Wearing CAP Blues in Airport

[HGjunkie]

Funny you say that RM, cuz I just got done reading that website, and this is the first paragraph:

ALL MEMBERS OF THE HONOR GUARD ACADEMY MUST ARRIVE IN FULL UNIFORM. THERE WILL BE AN INSPECTION UPON ARRIVAL AT THE ACADEMY. Please read all instructions and follow them.

Please try again.

And, you know, It's not like none of us have had to actually DO it before...

So being nice, I don't know what year you are talking about BUT regardless there has to be "common sense" applied and I think most members (except the wanna bees after attention) aren't wearing CAP uniforms while flying commercially.

So... everyone travelling to NHGA in uniform are Wannabes?

[Майор Хаткевич]

2005 was the first year at McDaniel and things were changed the following year, like only using BWI for the airport and immediate inspection.  Too little time to do it all on arrival at the college with all the other things that need to be done when you have over 125 cadets mostly white hats attending.  I remember you there.

Yes, there was a lot of activity at HGA, and seemed never enough time. I'm not surprised that I'd be remembered...especially when within the first few days I was accused of some harsh things. Thankfully all (-1) of the staff use common sense when dealing with situations.

[RiverAux]

ALL MEMBERS OF THE HONOR GUARD ACADEMY MUST ARRIVE IN FULL UNIFORM. THERE WILL BE AN INSPECTION UPON ARRIVAL AT THE ACADEMY. Please read all instructions and follow them.

Please try again.

That doesn't necessarily mean that you have to travel there in uniform.  Just going by that statement alone you could travel in civies and change in a gas station right before going in the gate to wherever the Academy is. 

[Eclipse]

Aaaand spaatzmom beat me to it. But it still holds, some activities require showing up and leaving in uniform.

Just for clarity on the point - "reporting in uniform" does not equal "traveling in uniform".

Sitting on a plane, etc., for 4(+) hours isn't going to result in high inspection marks on arrival.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Aaaand spaatzmom beat me to it. But it still holds, some activities require showing up and leaving in uniform.

Just for clarity on the point - "reporting in uniform" does not equal "traveling in uniform".

Sitting on a plane, etc., for 4(+) hours isn't going to result in high inspection marks on arrival.

Agreed. I was glad we didn't have to do it. In theory, HGA states that cadets will be inspected upon arrival at the airport. In Practice, a formation upon arrival at HGA would probably be better.

[RADIOMAN015]

Funny you say that RM, cuz I just got done reading that website, and this is the first paragraph:

ALL MEMBERS OF THE HONOR GUARD ACADEMY MUST ARRIVE IN FULL UNIFORM. THERE WILL BE AN INSPECTION UPON ARRIVAL AT THE ACADEMY. Please read all instructions and follow them.

Please try again.

And, you know, It's not like none of us have had to actually DO it before...

Wow, it's time for me to get new reading glasses -- I did miss that right on the front page because I was looking at the FAQ and all the other things on the left side of the page.  That's a correct statement about UPON ARRIVAL AT THE ACTIVITY and I take total responsibility for my oversight.  IF CAP requires the cadets to do this than they should do it.  HOWEVER, I'm not sure how fair this is to everyone (who may elect to travel in uniform, which is unlikely)  especially someone traveling from the west coast versus someone from the Northeast Region or Middle East Region.   I would suspect that many of the cadets would have a carry on bag with his/her uniform in it and change at the arrival airport BEFORE seeking out the representative if this isn't a typo on the website.  If you read the instructions the cadet is to seek out the individual in a CAP uniform, IF there was and expectation that they were required to traveling in uniform, than the individual picking them up would be able to spot the cadets relatively easy.   Those traveling by vehicle would have to find a place close by and change before driving in.   Frankly, this seems odd to me, unless it is a test to see IF the cadets would in fact change into uniform (upon arrival at the airport) or fly in with a uniform that looked like it had been worn on a long flight

BTW I think there was a thread discussing this specific requirement last year

RM 

[NIN]

This one for example: http://captalk.net/index.php?action=profile;area=summary;u=353

Mod edit: Quote fail fix

Here's another thread that exposed a poseur: http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=4832.20 (I think the mods either pared back the thread, or when they killed the username of the poseur, it killed all his posts)

But here's the photo.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=9312.60
He was a group commander in IL wing, and folks were like "Yeah, I'm in his group, he's totally a SEAL.."

and then, oh, hahaha, he wasn't. As verified by the Navy.

Little egg all around.

