CAP & CGAux: Cultural Differences

[RiverAux]

RRLE -- I'm pretty sure he was talking about uniforms that are not based on the CG uniform that only Auxies wear sort of like what in CAP are referred to as "corporate" uniforms. 

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Aux has only TWO distinctive uniforms: Blazer combo, and Operational Polo/Shorts uniform (the latter is never worn when interfacing with the actual Coast Guard.)

The  Aux has more then 2 distinctive unis, although some of them are rarely worn by the average Auxies, aka Bilge Mice.

Yes.  The ones named except the blue blazer and polo/shorts are all modified CG unis, though I believe that some Coasties wear the polo/shorts when authorised by their OIC/NCOIC(?).  The only Auxies I ever saw wear it were VE's.

Blue Blazer - can be worn in place of almost any uni except the work unis in some situations. Popularity varies all over the ballpark. In some areas it is never seen, it others it is the uniform of choice.

I saw that one exactly one time at a Change Of Watch.

Dinner Dress Blue Jacket - very uncommon except for the Grandees.

Again, COW, worn by both gold and silver side with a lot more piston rings (and ready cash) than I had. $$$.

Dinner Dress White Jacket - same as above

Never seen, though as I live in a colder climate not surprised.

Dinner Dress Blue  - a less formal version of the above 2, more formal then the next 2. It is a more gussied up version of Service Dress Blue. Mostly the same useage as the above 2.

What I wore to Change Of Watch, etc.  White shirt and bow tie, miniature medals on CG blues.

Service Dress White  - very uncommon, probably due to the problem and cost of keeping it clean. Rarely seen in photos or 'live'.

I think that is the only Navy uniform the CG retained.  I never saw it worn by a Coastie or Auxie.

Service Dress Blue  - official Uniform of the Day. Common in northern realms, especially in the winter. Becomes uncommon the further south you go.

Winter Dress Blue - a less formal version of the above. Same useage pattern.

Agreed on both.

Tropical Blue aka Trops - another official Uniform of the Day. Very common year round in the southern realm, common in the north in the summer.

Probably the most common uniform I wore, along with Working Blues.

Undress Blue – Summer (Alpha) - obsolete as of 31 Dec 2012. A once common uniform that was a bit less formal then Trops.

Undress Blue – Summer (Bravo) - a working version of the one above. Also going extinct on the same date.

Working Blue, aka WB - the one time standard and popular work uniform. Also going the way of the dodo.

WB was being phased out when I left the Auxiliary, but I didn't know about the Undress Blues.

Hot Weather Uniform - This is the shorts uniform and it has a polo shirt option. Very, very common uni in the south year round. Common in the north in the summer.

Never saw it.

Flight Suit - still available to the chargrin of some in the original and good looking blue or the current drab olive drab. Although authorized only for flight ops, it is worn by some wannabees to meetings.

I've never seen it, except on Evilbay.  My FC was a Vietnam vet Army Aviator and DCP a Vietnam vet Naval Aviator and anyone wearing one without aircrew qualifications and to meetings would likely have been told not to do it again.  The only zoom bag I see CG aviators wear are the green Nomex.

However, I did think of getting one off Evilbay to use in the utility jumpsuit role for CAP, except that I was told the shade of blue was too light.

Auxiliary Chef (AUXCHEF) Uniform - Obviously a very specialized uniform and you have to earn the right to wear it.

All of the above are descirbed in the AuxMan. There is one last, very specialized, uniform that Auxies may wear. It is described in the CG Uni Regs. The uniform may only be worn by members (Auxies, Coasties etc) who are members of an authorized USCG Pipe Band. The uniform is the USCG Tartan.

Never saw either one, nor did I know of their existence.

[RRLE]

I believe that some Coasties wear the polo/shorts when authorised by their OIC/NCOIC(?).  The only Auxies I ever saw wear it were VE's.

Coasties and Auxies are authorized to the Hot Weather uni.

The Blue Blazer is more commonly found in areas where people still dress up somewhat for work or dinner. The Blue Blazer serves as an handy dress up jacket for those who no longer wear suits. I have owned a blue blazer since I went to work in my early 20s and I'm now approaching my 60s. It is also commonly owned and worn by dual members of the USPS since it is also an authorized uni for them. A few years ago, Nat estimated that 20% of Auxies are also members of the USPS.

I think that is the only Navy uniform the CG retained.  I never saw it worn by a Coastie or Auxie.

The local station CO, a few COs ago, wore it all the time. He is the only officer I saw wear it on a regular basis. It is extremely rare to see an Auxie wear it. There was an Auxie, now former, who used to post on another Auxie board and the Choker Whites were his favorite uni. He wore it whenever he could.

