from: Cheergirl on July 01, 2005, 01:49:38 PM
yeah i don't wear them. i don't see the point. I do just fine with out them....

If you don't have blues yet or you wear the over-blouse, you don't need them anyway.

I wear garters all the time in dress uniforms, and when I wear civilian dress clothes for work (on occasion, I am required to dress respectably).

Quote from: Pylon on July 01, 2005, 03:39:44 AMI've only seen the "belt thing" in catalogues.  It's some kind of rubber thing that wraps around the waist, holding the shirt in and down, but it's below the belt-line of the pants - so it remains unseen.

I tried this technique once with two of those velcro boot blousers stuck together (yeah, my waist used to be narrow enough for that to work).  It kept my shirt tucked in, but it wasn't overly comfortable and I was always worried that the band would be showing.

That, and without the garters my socks were slumping.  I can't be showing a shiny shin, you know. :)

I've pretty much worn shirt garters every time i've put my blues on for the last three years or so.

Quote from: MIKE on July 01, 2005, 03:07:55 PM

Quote from: Cheergirl on July 01, 2005, 01:49:38 PM
yeah i don't wear them. i don't see the point. I do just fine with out them....

If you don't have blues yet or you wear the over-blouse, you don't need them anyway.

I have them both...

i have like 12 shirt garters and they work very well.  at color guard competion i had on like 24>!>!> it was sweet

Why would you wear 24 shirt garters at a color guard competions. don't they bug you at all.

Quote from: CHRIS on July 04, 2005, 09:30:12 PM
i have like 12 shirt garters and they work very well.  at color guard competion i had on like 24>!>!> it was sweet

Now this is one hard core cadet!  :)

Quote from: Cadetofthe60s on July 05, 2005, 08:27:34 PM

Quote from: CHRIS on July 04, 2005, 09:30:12 PM
i have like 12 shirt garters and they work very well.  at color guard competion i had on like 24>!>!> it was sweet

Now this is one hard core cadet!  :)

I did it once for fun, and I've never been so... tight before in my life.  I quite literally felt like I was going to snap at any point. 

Quote from: CHRIS on July 04, 2005, 09:30:12 PM
i have like 12 shirt garters and they work very well.  at color guard competion i had on like 24>!>!> it was sweet

That goes just a bit beyond "Hard Core"

They work so well. They make the uniform look really tight, which is always good for adding to the professional look. I think they are a necessity to blues.

*O, and I use 4 at regular meetings, 8 at special occasions, but i just credit to Chris for using 24. Thats intense!

C/2d Lt Kristin Ruesch

Sorry, Can't help but to laugh here.  The thought of them coming unsnapped and like a domino effect popping up the legs at the same time!

;D ;D ;D ;D

Evil...  Do you have any idea how bad that would hurt if they were put on as tight as they should be? :o

Quote from: dcpacemaker on August 26, 2005, 10:26:56 PM
Evil...  Do you have any idea how bad that would hurt if they were put on as tight as they should be? :o

Well, wear 24 shirt garters and be prepared for the unexpected.  Yes it is evil.

-cc

A full 24 garters must be something like a workout.

24 shirt garters... how can you move?

It's actually not that bad, your legs just ache a lot.  I put 21 on my uniform once, three broke by the time i had my shoes and pants on, so i wore 18 for about six hours or so.  I had to get somebody else to tie my shoes, but other than that it wasn't incredibly bad.

I think I'll stick with starch... it's so much easier, and still smells nice when finished...

I myself starch and use garters.

Ok, this may be a really stupid question here, but here goes..... how the heck do you wear those straight ones?  I asked the guys at the unit - of course we are all new so we have no clue.   ???  Wouldn't it be a bit uncomfortable for you guys - like ummm. worse than a g string  - do you wrap them around your legs or something?  They don't stretch down to your socks, do they?  If it is embarrassing, just send a private email to this Mom of 2 cadets.... ::)

ok there are two types of shirt garters! the straight one then there are the Y ones, i have both but perfer the Y ones better.  the way that you wear them is first you have to iron your shirt then lay it out on some thing and hook the clips on to the shirt then to your socks, and keep doing these until you use all the shirt garters that you have( it helps to space them out alittle) but then when you are ready to put your uniform on just put your socks on then pull your shirt on then stand up straight and then you can put your pants on , then your shoes and your done. it really its not that hard and every now and then you can fill it rubbing on your legs.

