Sew On Grade on BDUs

[DC]

As I am contemplating Cadet Officership, what is the point in sew on grade insignia for cadet officers? To have to rip off (and subsequently damage your uniform) and sew new insignia back on every few months seems to be a major PITA. Would it not be simpler, from both a practical and a logistical point of view to just use large metal insignia on BDUs. Instead of having to possess three different kinds of insignia, small pin on, for epaulets, large pin on for flight caps and outergarmets, and cloth for BDUs. Eliminate the cloth, cadets have to buy less insignia, not deal with the hassle of sewing it on (a seamstress, I am not. And what do you do if you misplace it?) The infrastructure required to produce it would be eliminated also.

Simpler, easier, cheaper, shinier.

[mikeylikey]

You make perfect sense.  Wearing metal insignia used to be allowed.......not sure why someone would want to change that.  I think two 39-1 revisions ago the change took place.   

[SarDragon]

To have to rip off (and subsequently damage your uniform) and sew new insignia back on every few months seems to be a major PITA.

Rip off insignia?

The careful and patient use of the proper sharp instrument will prevent damage to the uniform.

WIWAC, cadet rank was sewn to the uniform sleeves. After my maternal unit tired of sewing them on, she taught me how to do it. I sewed my own from then on, without damaging the material. I still do.

[RickFranz]

From what I remember from my 3 kids that went through the Cadet Program, each cloth rank was just a bit larger than the last.  Going from C/Capt to C/Maj was the only one where you could really tell that something was there before.

[Eclipse]

And sadly, the number of cadets who ever need to worry about the pips-to-diamond transition isn't all that high anyway.

In fact, IME, the transition between grades slows considerably after cadets become officers.

Another issue is growth - most cadets can't wear the same BDU blouse from c/2d Lt. to C/Col.

[Gunner C]

I remember when the cloth pips and diamonds came out (circa 1970).  There was nothing wrong with the metal stuff - just pin them on.  IMO cadets don't need that type of stuff.  It just adds expense.

GC

[DC]

And sadly, the number of cadets who ever need to worry about the pips-to-diamond transition isn't all that high anyway.

In fact, IME, the transition between grades slows considerably after cadets become officers.

Another issue is growth - most cadets can't wear the same BDU blouse from c/2d Lt. to C/Col.

No, but you have to go from C/2nd Lt to C/Col you have to change it six times, which even done over the course of several years still means having to do it every few months. Still a major drag.

It just adds expense.

Exactly.

[Pylon]

It just adds expense.

You do realize that a pair of the metal insignia ranges between $2.90 and $3.75 and the cloth only costs $0.75, right?

[mikeylikey]

It just adds expense.

You do realize that a pair of the metal insignia ranges between $2.90 and $3.75 and the cloth only costs $0.75, right?

Yes...but if you have Officers that know what the crap they are doing running a SQD then the Cadets can just "trade up" rank insignia.  Every SQD I have ever been in we always kept a box of bling for cadets to dump their old insignia and get their new insignia out of.  When a Cadet joins they should only need to drop $5.00 on initial insignia and then just trade up at each promotion.  If your SQD does not currently do this, you are actually hurting your Cadets financially. 

[notaNCO forever]

 I personally won't mind when I become a cadet officer and just have to but the insignia on once for each promotion instead of taking it of and putting it back on every time I wash it.

[mikeylikey]

I personally won't mind when I become a cadet officer and just have to but the insignia on once for each promotion instead of taking it of and putting it back on every time I wash it.

Because spending five seconds removing it and spending five seconds putting it back on is so time consuming.  You will spend more time sewing it on, then you would ever spend on taking it off and putting it back on each time you wash. 

[notaNCO forever]

I personally won't mind when I become a cadet officer and just have to but the insignia on once for each promotion instead of taking it of and putting it back on every time I wash it.

Because spending five seconds removing it and spending five seconds putting it back on is so time consuming.  You will spend more time sewing it on, then you would ever spend on taking it off and putting it back on each time you wash. 

Just my personnel preference.

[Gunner C]

I personally won't mind when I become a cadet officer and just have to but the insignia on once for each promotion instead of taking it of and putting it back on every time I wash it.

Because spending five seconds removing it and spending five seconds putting it back on is so time consuming.  You will spend more time sewing it on, then you would ever spend on taking it off and putting it back on each time you wash. 

Beat me to it. 

[DC]

It just adds expense.

You do realize that a pair of the metal insignia ranges between $2.90 and $3.75 and the cloth only costs $0.75, right?

You have to have several of the insignia for your blues, so you can switch out when you are not wearing that uniform.

I personally won't mind when I become a cadet officer and just have to but the insignia on once for each promotion instead of taking it of and putting it back on every time I wash it.

You're not the one sewing it on are you?

To have to remove and reapply pin on rank is not anywhere near an inconvenience. If it is in the wrong place, then take it off and fix it. If you sew on the rank, you won't be able to tell it is misplaced until you are done, if you screw up, then you have to tear it off and do it all over again. Ick.

[Hawk200]

If you sew on the rank, you won't be able to tell it is misplaced until you are done, if you screw up, then you have to tear it off and do it all over again. Ick.

Easy way around that. Fold everything where it should be, place it, and pin a metal rank on top of it to hold it in place. Sew. When finished, remove metal and wash. Should be good to go.

[Duke Dillio]

I actually prefer the cloth rank over the metal pin on.  I think it looks better than having all of your patches and then having the metal on.  It just looks out of place to me.  When it comes to sewing stuff, I take my stuff to a tailor's shop and have them do it.  If you are around a military base, it usually only costs like a buck per patch sewn on.  That's just my .02

[Hawk200]

I think it looks better than having all of your patches and then having the metal on. 

It also looks better than forgetting to put something back on.

[MIKE]

IMO they both have there positives and negatives. 

I was a little disappointed when the ALCOAST came out stating that sew on collar insignia was to be made mandatory on the ODU... Previous to this metal collar insignia was standard, with sewn on being optional.  As an Auxiliarist I may have reason to wear either my office insignia (gold bars) or Member collar devices (think SM) as required.  Metal insignia would be better for this situation IMO... as I would forgo the office insignia if I had to have it sewn on.

The most recent ALAUX on the matter says metal insignia are authorized for Auxies until they come up with better cloth insignia or some other workable option. 

[DC]

If you sew on the rank, you won't be able to tell it is misplaced until you are done, if you screw up, then you have to tear it off and do it all over again. Ick.

Easy way around that. Fold everything where it should be, place it, and pin a metal rank on top of it to hold it in place. Sew. When finished, remove metal and wash. Should be good to go.

That is a really great idea, thank you!

[MIKE]

Concerned the thicker insignia pins might damage the cloth insignia, but YMMV.