CAP Talk

General Discussion => Uniforms & Awards => Topic started by: ProdigalJim on July 28, 2017, 04:23:09 PM

Title: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: ProdigalJim on July 28, 2017, 04:23:09 PM
Just saw a Senior Member interacting with the public in ABUs, wearing a regulation-blue nametape on the back of his hat, Army-style.

Sigh...
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Abby.L on July 28, 2017, 04:27:54 PM
I have a cadet temporarily in my squadron from Kansas wing who has that same thing. He said it was local custom over there. I've also seen HMRS pictures showing CAP members that have the same blue nametag sewn on above their right back pocket, USMC style.

I cry inside a little every time.

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Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: A.Member on July 28, 2017, 05:27:51 PM
Did you pull them aside, take out your pocket knife, and have them cut them off on the spot?!  That's what needs to happen.  :)
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Okayish Aviator on July 29, 2017, 04:07:52 PM
I used to place a shortened name tag on my BDU pants, but I'd put it where the belt would hide it. More to make sure I kept track of my pants when doing lots of laundry....

As for the cover... I have no idea why that'd be a thing. I put the first letter of last name and last 4 of social on the brim closest to the head. Always worked fine.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: CyBorgII on July 29, 2017, 07:56:16 PM
Quote from: DocJekyll on July 29, 2017, 04:07:52 PM
As for the cover... I have no idea why that'd be a thing. I put the first letter of last name and last 4 of social on the brim closest to the head. Always worked fine.

That is how I was instructed to mark my kit in AF BMT.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Okayish Aviator on July 29, 2017, 09:24:30 PM
Quote from: CyBorgII on July 29, 2017, 07:56:16 PM
Quote from: DocJekyll on July 29, 2017, 04:07:52 PM
As for the cover... I have no idea why that'd be a thing. I put the first letter of last name and last 4 of social on the brim closest to the head. Always worked fine.

That is how I was instructed to mark my kit in AF BMT.

That's where I got it from.  ;) 322TRS
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: PHall on July 30, 2017, 12:54:32 AM
Quote from: DocJekyll on July 29, 2017, 09:24:30 PM
Quote from: CyBorgII on July 29, 2017, 07:56:16 PM
Quote from: DocJekyll on July 29, 2017, 04:07:52 PM
As for the cover... I have no idea why that'd be a thing. I put the first letter of last name and last 4 of social on the brim closest to the head. Always worked fine.

That is how I was instructed to mark my kit in AF BMT.

That's where I got it from.  ;) 322TRS

Back when I went through BMT in 1974 they made us rubber stamps with the first letter of your last name and the last 4 of your SSN to mark our laundry with.
And we got to pay for them too!
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: abdsp51 on July 30, 2017, 01:03:57 AM
Quote from: PHall on July 30, 2017, 12:54:32 AM
Back when I went through BMT in 1974 they made us rubber stamps with the first letter of your last name and the last 4 of your SSN to mark our laundry with.
And we got to pay for them too!

I feel jipped.  I had a sharpie and a paint marker....
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: PHall on July 30, 2017, 02:21:15 AM
We got the stamps so it would be readable. At least that's what they told us while they were taking our money. ::)
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: MIKE on July 30, 2017, 02:51:13 AM
Grandfather still has the stencil cards for marking his stuff with paint  from the Navy circa 1946.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: winterg on July 30, 2017, 03:01:31 AM
I went to Basic at Lackland in '91 and got the stencil issued to put my laundry mark on everything with a paint pen or marker.  I still have it somewhere.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Okayish Aviator on July 30, 2017, 03:24:33 PM
In 2007 I used a sharpie with a playing card that had a slot cut in it so we'd keep it in the same sized area and consistent. Still, guys in my flight seemed to mess it up. *looking at trainee Kohls* >:(
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: SARDOC on July 31, 2017, 04:28:16 AM
stamps must have been great.  I had a Stencil and we used shoe polish with the stencil.  It really worked well.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: CyBorgII on July 31, 2017, 06:43:41 AM
We had Sharpie markers for our BDU's and pens with White-Out-type stuff in them for the inside of our boots.  They never worked properly and seemed to be there just to incite the wrath of the MTI's on new Airmen (this was before they were called "trainees") who could not make them work right without making blobs all over the place.  Full disclosure: I was one of those. :o
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: MHC5096 on July 31, 2017, 12:00:12 PM
This weekend I came across my Navy stencil card from 1989 complete with Company number.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: BuckeyeDEJ on August 01, 2017, 03:59:18 AM
At a cadet encampment, I bought the stamps, and then stamped all my stuff appropriately.

As for nametapes in unauthorized places, I'm sure the impulse is to look more military โ€” though the impulse is misguided at best.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: kwe1009 on August 01, 2017, 12:47:34 PM
Quote from: BuckeyeDEJ on August 01, 2017, 03:59:18 AM
At a cadet encampment, I bought the stamps, and then stamped all my stuff appropriately.

As for nametapes in unauthorized places, I'm sure the impulse is to look more military โ€” though the impulse is misguided at best.

