Why do we have so many uniform choices

[flyguy06]

We were discussing this at our meeting the other night. Why does CAP have sooooo manyuniform choices? Why not just have either the military style AF Blue, the BDU, and flight suits. And for those not meeting the height and weight, the CAP distinctive unifom and call it a day. Why all the others? It makes it bvery dificult to have uniformity and unit cohesion with so many options. Just give the members limited options.

[DC]

Do we have to start flogging the deceased horse here yet again?

[AlphaSigOU]

Do we have to start flogging the deceased horse here yet again?

Sock it to 'em... that dead horse isn't flat enough! 

[flyguy06]

I'm sorry if I missed the discussion. I dont visit the thread very often 

[Stonewall]

I offered up my solution to alleviate 2 different utility uniforms...

[AlphaSigOU]

Great idea, but unfortunately there's a severe case of NIH (not invented here) disease in the upper echelons above reality...

I like it - while it's modeled after the ACU, it's distinctive enough to not give Ma Blue or Green feline gynecological distress (read: have kittens sideways). 

[hatentx]

I agree I think this uniform would be great and wear the TPU as the service uniform.  I know I know there are people not fans of it cause of "that one guy" but they both look military and are also distictive enough to be set apart as well.  If we made that transistion would the RM badges and such be worn??  While it is not the end of the world to me either way I would like to have them.  While it makes me different, boy my mom always said I was different, I think it also adds some validity to out memebers with the RM.  I also think an enexpesive PT uniform should be disgined as well. But eh thats just me

[Eclipse]

Why does CAP have sooooo manyuniform choices?

We don't have any more choices than the other services, its been shown in detail several times in other threads that we basically have the same number of combinations as the other services, and the services that are in uniform transition have more than we do.

Why not just have either the military style AF Blue, the BDU, and flight suits. And for those not meeting the height and weight, the CAP distinctive unifom and call it a day.

So, anyone not meeting grooming, including skinny guys with beards, is supposed to tromp around in the woods doing GT work in a white dress shirt and pants, with low-quarter dress shoes?  How about the states with Nomex requirements in the cockpit?  Just write off those pilots and aircrew?

There are very specific reasons why we have the combos we do.

If big brother blue would loosen its grip a little on the USAF-style, we'd all be uniform, until then, the only way its ever going to happen is if we move to all corporate combinations.

If you want to see variety, spend some time on a Navy base right now...

[flyguy06]

No. Keep the Blue BDU's. I was talking about doing away with the grey pants/blue polo shirt thing. and the white shirt/grey pants combo. I like the AF style uniforms. (BDU's, AF style uniform , and flight suit) and those are the ONLY Ones I wear. I heard a comment from a new member who is also in the SDF who thought it was odd that we have so many. In the SDF, you wear ACU's to drill. if you dont have them on  youhave to leave. We dont do that inCAP. AT CAP meetings I go to , I see senior members in array of differnt uniforms. I even see some in civvies. That  would never go over  in an SDF drill You would get sent home. But we are afrid to "offend" people in CAP because its volunteer. I hate that mentality. Its an organization. We should all look alike. If I were commander, I would say ok, this week we all wear BDU's (Blue ones or camo)

In my squadron, we are doing an experiement. The last two months we have all worn the blue service uniform. It has worked out great. It has increased morale. When a member comes inin civvies, he feels out of placa and yu can bet he will be in that uniform th enext week. We had a visitor come and compliment us saying we looked sharp all dressed alike. I had to make sacrafices because Ilike wearing my BDU's but for this experiement Ihave been wearing blues every week, and Ihave really seen an improvement in esprit de corps in my unit.

I say stop all this wear any uniform you want to meetings.

[JAFO78]

If we didn't than CAP Talk wouldn't have 35 pages on Uniforms & Awards.    

[JohnKachenmeister]

We have more than one uniform?  When did THIS happen?  Why wasn't I informed?

[SarDragon]

No. Keep the Blue BDU's. I was talking about doing away with the grey pants/blue polo shirt thing. and the white shirt/grey pants combo.

Then what are the folks who don't meet weight and grooming standards going to wear?

