History of The CAP Distinctive Grey/White Uniform -- Better Options?

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Which is why, at the end of the CSU, I'll be exclusively wearing the golf shirt. I wouldn't want to offend any AF generals.

Isn't that a bit like using a guillotine to cure a headache?

[arajca]

No, since all the other distinctive uniforms have a military appearance, and I ain't gonna buy a blazer.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

First, the Air Force supports all our missions.

Good. Sometimes I get the feeling that ES and AE could go down the spout and the AF wouldn't notice, as long as we had cadets for them to recruit.

Second, the Air Force supports our "Air Force style" uniforms and wants us to wear it correctly.

As we should.  However, the AF should also own up to the fact that many Active, Guard and Reserve airmen do not meet their own H/W guidelines.

Third, the "CAP distinctive" uniforms were developed for members not able to wear the "AF style" uniform. 

Understood.  However, does the CAP membership in general really find the current grey/white to be an attractive uniform that has anything to do with aviation?

It's cheap, and easy to obtain, and in the Come And Pay scheme of things that's good.  But certainly there are better colours that still look "distinctive" without just trying to copy the AF uniform.  BBDU's are a good example.

Also, and I'm trying to be tactful, for the larger members of CAP, grey and white are not "slimming" colours!

The current CAP-USAF/CC, Col Ward, has not made any public statements saying anything about the "style" of the distinctive uniforms.  HOWEVER, the CSAF, has made it clear; the Air Force is the final arbiter on ALL CAP uniforms.  That is in writing and, the official policy of the US Air Force.  Whatever stems from that comment, I will live with.

And those who know anything about the military knows that if it's in writing, that's the word.

Nonetheless, I do believe that the "low light/distance" bit needs to be clarified.  As it stands now, it can be used to DQ ANY CAP uniform...and that includes the grey/whites.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

No, since all the other distinctive uniforms have a military appearance, and I ain't gonna buy a blazer.

You think the grey/white looks "military?"

[RVT]

You think the grey/white looks "military?"

Well to put this thread back on topic - there is only one word I want to change in 39-1.  Where it says "Medium Grey" change it to "Charcoal Grey".  From my observations there are  a wide variety of interpretations of "Medium" but pretty much the entire garment industry has the same idea what shade "Charcoal" is, and its probably the best looking choice as well.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Well to put this thread back on topic - there is only one word I want to change in 39-1.  Where it says "Medium Grey" change it to "Charcoal Grey".  From my observations there are  a wide variety of interpretations of "Medium" but pretty much the entire garment industry has the same idea what shade "Charcoal" is, and its probably the best looking choice as well.

Or "dark grey."

If we absolutely must stay with strictly grey, these law enforcement uniform trousers would be good:

http://www.uniformswarehouse.com/prostores/servlet/-strse-419/Elastique-Weave-Uniform-Slacks/Detail

My own preference, which doesn't amount to a hill of beans, would be for this shade:

http://www.uniformswarehouse.com/prostores/servlet/-strse-508/Elastique-Weave-Uniform-Slacks/Detail

It says "navy blue" but it looks to be more of a grey/blue.

And, as you can tell, they're cheap!

[RVT]

Or "dark grey."

If the specification was "Charcoal" those would be close enough to pass.

The reason I say Charcoal is that its not arbitrary - its an actual industry standardized shade, specifically because some commercial uniforms call for it.  It would eliminate variance in uniform shades, the biggest beef I hear about this particular outfit.

If you do field work in the polo uniform, get the "Jesse James" brand.  Not only do they work for dress pants, but I spent 20 years in the Army, 8 of that in SF and those are tougher than anything I ever got issued.  And at less than $20 at Wal-Mart those are economical too.

[Lt Oliv]

Understood.  However, does the CAP membership in general really find the current grey/white to be an attractive uniform that has anything to do with aviation?

I have heard this argument beaten into the ground. How exactly does a white aviator shirt and charcoal gray slacks NOT look like it has something to do with aviation?

Have you ever been to an airport?

Let's set aside the fact that (prior to their switch to blue shirts) our White/Gray Uniform combination bore a striking resemblance to the uniforms of DHS Airport TSAs.

Just because we are the Civil Air Patrol, does not mean we need to dress like Commercial Airline Pilots (CSU) or like USAF Pilots (USAF Style).