It would not be so bad if the "impulse to look more military" was an "impulse to look more Air Force." 
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Angus on August 01, 2017, 12:53:14 PM
Quote from: DocJekyll on July 29, 2017, 04:07:52 PM
I used to place a shortened name tag on my BDU pants, but I'd put it where the belt would hide it. More to make sure I kept track of my pants when doing lots of laundry....


That's a great idea especially for larger activities like encampment if people need to make use of the laundry facilities. 
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: ProdigalJim on August 01, 2017, 10:34:17 PM
Quote from: kwe1009 on August 01, 2017, 12:47:34 PM
Quote from: BuckeyeDEJ on August 01, 2017, 03:59:18 AM
At a cadet encampment, I bought the stamps, and then stamped all my stuff appropriately.

As for nametapes in unauthorized places, I'm sure the impulse is to look more military โ€” though the impulse is misguided at best.

It would not be so bad if the "impulse to look more military" was an "impulse to look more Air Force."

Here's how jacked-up it was: the back-of-the-hat thing was Army style, but the grade on the collar was diagonal, Navy style.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: PHall on August 02, 2017, 12:39:27 AM
Quote from: Angus on August 01, 2017, 12:53:14 PM
Quote from: DocJekyll on July 29, 2017, 04:07:52 PM
I used to place a shortened name tag on my BDU pants, but I'd put it where the belt would hide it. More to make sure I kept track of my pants when doing lots of laundry....


That's a great idea especially for larger activities like encampment if people need to make use of the laundry facilities.

Laundry marker pen on the inside of the waistline on the trousers has always worked for me at CAWG Encampments.
All of my cadets got their clothes back after laundry day (which just happens to be right after they do the confidence course!).
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: CAPLTC on August 09, 2017, 12:28:52 AM
Quote from: ProdigalJim on August 01, 2017, 10:34:17 PM
Here's how jacked-up it was: the back-of-the-hat thing was Army style, but the grade on the collar was diagonal, Navy style.

Diagonal rank is cringe-worthy indeed. Pretty certain I know exactly who you are describing too!
Is the nametape, however, expressly forbidden?
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Matthew Congrove on August 09, 2017, 05:40:17 AM
Quote from: CAPLTC on August 09, 2017, 12:28:52 AM
Is the nametape, however, expressly forbidden?

It is not expressly authorized, therefore it is expressly forbidden (CAPM 39-1 ยง1.1.2.1).
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: NIN on August 09, 2017, 11:09:13 PM
Plus it's specifically disallowed on baseball caps, so it stands to reason that even if it's not specifically disallowed on ABUs the intent is "don't put your name on the back of your daggone hat!" 

But Matthew is correct WRT 39-1: if not expressly allowed, you can assume it is disallowed.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: wacapgh on August 10, 2017, 06:47:23 PM
Or if you approach it from the other direction - Where is the nametape authorized to be worn? On three shirts (ABU, BDU, and FDU), two fleece jackets (Black and Sage) , and one coat (Woodland pattern M-65). Nothing about caps or pants.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: NIN on August 10, 2017, 08:30:15 PM
That too

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Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 01:45:54 AM
The "where does it say that I can't do ______" is a very tiring argument.  The main purpose of a regulation is to tell you what you can do and maybe even how.  Some regs do give specific examples of what is not allowed but it is not an inclusive list.  If any reg had to spell out everything that is not allowed they would be millions of pages long.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: PHall on August 11, 2017, 02:27:57 AM
Quote from: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 01:45:54 AM
The "where does it say that I can't do ______" is a very tiring argument.  The main purpose of a regulation is to tell you what you can do and maybe even how.  Some regs do give specific examples of what is not allowed but it is not an inclusive list.  If any reg had to spell out everything that is not allowed they would be millions of pages long.

But the 39-1 does say, if it's not in this manual, you can't wear it. Paragraph 1.1.2.1.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Mustang on August 11, 2017, 06:17:16 AM
Quote from: DocJekyll on July 29, 2017, 04:07:52 PM
As for the cover... I have no idea why that'd be a thing. I put the first letter of last name and last 4 of social on the brim closest to the head. Always worked fine.

Poor INFOSEC practice. How many things are tied to the last four of your social?
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 11:54:35 AM
Quote from: PHall on August 11, 2017, 02:27:57 AM
Quote from: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 01:45:54 AM
The "where does it say that I can't do ______" is a very tiring argument.  The main purpose of a regulation is to tell you what you can do and maybe even how.  Some regs do give specific examples of what is not allowed but it is not an inclusive list.  If any reg had to spell out everything that is not allowed they would be millions of pages long.

But the 39-1 does say, if it's not in this manual, you can't wear it. Paragraph 1.1.2.1.

True but very few people read the first chapter.  They just go to the uniform section they have a question about and if they don't see it specifically denied then they assume it is OK.  Same thing happens in the military so it is not just a CAP thing.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Eclipse on August 11, 2017, 12:27:13 PM
Quote from: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 11:54:35 AM
True but very few people read the first chapter. 

The first chapter doesn't even read the first chapter.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Live2Learn on August 11, 2017, 02:44:34 PM
Quote from: Eclipse on August 11, 2017, 12:27:13 PM
Quote from: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 11:54:35 AM
True but very few people read the first chapter. 

