It's finally here!

[Luis R. Ramos]

Regarding Arajca's comments CPR patch-

Current CAPM 39-1 allows wear of any kind of CPR patch, either by American Red Cross, American Heart Association or the National Safety Council by word (note says "any nationally recognized..." on table 6-4) and by words "one type of CPR patch" by figure 6-20 featuring ARC CPR Instructor.

The draft 39-1 seems to imply that any CPR patch may be worn no matter from which agency (10.7.20) and Table 4 seems to imply that the only patch that can be worn is the ARC CPR Instructor, not the AHA or the NSC. In other words it is inconsistent. Add "one type..."

Flyer

[wacapgh]

Regarding t-shirts worn with bdus and field uniforms:
Many activities and encampments issue black t-shirts with a large logo on the back. Will these still be authorized? By reading the manual, it appears not. Or this up to the wing commander?

Large logos on the shirt backs were never authorized to begin with, it was just something that was done anyways.

From the current 39-3:
"Table 2-3
12 Undergarments Mandatory. All appropriate underwear will be worn.
(Undershirts) Brown or black. Either V-neck, U-neck, crew neck or athletic style
without pockets. Black or brown turtlenecks, dickeys, or thermal
undershirts without pockets may also be worn. EXCEPTION:
members may wear white thermal undershirts even if exposed at neck.
Unit commanders may prescribe color, unit designation, and cloth or
silk screen emblem, to be worn on left side of chest not to exceed 5
inches in diameter." [Italics added]

It has not been authorized for the last 8+ years, as the current 39-1 is dated 23 MARCH 2005

[Storm Chaser]

The picture appears to be blue, but the item description says it's black. Description

You're correct; I should've checked more closely before posting.

Now, the question is if NHQ intends for this fleece jacket to be procured commercially or through "official" channels, i.e. Vanguard. There are many commercial sources for fleece jackets (including blue ones), but don't necessarily match the official Air Force sage green fleece jacket design and/or specifications. If NHQ's intention is for this jacket to mimic it's Air Force counterpart in appearance, then any commercial availability is going to be limited. On the other hand, if they're flexible in the overall design and appearance (unlikely since tapes and grade insignias are part of this jacket), then that would open additional commercial sources.

(edited for grammar)

[kratclif]

The current (2005) 39-1 authorizes wear of "AFRCC SAR School Patches", however the new draft appears to only authorize the AFRCC SAR Management Course patch. I don't know if there is a BISC patch or not, but the Inland SAR Planning Course has a patch (which wouldn't seem to be allowed under the draft manual). I wonder if this was just an oversight or if it was intentional?

Also, I didn't find anything in the draft regarding NASAR patches. The current 39-1 authorizes wear of "NASAR Qualification Patches", whatever those are (NASAR doesn't have qualifications; they have certifications and they have courses. There is a circular NASAR patch, and the SARTECH certification is worn as a rocker above the patch). I have yet to see anyone wear a NASAR patch on a CAP uniform though.

Kevin

[Eclipse]

There is a BISC patch.

Perhaps you should send a comment on the Inland school.

[LSThiker]

10.4.3.  I'm not a medic, but I know several Physician Assistants, and my personal opinion is they should be authorised the Medical Badge.  I'd say so for Nurse Practitioners too, but they have the Nurse's Badge to wear.  PA's don't have anything to wear, and they do a very hard job.

this would need to be addressed through the National Medical Officer and the Health Service regs, not the uniform regs.

Yup.  And for the last 6.5 years, HSOs have been waiting for a specialty track.  NB approved the creation for it on 2006.  Then it was supposedly finalized on 23 April 2011 according to CAP Knowledgebase and awaiting approval.  As for badges, probably a lot longer than 6.5 years.  This has been long overdue for all HSOs.

[nmkaufman0]

Mine didn't load correctly.  can somebody tell me if we are wearing ABUs or BDUs? By the way, has anybody ever wondered why we don't wear DBUs or DBDUs?

[Storm Chaser]

The picture appears to be blue, but the item description says it's black. Description

You're correct; I should've checked more closely before posting.

Now, the question is if NHQ intends for this fleece jacket to be procured commercially or through "official" channels, i.e. Vanguard. There are many commercial sources for fleece jackets (including blue ones), but don't necessarily match the official Air Force sage green fleece jacket design and/or specifications. If NHQ's intention is for this jacket to mimic it's Air Force counterpart in appearance, then any commercial availability is going to be limited. On the other hand, if they're flexible in the overall design and appearance (unlikely since tapes and grade insignias are part of this jacket), then that would open additional commercial sources.