The CSU was atrocious. I am eternally grateful that they got rid of it. CAP needs a distinctive uniform. But people keep complaining that it doesn't have enough of an "aviation" look to it.

Why don't we just switch over to khaki? Maybe the Air Force would get a kick out of our overweight, hairy folks strutting around looking like USN Officers.

Let's use some old version of the uniform that will make us look like WW2 Re-enactors!

Or, we can face the fact that a white aviator shirt is plenty "aviation related" and standardize the pants so that we don't have an endless parade of shades of gray every time a unit gets together.

So far I have seen people show up with everything from light blue to black, pleated, non-pleated and even sweatpants (for that Oh, so classy look).

The fact is we have people who are more interested in playing fashion show than actually doing anything. We have plenty of folks who refuse to wear the whites/grays "in protest" of the abolition of the CSU, the failure to implement some other uniform or even just because they didn't like the whites/grays when they came around the first time.

Let's get a grip.

Is the best option to eliminate ANOTHER uniform and introduce a BRAND NEW one? Or perhaps we should make the whites/grays look as good as they possibly can and help standardize it so that when people see it, they think "Civil Air Patrol."

[RVT]

Let's set aside the fact that (prior to their switch to blue shirts) our White/Gray Uniform combination bore a striking resemblance to the uniforms of DHS Airport TSAs.

I wore that uniform the entire time it existed.  It looked like the white & blue.  In fact, I just compared my TSA trousers from that era against my actual USAF pants and they are close enough to use as such as long as you aren't wearing a service coat.  In fact for the next 17 months they are what I will be wearing with the aviator white shirt when my hair is too long to wear regular blues.

So far I have seen people show up with everything from light blue to black, pleated, nonpleated and even sweatpants (for that Oh, so classy look).

With the aviator shirt?  I've seen a wide variance with the polo shirt, even in official videos (The one promoting the National Operations Center shows a guy in a polo and bluejeans) but with the Aviator shirt the grey dress pants rule is followed.  Pleated Vs Non Pleated, or even cuffed, is not an issue and 39-1 even says so.  Sweat pants is a surprise- though they were probably grey!

[ßτε]

In fact for the next 17 months they are what I will be wearing with the aviator white shirt when my hair is too long to wear regular blues.

The same grooming standards apply to the CSU as to the AF-style uniform.

[RVT]

In fact for the next 17 months they are what I will be wearing with the aviator white shirt when my hair is too long to wear regular blues.

The same grooming standards apply to the CSU as to the AF-style uniform.

OK so its grey pants then, no big deal.  Apparently the CSU is something I will never wear.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I have heard this argument beaten into the ground. How exactly does a white aviator shirt and charcoal gray slacks NOT look like it has something to do with aviation?

Have you ever been to an airport?

Just because we are the Civil Air Patrol, does not mean we need to dress like Commercial Airline Pilots (CSU) or like USAF Pilots (USAF Style).

The CSU was atrocious. I am eternally grateful that they got rid of it. CAP needs a distinctive uniform. But people keep complaining that it doesn't have enough of an "aviation" look to it.

Or, we can face the fact that a white aviator shirt is plenty "aviation related" and standardize the pants so that we don't have an endless parade of shades of gray every time a unit gets together.

Point one: To me, and some others, it looks more like a mall cop than anything to do with aviation.

Point two: Yes, I have. Several very large airports. I have never seen aviators wearing anything that looks like the white/grey. Most of them tend to wear dark blue or black.

Point three: What should we look like, and what looks "Civil Air Patrol?"

Point four: I think you are in the minority on the CSU, but nonetheless NHQ has killed it, for reasons that escape me. It looked more like an old TSA uniform to me than the silly "low-light/distance" confusion invoked.

Point five: Why be so dogmatic about the colours white and grey? There are blue aviator shirts of a completely different cut and shade than the AF. There are black and blue aviator uniform trousers that have nothing to do with the AF. Darker colours in general tend to be more "slimming."

[RiverAux]

Point one: To me, and some others, it looks more like a mall cop than anything to do with aviation.

Mall cops have their own tv show.  How about us?

[JC004]

Point one: To me, and some others, it looks more like a mall cop than anything to do with aviation.

Mall cops have their own tv show.  How about us?

At least mall cops have a more uniform uniform.