When allowed to wear BDUs

MagiKKal · January 11, 2017, 02:42:42 PM

I have looked everywhere online for information about this but nothing has been specific enough. Would you be allowed to wear your BDU outside of a CAP meeting, such as at school or the few hours before the meeting?

I was thinking it would be convenient to be able to so I wouldn't have to have a rushed schedule due to how long it takes to change into the BDU but I can't find anything that says whether or not you're allowed to wear the BDU during the hours beforehand.

kwe1009 · January 11, 2017, 02:53:21 PM

CAPM 39-1 1.2.4 describes when you can wear CAP uniforms. The short answer for all CAP uniforms is only during CAP activities unless you have your commander's permission.

This is a great question to ask your flight sergeant or flight commander too.

jeders · January 11, 2017, 03:42:15 PM

Quote from: MagiKKal on January 11, 2017, 02:42:42 PM
I was thinking it would be convenient to be able to so I wouldn't have to have a rushed schedule due to how long it takes to change into the BDU ...

I just want to touch on this momentarily. Generally speaking, it should take about 5 minutes to actually change in to BDUs. This requires, of course, that everything is prepared in advance and that you're not running around looking for uniform pieces.

MagiKKal · January 11, 2017, 03:54:03 PM

Quote from: jeders on January 11, 2017, 03:42:15 PM
Quote from: MagiKKal on January 11, 2017, 02:42:42 PM
I was thinking it would be convenient to be able to so I wouldn't have to have a rushed schedule due to how long it takes to change into the BDU ...

I just want to touch on this momentarily. Generally speaking, it should take about 5 minutes to actually change in to BDUs. This requires, of course, that everything is prepared in advance and that you're not running around looking for uniform pieces.

I'm a bit slow at buttoning things, and I have laced boots.

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calebtornado12 · January 11, 2017, 10:53:35 PM

Cadet, here's my touch on this...

We have had a cadet at my squadron wear his uniform to school without permission from the squadron commander (Big no no), and there were quite a lot of negative outcome to this besides the fact that he disobeyed regulations. I have laced boots as well, and buttoning really doesn't take more than a minute at most.

So here's the thing. Don't wear your uniform to school because regardless of whether or not you are liked by people, you are put in a position of being targeted by everyone around you for gossip, bullying, verbal assault, negative attention, and possibly a bad impact on CAP as a whole.

Also, if you're planning on going to an encampment as a cadet, you're going to be expected to change into uniforms extremely quickly, so start practicing now. I'd like to make sure you understand what I'm saying because this is a risk you don't need to take, and it's in the best interests for you.

GaryVC · January 11, 2017, 11:21:32 PM

This is the truth. When I was a cadet flight commander at encampment, many many years ago, I had a cadet in my flight who had never had to do anything in a hurry in his life. I kept on him to work faster and at the end of the encampment he thanked me for what he learned he could do when he tried.

calebtornado12 · January 12, 2017, 04:18:28 AM

Quote from: calebtornado12 on January 11, 2017, 10:53:35 PM
Cadet, here's my touch on this...

We have had a cadet at my squadron wear his uniform to school without permission from the squadron commander (Big no no), and there were quite a lot of negative outcome to this besides the fact that he disobeyed regulations. I have laced boots as well, and buttoning really doesn't take more than a minute at most.

So here's the thing. Don't wear your uniform to school because regardless of whether or not you are liked by people, you are put in a position of being targeted by everyone around you for gossip, bullying, verbal assault, negative attention, and possibly a bad impact on CAP as a whole.

Also, if you're planning on going to an encampment as a cadet, you're going to be expected to change into uniforms extremely quickly, so start practicing now. I'd like to make sure you understand what I'm saying because this is a risk you don't need to take, and it's in the best interests for you.

So not only this that I previously said, I have been a cadet for almost two years now, I know that the majority of the world has no idea what CAP is. Im telling you that you are going to have a significantly larger amount of negative consequences from wearing your uniform to school than positive ones.