Quote from: ladyreferee on September 10, 2005, 04:05:30 PM
Ok, this may be a really stupid question here, but here goes..... how the heck do you wear those straight ones?  I asked the guys at the unit - of course we are all new so we have no clue.   ???  Wouldn't it be a bit uncomfortable for you guys - like ummm. worse than a g string  - do you wrap them around your legs or something?  They don't stretch down to your socks, do they?  If it is embarrassing, just send a private email to this Mom of 2 cadets.... ::)

There are a few different ways to wear the straight ones that I have heard.  One method does involve rapping them around each leg and attaching them to the shirt tails and socks... Some people wear more than one set of four, but IMO it's overkill.  I would wear them more to the outside of each leg much like you would for the Y-type... This avoids possible injury should one or more become disconnected from ones socks... I'd also avoid rapping them around the legs for the same reason, but I also would think it would be uncomfortable for someone with leg hair.

The Y-type are really pretty straight forward, and I have had better luck with them... The straight ones I have don't tend to fit as easily between the thicker shirt material and socks as they seem to be less pliable than the Y-type I have.

Rule of thumb!!! to aviod bodily injury and possibly even death J/k!!! never put shirt garters on the inside of your legs

I don't see how you could put them on the inside of your leg .

Way back, when I was a cadet I wore the straight garters, after I became a cop I wore the "Hidden Tailor" (the rubber belt thing you were talking about), it works great, it is fully adjustable and has rubber nubs on the outside that grips the trouser band to keep it from riding down.


Dave Grimes
Former C/CMSgt (1st Shirt), CAP
Lafayette Cadet Squadron (defunct)
Missouri Wing

[attachment deleted by admin- older than one year]

Quote from: Cam89 on September 11, 2005, 10:53:59 PM
I don't see how you could put them on the inside of your leg .

Some people like the straight ones because they can place them closer to the gig line of the shirt along the front and back of each leg...  If you are a guy and you wear 'em like this and one happens to come undone... It is going to hurt, and everyone is going to notice you wince in pain while you try to maintain your bearing.  I do know some females who don't like it when it happens to them either.

I'm fairly sure that the majority of bearing at that time would be: the fetal position and crying.

does anyone know were i could get one of those "Hidden Tailor" things?

Quote from: JCSCADET on September 20, 2005, 09:18:58 PM
does anyone know were i could get one of those "Hidden Tailor" things?

www.paradestore.com has them.

I wear four straight shirt garter.  Two on the very front of the uniform, and two in the back.  It's an important to note that garters accent the uniforms ironing.  They are by no means substitute for good ironing.  I've found that garters have the best look in the 4-6 range.  Any more, and you're not really getting much of a better looking shirt, but it is restricting your movement more.

They are a pain to put on though and I dont like them because when you sit, they can be seen down your leg.

I wear the Y-type, and have never found them to be uncomfortable or visible.

Well, how do you wear them?  What I mean is where do you fasten them (what parts of socks/shirt)?

I usually lay my blue shirt out on the bed and attach one part of the upper Y to the lower edge of the front of the shirt.  I fasten the second part of the upper Y to the lower edge of the back of the shirt. I try to keep these two the same distance from the shirt's side seam.

I repeat this process for the other side of the shirt.

I wear the knee high black socks. So, after I put my shirt on and button it, I fasten the longer, hanging end of the shirt garter to the outside of the top edge of each sock. 

After I'm all hooked up, I put on my pants and shoes, and I'm ready to go.

The first time I wore them, I was conscious of their presence.  Now, I don't even notice them. 

Hope this helps.

I don't have ones that clip to my socks.  They have a loop at the bottom that you slide your foot through.  I think it's pretty stupid this way.

Quote from: footballrun21 on October 15, 2005, 01:48:57 PM
I don't have ones that clip to my socks.  They have a loop at the bottom that you slide your foot through.  I think it's pretty stupid this way.

Why's that?  They're a bit easier to work with, I would think.

Because they are visible when you sit.

Quote from: footballrun21 on October 16, 2005, 02:24:14 AM
Because they are visible when you sit.

This might be a stupid question, but you are putting the on under the sock, right?

To C/TSgt Michael Pettit:

I can understand your frustration with your shirt garters, as the kind you described seem so different.

Holden Fenner may have one solution, if putting the foot loop on before donning your socks is not very uncomfortable. By putting your socks on after slipping your foot through the loop, you would at least hide them from view when sitting.