[flyguy06]

No. Keep the Blue BDU's. I was talking about doing away with the grey pants/blue polo shirt thing. and the white shirt/grey pants combo.

Then what are the folks who don't meet weight and grooming standards going to wear?

They would wear the CAP distinctive uniform

[SarDragon]

No. Keep the Blue BDU's. I was talking about doing away with the grey pants/blue polo shirt thing. and the white shirt/grey pants combo.

Then what are the folks who don't meet weight and grooming standards going to wear?

They would wear the CAP distinctive uniform

You mean the monstrosity nicknamed the TPU? Maybe the heavy folks, but not the hairy folks. Care to try again?

[JohnKachenmeister]

Hey there, don't go calling my favorite uniform a "Monstrosity."  You just have not learned to wear it right.

To properly wear the TPU, you have to wear it in a hotel cocktail lounge with a not-too-bright waitress.  (Look for blondes, they're your best bet!)

Then, fake a foreign accent, and tell her you are the Dictator-For-Life of a third-world banana republic, and tell her you will make her "Minister of Internal Beautification" or something.

You don't ever have to leave a tip, and usually she will spring for a few drinks just to hear you pick up the cell phone and order some dissidents to be executed.

[notaNCO forever]

Hey there, don't go calling my favorite uniform a "Monstrosity."  You just have not learned to wear it right.

To properly wear the TPU, you have to wear it in a hotel cocktail lounge with a not-too-bright waitress.  (Look for blondes, they're your best bet!)

Then, fake a foreign accent, and tell her you are the Dictator-For-Life of a third-world banana republic, and tell her you will make her "Minister of Internal Beautification" or something.

You don't ever have to leave a tip, and usually she will spring for a few drinks just to hear you pick up the cell phone and order some dissidents to be executed.

I believe I detect some sarcasm.

[es_g0d]

You sound a little unsure, NCO, you might want to get that instrument calibrated!  Of course, there probably isn't an "over the top" setting.

[AlphaSigOU]

Hey there, don't go calling my favorite uniform a "Monstrosity."  You just have not learned to wear it right.

To properly wear the TPU, you have to wear it in a hotel cocktail lounge with a not-too-bright waitress.  (Look for blondes, they're your best bet!)

Then, fake a foreign accent, and tell her you are the Dictator-For-Life of a third-world banana republic, and tell her you will make her "Minister of Internal Beautification" or something.

You don't ever have to leave a tip, and usually she will spring for a few drinks just to hear you pick up the cell phone and order some dissidents to be executed.

I oughta try that the next time I wear full-dress TPU! And I have more than a passing resemblance to a third-world-banana-republic dictator! 

Seriously, the CSU isn't that bad-looking of a uniform, politics behind the adoption of the uniform aside. If ya don't like it ya don't hafta wear it. You've got grays and USAF-style (if you meet weight/grooming standards).

[Hawk200]

You sound a little unsure, NCO, you might want to get that instrument calibrated!  Of course, there probably isn't an "over the top" setting.

He's probably got one of the newfangled electronic detectors. If the measurment is above the instruments range, it won't register anything at all. Just have to get one with a higher rating.

Seriously, the CSU isn't that bad-looking of a uniform, politics behind the adoption of the uniform aside. If ya don't like it ya don't hafta wear it. You've got grays and USAF-style (if you meet weight/grooming standards).

Agreed. Although I didn't care for it, it is far more "uniform" than the blazer combo.

[SarDragon]

The post I responded to was suggesting the elimination of the grey trousers-based uniform combinations. I queried the responder about the replacement, and was told - "They would wear the CAP distinctive uniform." The requested clarification has not appeared yet.

As for: "Seriously, the CSU isn't that bad-looking of a uniform, politics behind the adoption of the uniform aside. If ya don't like it ya don't hafta wear it. You've got grays and USAF-style (if you meet weight/grooming standards).", I'm not permitted to wear the CSU, hence my request for clarification.

[Trying to stay more on topic-]

The thread title is - Why do we have so many uniform choices[?]

My answer - Because we have so many different people in the organization.

YMMV.