I'd also like to say this...do not take this personally, I don't know you or how you value your uniform, but C/AB are known for having the worst looking uniforms, have a hard time keeping up with CAPM 39-1 uniform regulations, and if you are wearing a uniform in a public setting and it looks like garbage, it makes you an even bigger target and bad on CAP. I know for a fact that during Public Events in my squadron as a flight commander that I dont let cadets with bad uniforms participate because they arent following the section of the cadet oath that states Wear my uniform Properly which you agreed to when you joined. Once again, maybe you have the best looking uniform in your squadron and I wouldn't know, but I would prefer you trust me on this subject considering how much more experience I have in this field. Don't take that as pulling rank, I'm not, its knowledge I'm passing down to you.

MagiKKal · January 12, 2017, 12:06:59 PM

Thank you all for your input. I hadn't considered many of these things.

calebtornado12 · January 12, 2017, 01:20:55 PM

No problem! Good luck in your future in the Civil Air Patrol. I apologize if I can off as a little harsh or intimidating, I wasn't trying to be.

MagiKKal · January 12, 2017, 01:31:01 PM

It's okay, you didn't come off as harsh to me - I understand that there's a lot that I have to learn still c:

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AirAux · January 12, 2017, 02:08:51 PM

On the other hand, with your Commander's permission, and I have given such permission, Uniforms may be worn to school on meeting days and it can be a great recruiting tool. If you are an obnoxious little knob that nobody likes, they will probably still not like you in uniform. If you are a regular guy/gal, they will probably ask you about it and it can work as a recruiting tool.

jeders · January 12, 2017, 02:37:30 PM

Quote from: AirAux on January 12, 2017, 02:08:51 PM
On the other hand, with your Commander's permission, and I have given such permission, Uniforms may be worn to school on meeting days and it can be a great recruiting tool. If you are an obnoxious little knob that nobody likes, they will probably still not like you in uniform. If you are a regular guy/gal, they will probably ask you about it and it can work as a recruiting tool.

The only caveat to this, and it's a big one, is to clear it with your school administration. There are some schools that welcome it, there are some that are neutral, and there are some that are openly hostile to any uniform. Make sure you don't get yourself into trouble with your school (which matters a whole lot more than CAP).

MagiKKal · January 12, 2017, 02:40:51 PM

Heh, my school has a very relaxed dress code. Uniforms are allowed if you want to wear one and they fall within the dress code (which CAP's certainly does.)

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Cebman21 · January 12, 2017, 04:21:28 PM

Just remember that the 39-1 holy grail is there to help you.

CAPDCCMOM · January 12, 2017, 05:06:45 PM

MagiKKal, it appears to me that you are asking a question hoping that some one will give you the answer that you wan to hear. The regulation is clear, if you wish to wear uniform outside of a CAP event, you must have your CC's permission. It does not matter if you think your school will allow it, that is our regulation.

Luis R. Ramos · January 12, 2017, 05:11:06 PM

I am pretty sure he got the part about being our regulation.

I am also pretty sure his comment regarding his school allowing it was in response to Jeders's comment regarding the school allowing it.

CAPDCCMOM · January 12, 2017, 05:25:07 PM

Luis, your point is taken.

I only made the comment because working with young people in CAP and the scholastic setting, I have seen time and time again, you tell them the reg, and get the "Yeah, but" response.

MagiKKal · January 12, 2017, 05:33:56 PM

I got the point, y'all can stop arguing c:

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Angus · January 12, 2017, 05:52:54 PM

Quote from: MagiKKal on January 12, 2017, 05:33:56 PM
I got the point, y'all can stop arguing c:

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Welcome to CAPTALK first of all. Second uniform arguments and regulation interpretation here tend to get out of hand.

Luis R. Ramos · January 12, 2017, 11:06:25 PM

CAPTalk would not be CAPTalk without rehashing the answers that Nin, Spam, Thrawn, PH, Eclipse, Pig, and a few others answer clearly and thoroughly.

Without comments of a few more. Without discussions. Without the restatements that others add.

I guess we can say "It's a baked cake!" what those I mention on top do. The others... they (we!) think that cake needs icing, and that is why they (we!) rehash, discuss, restate...