The first chapter doesn't even read the first chapter.

Correct wearing of the uniform is important.  It reflects on all of CAP when things are mismatched or... But taking a knife and cutting away the offending name tape "on the spot" as one poster proposed seems a rather extreme action bordering on abuse, and could be construed as assault with a deadly weapon.  I'm sure it was just a rhetorical statement.  Still it reflects poorly on CAP to suggest what amounts to a physical attack because someone has an offending name tape on their hat...  Get real. 

However, the recent award in Federal Court (see the Aviation & Flying Activities forum - $11.9 Million  wrongful death judgement) dwarfs the location of name tags to insignificance.  The Judge's decision is both [darn]ing and enlightening.  I encourage those of us who are fixated on stuff that is unlikely to kill us or others (like where to wear a name tape) to read the full text of the judgement, and then review both the accident report and Docket items on the National Transportation Safety Board website.  Perspective is important when we express outrage.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: jeders on August 11, 2017, 04:19:20 PM
Quote from: Live2Learn on August 11, 2017, 02:44:34 PM
Quote from: Eclipse on August 11, 2017, 12:27:13 PM
Quote from: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 11:54:35 AM
True but very few people read the first chapter. 

The first chapter doesn't even read the first chapter.

Correct wearing of the uniform is important.  It reflects on all of CAP when things are mismatched or... But taking a knife and cutting away the offending name tape "on the spot" as one poster proposed seems a rather extreme action bordering on abuse, and could be construed as assault with a deadly weapon.  I'm sure it was just a rhetorical statement.  Still it reflects poorly on CAP to suggest what amounts to a physical attack because someone has an offending name tape on their hat...  Get real. 

I think you have greatly misunderstood the previous poster. Taking out a knife, handing it to the offender, and telling them to fix their uniform violation is not only common and acceptable, it is what more people need to do. I and many other leaders have done exactly that many times over the years without anyone ever once crying abuse or assault with a deadly weapon. When we can all follow the little rules like this, maybe then we can be trusted to follow the big ones that potentially resulted in the incident and judgement mentioned below.

QuoteHowever, the recent award in Federal Court (see the Aviation & Flying Activities forum - $11.9 Million  wrongful death judgement) dwarfs the location of name tags to insignificance.  The Judge's decision is both [darn]ing and enlightening.  I encourage those of us who are fixated on stuff that is unlikely to kill us or others (like where to wear a name tape) to read the full text of the judgement, and then review both the accident report and Docket items on the National Transportation Safety Board website.  Perspective is important when we express outrage.

I will leave my personal opinion of this judgement for the appropriate topic, but having read the NTSB report it would seem that the pilots of both aircraft ignored or did not know some basic rules of operation.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: vorteks on August 11, 2017, 05:18:07 PM
Quote from: Live2Learn on August 11, 2017, 02:44:34 PM
Quote from: Eclipse on August 11, 2017, 12:27:13 PM
Quote from: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 11:54:35 AM
True but very few people read the first chapter. 

The first chapter doesn't even read the first chapter.

Correct wearing of the uniform is important.  It reflects on all of CAP when things are mismatched or... But taking a knife and cutting away the offending name tape "on the spot" as one poster proposed seems a rather extreme action bordering on abuse, and could be construed as assault with a deadly weapon.  I'm sure it was just a rhetorical statement.  Still it reflects poorly on CAP to suggest what amounts to a physical attack because someone has an offending name tape on their hat...  Get real. 

One of the more preposterous things I've ever seen on this forum
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Mitchell 1969 on August 11, 2017, 10:34:26 PM
Quote from: vorteks on August 11, 2017, 05:18:07 PM
Quote from: Live2Learn on August 11, 2017, 02:44:34 PM
Quote from: Eclipse on August 11, 2017, 12:27:13 PM
Quote from: kwe1009 on August 11, 2017, 11:54:35 AM
True but very few people read the first chapter. 

The first chapter doesn't even read the first chapter.

Correct wearing of the uniform is important.  It reflects on all of CAP when things are mismatched or... But taking a knife and cutting away the offending name tape "on the spot" as one poster proposed seems a rather extreme action bordering on abuse, and could be construed as assault with a deadly weapon.  I'm sure it was just a rhetorical statement.  Still it reflects poorly on CAP to suggest what amounts to a physical attack because someone has an offending name tape on their hat...  Get real. 

One of the more preposterous things I've ever seen on this forum

Indeed!
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: SarDragon on August 12, 2017, 07:28:09 AM
Are we done here?
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: Mitchell 1969 on August 12, 2017, 09:17:26 AM
Quote from: SarDragon on August 12, 2017, 07:28:09 AM
Are we done here?

No.

Wait.

Yes.
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: PHall on August 12, 2017, 11:53:39 PM
Done awhile ago actually. Nobody bothered to turn the switch off. >:D
Title: Re: Uniform Buffoonery
Post by: SarDragon on August 16, 2017, 11:21:36 AM
Quote from: PHall on August 12, 2017, 11:53:39 PM
Done awhile ago actually. Nobody bothered to turn the switch off. >:D

I've been traveling.

Click.