(edited for grammar)

I just reread the corresponding section and 6.1.13.1.2 had the answer to my question:

"Fleece will be acquired commercially, and will be similar in design and construction to the USAF-style Sage Green Fleece. Members will wear fleeces that only have a very small or no manufacturer's emblem that is externally visible."

It's been a long week. I guess I need more coffee.

[Eclipse]

Mine didn't load correctly.  can somebody tell me if we are wearing ABUs or BDUs? By the way, has anybody ever wondered why we don't wear DBUs or DBDUs?

We aren't and no.

Updated Adobe reader (make sure to uncheck the MCaFee junkware) and dump IE for Chrome.

[kd8gua]

So I've written about 8 pages of comments so far in a Word document. Many of the issues are general formatting issues (singular vs plural, articles, etc.), but there are some things I just wrap my head around...

1. Mandatory wear of Command Badge by all current and former CCs under Col. Some CCs don't even wear the badge now. Does NHQ expect former CCs to rush out and buy this insignia if their command ended prior to the creation of the badge?

2. Ban on photosensitive (ie. "Transitions") lenses in formation. People spend a lot of money for prescription glasses, and some people require these lenses due to sensitivity to bright sunlight. Will CAP buy new glasses for cadets at Encampment (like Ma Blue does for Basic Training)?

3. Transition to dark blue insignia for BBDU. I know this is in preparation for ABU, but either way it is an unnecessary change. Ultramarine and white has served CAP for years with no problems. Vanguard claims it costs too much to stock ultramarine cloth. Tell that to any other nametape/embroidery company. Perhaps if they stopped producing junk no one buys... Also, the colors of the Air Force are Ultramarine and Gold, often complimented by White. The insignia in these colors allows us to wear the colors of Ma Blue and show our support for our parent organization.

Read the dark blue insignia carefully:
- Dark blue and white for name and CAP tapes
- Dark blue and silver for badges
- Dark blue and undefined for SM Officer insignia (either silver/gold or white/yellow)
- Dark blue and full color for Cadet Officers (silver or white?)

4. Expenses for SMWOG. Glad the flight cap issue has been resolved, but there's no reason to wear blank CAP epaulets. Their intended purpose was for pin-on NCO insignia. This is an unnecessary purchase for SMWOG, when most of these members wearing Blues will be in Cadet/Composite units, which should have a host of metal CAP cutouts dating back years to when cadets wore one chevron/one cutout.

5. Compliance for all wing and unit patches with USAF Heraldry Guidelines. Most Wing patches and many unit patches will have to be redone. And guess what? Under those guidelines, they must feature the colors Gold and Ultramarine. Why have dark blue and ultramarine blue on a uniform. Talk about clown suiting the whole uniform!

6. Cadet officers wearing cadet shoulder marks on the lightweight Blues jacket. Metal pin on insignia is just fine. This rule makes too much work for cadets who promote often. They must either modify the jacket epaulets to allow the shoulder marks to slide on and off, or the cadet must modify the shoulder marks and cut the bottom open and add Velcro.

7. Sleeve crease on the Blues shirt. The only reference is in the Honor Guard section. Ma Blue creases at the back edge of the epaulet, where the material naturally allows for a crease. CAP has maintained this more difficult standard of "centered on epaulet."

And some things to clarify from others here:

Looks like boots with Blues are authorized in many places. They are only not authorized for the Honor Guard uniform.

The blue winter hat looks like a Russian hat known as an Ushanka. Does this mean if someone finds a dark blue commercially available Ushanka, they can wear that? I can only assume CAP cadets will wind up looking something like this:



In general, a lot of the manual leaves a lot to be desired, and creates more confusion than clarity on a number of issues. My 8 pages of comments may grow to 10 before I finally submit the whole thing.

[Storm Chaser]

There is a BISC patch.

Perhaps you should send a comment on the Inland school.

I believe BISC replaced SMC. Most SMC references searched on Google redirect to BISC. In addition, Ops Quals list this achievement as "SMC/BISC - AFRCC SAR Management Course".

If that's the case, then I agree that the reference on this draft should be updated/corrected. As Eclipse noted, BISC does have it's own patch.

If the Inland SAR Planning Course, which is a week-long, also have a patch (haven't seen it yet), I don't see why it shouldn't be authorized for wear as well.

[ProdigalJim]

^^^^

It does. We all got to buy one during the school. Whereas the BISC patch follows AF heraldry, the Inland SAR School patch is large, round, and light blue, with a big gull flying over the water to pluck someone to safety. It's a pretty patch and I'm proud to have earned one but it's not really "AF-looking" if you ask me.