However, if that option makes your feet feel very uncomfortable, the only other alternative I can think of is to invest $6.75 in the Y-type I mentioned in my earlier post.  I know this is a trade-off since it adds to the cost of your uniform, but it's the best option I can think of.

Best wishes, whatever your decision.

I apologize, C/TSgt Pettit. Your first name is Stephen, not Michale.

OK - I'll tell my mass casualties story...

I am the Commander of the Illinois Wing Spring Encampment, which is held each year at Naval Station Great Lakes.

Some background:  I have no prior military experience, and one of the reasons I joined was to become a part of something that had rules, structure, and discipline.
I try hard to get things right and be professional, but some days the odds are against you.

As this is a 2-weekend encampment, our cadets and staff in-process on Friday nights.
Between 1600 & 2000 we bring in about 150 CAP members through the main RTC gates. This is generally challenging enough, but this weekend held a special surprise.

A Marine had been killed in action during the (then) new fighting in Iraq, he was from the NE IL area,  and a last-minute decision had been made to hold a memorial service for him at the RTC's new gym.

This was to be a full-on military service with Flag officers, US Congressman and Senators, and plenty of other brass, dignitaries, family members, and of course the press.

On my arrival the Senior Chief who was our USN/CAP liaison, gave the me the news that during the height of our in-process, the base would be fully-locked down, and the main road to the ship we were assigned would be closed.

(NSGL being the only BMT base for the USN, they take force-protection very seriously on a "normal" day).

The SC was further "happy" about the fact that a contingent of Marine Security Police were on base to beef up the regular base security combination of DOD, USN, & civilian police and guards.  Needless to say the place way very crowded, busy, and all the expressions were SERIOUS.  This was the real thing.

So here comes (then) CAP 1Lt Eclipse in his shiny blue uniform (wheel-cap and all to match the dress of the RDC's at the time).  All strapped-up w/ my garters to hold things in.

I was directed to a gunnery Sgt who was in charge of the Marine detail.  He and a USN base cop laid out their plans for alternate ingress and movement around the ceremony.

He than said something that made me understand the term "pucker-factor". 

"Sir, the ambulances will be placed here, and this will be our triage area in the case of mass casualties.  This is where you would direct your people should the need arise..."

...

...

My reply, after a few more beats, "Sgt, we've been planning this for over six months,
in my hand I have the ops plan, and I promise you, at no time did the term "mass casualties ever come up.  But we'll do whatever we have to."

"OK, Sir.  I need to take care of some more planning; can we meet back here in 20 minutes to walk through the new route?"

"Sure, no problem.  I'll let my people know what is happening..."

I turned and walked away, got about ten away paces and heard.

"SIR!"

"Uh, oh..."

I turned around and he snapped me the sharpest salute a gunny has, which I returned with a shaky hand.  Ooops.  This was a no-[mess] salute from someone who lives and dies by protocol, in the hardest-corps service on the United States. 
He wasn't interested in a discussion of auxiliary vs. active, or my civilian status, etc.
He saw that someone gave me some shiny bars, and rendered the courtesies I was, in
his mind, due.  I made a note to make sure I watched out for that going forward.

(I'm getting there, I promise...)

OK, so twenty minutes later, I come back, having briefed my people, and the gunny wants to walk me through the new path-of travel for my folks coming in.

He shows me on a map where we will push people, gather, and then further transport.
It looks ok to me and keeps us well outside the area of the gym.  He then knocks me back a second time.

"So this will work for you, Sir?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Can I have your hand on that, Sir?"

...

We shook hands, I couldn't believe it.

I will go to my grave believing that any time a Marine Gunnery Sergeant asks for a handshake agreement from an officer - that pact is as strong as the Constitution itself.  Whew.  I will literally never forget that moment.

OK, so just as we start down the street, Marines all around me start saluting, and I have no idea where its coming from!  Like I was looking for a sniper, I start scanning the area, but all I see is a black Ford Explorer w/ tinted windows.

It pulls over in front of the Sgt and I, and out comes a Marine Major, in full olive digi-camo, looking like something right out of a movie - his shiny oak leaf almost blinding in the setting sun.

OK, here goes, get it right, this guy knows and is real serious right about now.

I stiffen my back, snap the sharpest salute my arm can handle, and...

<<*SPROINK*>>

The garter on the back of my right leg snaps loose and pops out of the back of my pants, still attached to my sock.

Oh, man, you've got to be kidding.

