Some old school pictures from mid 80s.

[Trung Si Ma]

We wore them without authorization when I was a cadet.  ...  That was possibly the best US uniform ever. 

Same here, but only cadet officers were "authorized" to wear them.

I prefer tiger striped to the OG-107's, but would like to see them come back.  I'd give up my golf shirt for OG-107's and jungle boots.

[ol'fido]

CAPSeahawk is correct about the jungle fatigues being authorized. They were in the 39-1 until about 1999 or 2000 when the new manual came out and they were just gone. There was no phase out period or date. I also agree that they were the best field uniform we've ever had. Much better thean the BDUs and the 107s whether with straight pockets or slants. I wore mine to encampment in 1997(first since 1983 and first as a senior). We had one Frank Burns type who had a high speed come apart and went whining to the Encampment Commander to get him to make us take them off. CC told him they were authorized, to quit whining, and while he was at it to get out of his office and don't let  the door hit him on the way out.

[NIN]

<gasp> Nin wore an unauthorized uniform?  For shame (jungle fatigues were never authorized, even though widely worn)

Shhhh.  Maybe nobody will realize that I was a knucklehead as a cadet.

Heck yeah, we wore 'em.  Unauthorized as heck in those days, too.  Way before they were (briefly) authorized while BDUs were being phased in.

[LtCol057]

I wore the slant-pocket jungle fatigues for a short time. I about caused a Lt Col (I was just a 2nd Lt) to have a cow when several of my cadets showed up in them with boonie hats. (I had one too). I've never seen anyone turn that shade of red before.  It was great. 

They were a whole lot more comfortable than the OD green fatigues we wore before that.  I had worn the OD greens WIWAC, way back in the early 70s.  Ah, memories

[CAPSeahawk8]

Yeah, some Lt Col's flipped out about boonies but you know sometimes you just had too..... and still wear them today in hot weather.

[notaNCO forever]

The ground team at my squadron used to allways wear them.

[citizensoldier]

The ground team at my squadron used to allways wear them.

Depending on weather conditions in a field enviornment, I would consider them to be safety gear.  Sunburn is not a joke if it is bad enough. 

[BuckeyeDEJ]

Ah, the OG 507s. I think they were as good a work uniform as anything. The jungle fatigues and BDUs are sloppy, high-maintenance uniforms, and it's not easy to keep members looking neat.

Still, I like the lighter-weight ripstop material.

[LtCol057]

I'm not up to date on all the uniform numbers like OG507. But if you're referring to the old OD green fatigues, here in this state (NC) we looked like inhabitants of the state hotel system, in other words, the state prisons.  Don' t know if they still wear them or not, but the only difference between us and the prisoners, was that we had rank insignia and blue/white nametapes, they had green/white.

Plus, I hated having to try to keep the shirt tucked into the pants.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

Yip, that's exactly what I'm talking about. The old Air Force fatigues.

I wore them as a cadet (beginning in 1984), then in (very) later years as a cadet wore the jungle fatigues.

[LtCol057]

Yea, I wore them as a cadet in MDWg in 1970.  For most of our meetings, we wore the khakis. IIRC, back then, the females didn't wear the fatigues. They wore a lt blue shirt, jeans, and a flight cap. At least, on the one and only REDCAP (I know, it dates me) I went on, that's what they were wearing.

Back then, males wore khakis, females wore the lt blue cords.  I remember first time I was wearing khakis and they started playing Retreat on post, and I had to salute. I really felt like I was somebody. I was doing something the Real Army guys on post were doing.

[Stonewall]

I still have my OG107 (OD Jungle Fatigues) top from when we wore them before, during and after they were authorized...although never at an official activity.  Those were and always have been my favorite uniform, especially for CAP.



Same top I wore as a cadet in what, 1989, 1990 - 1991?

[notaNCO forever]

 The name and CAP tapes must of been a pain to get sown on at the correct angle.

[Stonewall]

A lot of people sewed them so they went along the top of the pocket, aka diagonal.

[Trung Si Ma]

Thats the way we did them in the Army.  The special skill badges were "straight" starting at the upper edge of the US Army tape or the name tape for foreign awards.

[LtCol057]

Looking thru a box in the garage, I found my old jungle fatigues today. Still has my butter bar sewed on. Tried it on,  the sleeves still fit. Rest is a diffent story   but then again, it WAS around 1991 when I last wore them. They have gone back into storage, to be pulled out again after I'm in a nursing home with dementia.

[Stonewall]

Were you a cadet LtCol057?

Of my favorite time in CAP, I think it goes back to the late 80s early 90s.  But of course, those were my cadet days.  As a senior, I really enjoyed my experiences between about '95 and '00.  I won't be renewing this year.  I tried to retire but I learned I have to be a senior for 20 years, not a total of 20 years including my time as a cadet.

[LtCol057]

Yes sir, I was a cadet in MDWg back in 1970. Then my father got orders for Viet Nam, and I moved to an area that didn't have a CAP unit.

I rejoined as a senior member in 1990.  I just read the section of the 39-2 re: retirement. I was mistakenly under the inpression, my cadet time would count also. Thanks for the heads up. Even tho we've never met, I'd hate to lose you as a member. Reading some of your posts, you have alot to give for the program.

I think my favorite time in CAP, was when I first rejoined. I was real active with the cadet program. We had a very active CP in our squadron back then. We had 40 cadets, 35 active at all meetings. We had 5 C/Lt Cols at one time. Formation looked great with 3 flights. We were really active in ES, all cadets were GTM qualified, all were First Responder qualified, everyone had their ROP cards. Now, I have 17 cadets, 8-9 active at meetings, 1 has his ROA, 2 have GTM. I'm really having a hard time trying to figure out how to motivate them.  I know that's off topic, maybe should start another thread.