Never saw it.

The Hot Weather outfit was the regular uniform worn in my old flotilla for boat crew, year round ,unless the temp got cold. The flotilla is in very south eastern Florida. VEs also wore it on a regular basis. The ODU top was rarely worn with it. Putting a PFD over the ODU top was guaranteed to really warm you up. The preference was the optional Operations polo shirt followed by the Aux t-shirt.

I've never seen it, except on Evilbay.

Unless you had a real wannabee on your hands, you would not see a flight suit unless you were in the air program. I was an Air Observer and made it to Air Crew. I was given a hand-me-down blue flight suit by another Auxie. I kept it when the Aux starting the switch to Hideous Green. I was put under a lot of pressure to buy a green one. I told them that so long as the blue one was authorized, I wasn't going to waste my money buying a flight suit to fly once or twice a month for the Aux. Eventually I got a free Hideous Green from another Auxie who didn't need or want it anymore.

The USCG would host fly-in training sessions for the Aux. If you flew in you were expected to be in a flight suit. But, if you drove in you were not supposed to be in a flight suit since it is restricted for flight ops. The wannabees drive-ins wore it anyway.

[Hardshell Clam]

Every thing I did not know about USCGAUX Uniforms and was afraid to ask...   :clap:

[RRLE]

Another cultural difference between the Aux and CAP is in the election/selection of unit leaders and staff officers. You know the CAP system. In the Aux, the system is by election but has a quirk in it that gives a lot of influence to the GOBs (Good Ole Boys).

The sitting Nat officers (about 6), the District Commodores and 2 others vote first and elect the next set of National officers. Except for the those elected to higher office, the District Commodores and non-elected National officers are termed out after the entire election cycle is over. The newly elected National Commodore gets to appoint all the National staff officers.

Next the sitting District officers (usually about 6), the sitting Nat Commodore (or his rep), the sitting Division Commanders and the district Director of Auxilailiry (USCG officer) vote for the new District officers. Depending on election cycle some of the sitting District officers will be term limited after the entire election cycle is over. The Division Commanders can serve up to 2 terms so some may be term limited when the election cycle is over. The newly elected District Commodore gets to appoint all the District staff officers.


Next,, the sitting Division officers (3), the sitting Flotilla Commanders and the District Commodore or his rep elect the new Division officers. The newly elected Division Commodore gets to appoint all the Diviison staff officers.

Then the flotilla members get to elect or re-elect (up to 2 one year terms) the Flotila Commander and Vice. The FC gets to appoint all the flotilla staff officers. No higher level officer is involved in the flotiall election or the selection of staff officers.

In theory, the Aux could have a revolution from within by the election of new FCs. However, since the incumbents at the higher level vote first, any revolution will be delayed as it takes a while for the revolutionaries to get elected to higher office. And very often they get coopted as they move up.

I have no idea which organizational structure is better or if in the grand scheme of things it really matters - other then in the Aux letting the members think they have a say in the selection of their leadership.

[RiverAux]

What RRLE is talking about is what I mentioned before in that CAP is a much more top-down organization than CG Aux and the officer elections are just one aspect of that. 

He and I have disagreed on the importance of the timing of the election cycles on another board.  He forgot to mention that all elected officer terms start on Jan. 1st and that all the elections take place before that at all levels.  So, even if the flotillas had their elections first it would still be the existing flotilla officers voting for division commander, etc.  The only way it could be run differently is if you start having all sorts of different cycles for the elected officers.

For example, have flotilla elections in Nov or Dec and have FCs start term on January 1st.  Have division elections in Feb. and March and have Division commanders start terms in April.  Have District elections in May or June and terms start in July.  Way to complicated and unnecessary as you would end up with all the elected and appointed officers serving different terms at different times.  And in any case, there isn't really a problem to solve. 

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I think that is the only Navy uniform the CG retained.  I never saw it worn by a Coastie or Auxie.

The local station CO, a few COs ago, wore it all the time. He is the only officer I saw wear it on a regular basis. It is extremely rare to see an Auxie wear it. There was an Auxie, now former, who used to post on another Auxie board and the Choker Whites were his favorite uni. He wore it whenever he could.

That one is kind of a "universal" Naval uniform, though...it isn't just our Navy and CG who wear it.


RNZN


RAN (Do women in the USN/USCG wear choker whites?)

Of course, the USPHS and NOAA Corps also use it.

But what RiverAux is talking about is very true.  Electing people to run your organisation was quite a shock to someone coming out of CAP.  I don't know if the NSCC, Young Marines, etc. do that or not.