[Storm Chaser]

^^^^

It does. We all got to buy one during the school. Whereas the BISC patch follows AF heraldry, the Inland SAR School patch is large, round, and light blue, with a big gull flying over the water to pluck someone to safety. It's a pretty patch and I'm proud to have earned one but it's not really "AF-looking" if you ask me.

Are you referring to the National Search and Rescue School Patch? Does it have the course name and/or the word graduate on it?

I believe the National SAR School is run by the U.S. Coast Guard (although the staff is joint Coast Guard/Air Force), which would explain why their patch doesn't meet the Air Force heraldry.

[ProdigalJim]

The National Inland SAR Planning Course; the five-day "graduate" level course that follows BISC.

Both BISC and this course are taught by AFRCC types, attached to the school which yes, is run by the Coast Guard. I guess they nod to their AF side with the BISC patch and the CG side with Inland SAR.

While BISC has a rocker that says "graduate," the Inland SAR patch is just a school patch. I'll try to put up an image later when I get home.

[SARDOC]

^^^^

It does. We all got to buy one during the school. Whereas the BISC patch follows AF heraldry, the Inland SAR School patch is large, round, and light blue, with a big gull flying over the water to pluck someone to safety. It's a pretty patch and I'm proud to have earned one but it's not really "AF-looking" if you ask me.

Are you referring to the National Search and Rescue School Patch? Does it have the course name and/or the word graduate on it?

I believe the National SAR School is run by the U.S. Coast Guard (although the staff is joint Coast Guard/Air Force), which would explain why their patch doesn't meet the Air Force heraldry.

The National SAR School is a Joint USAF/USCG Command.  The patch being described is the National SAR School patch.  There is no patch specific to the Inland SAR Planner's Course.  The Inland SAR Planner's Course is just one on the classes taught by the National SAR School.  Completion of the Inland SAR Planner's Course, means you are a graduate of the National SAR School.  I can see why that would be misinterpreted as the National SAR School Patch being the Inland SAR Planner's Course patch though.

[Storm Chaser]

I've seen the National SAR School patch; just didn't know if there was a separate patch for Inland SAR Planning Course graduates, as this school offers other courses. Now, the question is whether this patch is authorized or not. The current CAPM 39-1 draft makes no mention of it.

[SARDOC]

I see that another change found in the new draft is that the EMT series badges have become a permanent award.  It specifically states current or previously certified will be allowed the badge.   However, the CPR patch is only for those currently certified.

[Pylon]

As of 01 JAN, this is the first time in 6+ years that I am not a voting member of the National Uniform Committee (or its predecessor, the NHQ Uniform Team) and can freely comment again on CAPM 39-1 and uniform related issues.  I am extremely proud that we pushed the draft through to completion.  Is it perfect?   No, and no human endeavor is. But keep readily in mind that a lot of work by some very dedicated volunteers went into rewriting this from the ground up.  Also keep in mind that the whole idea of the public comment period is for these types of errors, oversights, ambiguities, or even formatting issues to be discovered (crowd-sourced, if you will) so that the product can be improved.

The new version of CAPM 39-1 may not be perfect in everyone's eyes (face it: we will never, ever reach 100% consensus on any CAP uniform issue ever, in the history or future of the organization), but it is a pretty good improvement from where we were and a much needed step forward.  Be thorough and know your time spent reviewing and your well-thought comments will be appreciated, but also keep in mind that real people wrote this, poured hours and days and weeks and months of their time into this, and that we should also be appreciative and respectful of their efforts in preparing this for us and for the organization.


Be thorough but tactful in your commentary, please.

[Panache]

Regarding t-shirts worn with bdus and field uniforms:
Many activities and encampments issue black t-shirts with a large logo on the back. Will these still be authorized? By reading the manual, it appears not. Or this up to the wing commander?

I don't have it with me, but I seem to recall a section stating that shirts with logos were okay as long as the logo was covered completely by the BDU blouse.

EDIT:  I'm wrong.

[AlphaSigOU]

Now that CAPM 39-1 is under review and comment, I would like to propose the wear of cloth name patches in addition to the leather name patch on the USAF-style FDU and CAP CFDU. They are currently prohibited by the regulation, and if I remember correctly a cloth name patch was approved by the NB/NEC but was apparently pigeonholed into a quiet death some years ago. So don't put me in stocks or tar and feather me for bringing up a heretical uniform subject...

You will notice that this proposal standardizes the name patch format across the board. The current name patch format was originally designed for the green bag when it was allowed for those who did not meet weight and grooming standards (and wore no grade insignia on the shoulders).

I welcome any comments on this proposal on CAPTalk.