Need help with the blue flight suit!

[Nomex Maximus]

I ordered a blue flight suit from Vanguard. What came turned out to be too tight so I decided to send it back and re-order a larger size. That new suit came today. Problem is that it is an entirely different color than the first suit.

The first suit is almost black. It has a slight dark blue shade to it but very dark. It is about the same color as the black velcro. The second suit that came today is a significantly lighter blue.  The velcro on it is blue not black.

I am looking at the picture on page 77 of CAPM 39 and the picture looks more like (but not exactly!) the second suit.

I am also looking at the color selections on www.flightsuits.com and the first suit looks like the Navy Blue and the second looks like the Royal Blue... which is the correct color (the color that isn't getting phased out)?

Have I got a black suit and a too light blue suit, or the correct dark blue suit and the old color blue suit, or two wrong colors?

Or should I just give up and wear the golf shirt next time I fly?

Help!

-- John

[MIKE]

The new flightsuit is supposed to be dark navy blue.  The color pictured in CAPM 39-1 is being phased out in March of 09.

[Nomex Maximus]

OK, it should be navy blue. The light blue one gets sent back.

I have a question then about the patches/badges on the right side. 

I have a CAP command patch - the "US Civil Air Patrol" shield. I understand that it goes across from the nametag and centered over  the right breast pocket. I also have a "Pluto Dog"  ES patch. Is that to be worn along with the command patch or in place of it? Where is it supposed to be placed on the uniform if worn?

The uniform manual is not real clear about this stuff...

Thanks in advance

John

[MIKE]

You should really leave Pluto off the bag... but if you must wear that fugly patch, it is worn centered on the pocket beneath the command patch.

[Nomex Maximus]

No! No! I like Pluto!!!

[Pylon]

No! No! I like Pluto!!!

Of course, each person to his own tastes... but Pluto is out-of-place where we put it on the zoom bags.  The AF puts nothing there on their bags and it just looks as if it's floating aimlessly.    (This is aside from the fact that I also think the patch itself is fugly)

If anything, why wouldn't we put it where we currently put the patch-o-your-choice ?  That's where all the other special patches go... proficient pilot, NCSAs, wing/unit, membership 2000, aerial radiological monitoring, Stan/Eval, and all the other random patches.  Why isn't the ES patch treated like all the rest?

[Hawk200]

Why isn't the ES patch treated like all the rest?

Falls under the things-that-make-you-go: "They weren't really thinking about that too seriously that day."

[Eclipse]

You should really leave Pluto off the bag... but if you must wear that fugly patch, it is worn centered on the pocket beneath the command patch.

And be careful not to sew through the pocket.   

They probably sent you the current-color blue Nomex, like the astronauts and Blue Angels wear - its approved through 2009 (or 10?), but if you're buying a new one, considering the cost, they should send you the correct one.

[Nomex Maximus]

Has anyone had problems with Vanguard returning stuff? They seem to be less than helpful accepting a return on this just now...