The good Major returns my salute, and either doesn't notice, or pretends not to.
He's got bigger fish to fry, anyway as he hands some radio gear to the gunny.
I try to discreetly tuck the garter into my sock as they talk.

Some pleasantries are exchanged, and he gets a quick idea who / why I am and
he's all set to go. 

Outbound salute on the pad.  One more chance to get it right...

"Good Evening, Sir.  Good luck tonight, if we can be of any further service, please let me know."

Stiffen, salute...

<<*SPROINK*>>

Left rear clicks as it hits the ground.

((*sigh*))

I wear them in CAP, Military and for work.  Went to my first encampment in 1987 and my  flight commander, who stood 10 feet tall and weighed 350 lbs, told us that "squared away cadets wear shirt garters".  Well then, of course I had to go get them.

I stopped wearing them a while back.  The style I have a really hard to keep attached to the sock.

Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on December 29, 2007, 02:33:47 PM
The style I have a really hard to keep attached to the sock.

Could be the sock.  I ran into that problem when I wore thicker socks, almost boot-type socks.  Then I switched to dress socks and didn't have a problem.

I wear and have always worn the 4 individual garters vs the "Y" style where there's only 2. 

Quote from: Stonewall on December 29, 2007, 01:37:03 PM
I wear them in CAP, Military and for work.  Went to my first encampment in 1987 and my  flight commander, who stood 10 feet tall and weighed 350 lbs, told us that "squared away cadets wear shirt garters".  Well then, of course I had to go get them.

I had the same exeperince....but his name was TSgt Begin and he wore a USAF smokey bear hat, ate ground glass and spat fire!  ;D

ditto with TSgt Ryder - who specialized in putting large airmen in small lockers when things were not squared away properly.

Four garters work great keeping your shirt squared away when you are up and down in front of a group of people all day.

Quote from: Short Field on December 30, 2007, 02:42:41 AM
Four garters work great keeping your shirt squared away when you are up and down in front of a group of people all day.

But isn't that incredibly uncomfortable?

Quote from: star1151 on December 31, 2007, 03:36:24 AM

Quote from: Short Field on December 30, 2007, 02:42:41 AM
Four garters work great keeping your shirt squared away when you are up and down in front of a group of people all day.

But isn't that incredibly uncomfortable?

I wear the 4 garter type and it isn't very uncomfortable at all. You just have to wrap them and cross them around the outside of your leg (back of sock running to front of shirt, front of sock running to back of shirt). This prevents any snapping in bad places should they every come loose, although that thankfully has never happened to me. The only time I ever have any discomfort is when the elastic pulls on the leg hairs.

Quote from: edmo1 on December 31, 2007, 03:49:18 AM

The only time I ever have any discomfort is when the elastic pulls on the leg hairs.

Shave.  8)

Quote from: RogueLeader on December 31, 2007, 04:26:35 AM

Quote from: edmo1 on December 31, 2007, 03:49:18 AM

The only time I ever have any discomfort is when the elastic pulls on the leg hairs.

Shave.  8)

There is Somthing wrong in your head.......

Quote from: star1151 on December 31, 2007, 03:36:24 AM

Quote from: Short Field on December 30, 2007, 02:42:41 AM
Four garters work great keeping your shirt squared away when you are up and down in front of a group of people all day.

But isn't that incredibly uncomfortable?

I use 4 all the time.  2 in the back go straight down the back of my legs to my socks, the two on the 2 and 10 positions of my shirt go straight down as well.  Only have had 2 inadvertant misfires of my garters.....

Now zipper repair 10 minutes before wing formation is another topic.......

No never wore them.  I just pull the belt really tight and the shirt stays in.  Actually they sell these little pads that hang on to shirt tails and your boxer or boxer briefs or tighty-wighties and keep the shirt in.  Let me find a linky for you all.  Stand by!

One trick I use is just to take the blues shirt to the tailor and have it tapered.  It gives about the same result without any of the discomfort.

Doesn't a plain old belt keep your shirt tucked in?

I have accompanied groups of cadets to the US Supreme Court.

All visitors pass through metal detectors, and cadets in service dress normally wear enough metallic bling to set off the walk through detector.  Just like the airport, the next step is having the cop use a metal-detecting wand.

It is thoroughly amusing to watch a cadet wearing multiple shirt garters try to explain to the police why there is metal under his trousers at the mid-thigh level.

"Son, you're wearing WHAT?   :D   Hey, Sergeant, you gotta come see this!"

Wear them every now and again.