[Spaceman3750]

This one for example: http://captalk.net/index.php?action=profile;area=summary;u=353

Mod edit: Quote fail fix

Here's another thread that exposed a poseur: http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=4832.20 (I think the mods either pared back the thread, or when they killed the username of the poseur, it killed all his posts)

But here's the photo.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=9312.60
He was a group commander in IL wing, and folks were like "Yeah, I'm in his group, he's totally a SEAL.."

and then, oh, hahaha, he wasn't. As verified by the Navy.

Little egg all around.

FWIW, he is no longer affiliated with CAP.

[Eclipse]

FWIW, he is no longer affiliated with CAP.

He did his time and Mea culpas.

Edit: Apparently after resigning, time away, and rejoining, he chose not to continue membership.
Few who knew him personally could believe it for at least two reasons:

1) He was a good guy, a good leader, and had apparently had a military career, just not at the level he said.

2) Everyone involved assumed that his commander (at the time he joined and started wearing it) had verified his
history.  I personally asked on several occasions and told it was "handled", so this was a CAP failing as well.

With the above said, I have no idea (beyond RM's constant nonsense), how a discussion about a CAP member wearing his
legit uniform while traveling turns into a stolen valor conversation.

[JC004]

(beyond RM's constant nonsense)

[NIN]

With the above said, I have no idea (beyond RM's constant nonsense), how a discussion about a CAP member wearing his legit uniform while traveling turns into a stolen valor conversation.

Come on, Bob, you've read the thread: anybody who wears their uniform for something other than what RM believes to be a "legit reason" in his mind only is either a wanna be, a faker, a poseur or has issues that need to addressed.

Stopped to get gas enroute home in BDUs?  Poseur.
Grabbed a bite a Wendy's after the meeting in blues?  Faker.
Wore your uniform the whole time instead of changing for the 1+ hr drive home from the mission base? Trying to get something for something you're not.
Wear the AF style uniform instead of the polo shirt??  You're clearly a serious wanna be!

Since he knows that two wing commanders up here in the northeast posses the polo shirt uniform (one of whom is a retired AF officer), thats prima facia evidence that they're obviously not trolling for salutes, or getting first class upgrades, or trying to scam a free cup of coffee out of the kid at Dunkin' Donuts like everybody else who wears the AF uniform must be doing.

[abdsp51]

Well then by that definition then myself, fellow cadets, and SMs were all posers.  Considering we all met on installations grabbed food going to and from meetings and activities, and while in Germany ran a couple of errands upto the meetings. 

[SansGroove]

Yesterday I kinda defended the TSA....  today I am seriously rethinking that.   This is just insanity:  http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/26/florida.tsa.incident/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[AirDX]

Yesterday I kinda defended the TSA....  today I am seriously rethinking that.   This is just insanity:  http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/26/florida.tsa.incident/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

TSA is staffed, by and large, with idiots.

Watched the same thing a couple of months ago.  Standing in line boarding an aircraft, who did they pull out for a special search?  The 85 yo lady in front of me.  I know she was 85 because she sat next to me and we chatted about how stupid it all was.

It's a huge ineffective sham.  I figured that out on my first trip after 9/11, in November 2001.  Dude in full-on arab regalia rolls out his rug while we're boarding, faces Mecca and loudly completes his prayers.  Who do they pull out for the "special" search?  A sixty-ish business man type and ME.  Right then I knew it was all a big joke on the American people.

[Майор Хаткевич]

It's a huge ineffective sham.  I figured that out on my first trip after 9/11, in November 2001.  Dude in full-on arab regalia rolls out his rug while we're boarding, faces Mecca and loudly completes his prayers.  Who do they pull out for the "special" search?  A sixty-ish business man type and ME.  Right then I knew it was all a big joke on the American people.

It IS a sham, but I'm curious why the Arab had to be pulled out but not you? Weren't the highjackers wearing western clothes?

[PaulR]

Good to know. Thank you for the information.  :clap: Looking at the regulations BDU's and Corporate's in the airport traveling are a No-No.

Speaking on the TSA, the Marine below looks like he just came out of a TSA checkpoint like Major Lord was referring to.

That is a photo of a poser not a Marine.  Look at the shoes.  The trousers are way too long and the white belt isn't secured properly.  No marksmanship bling or NDSM and wearing PFC stripes, it doesn't work that way.  Plus look at the link for the photo.

Those look like lance corporal stripes.

There are lots of things jacked up about the wear of this uniform.

The biggest thing not listed  yet but most obvious to us Marines is that he is wearing the "Blood Stripe" on his trousers.  This red stripe has huge symbolic meaning and is reserved for NCOs and Officers.  E3s and below(the rank being shown on this fake is that of a Lance Corporal) wear plain blue trousers. 

I have done a lot of flying in and out of military uniform.  The TSA has always been extremely courteous and professional with me. 

Anyway, back to the real topic.

I see no issue with CAP members wearing their uniforms to and from events at an airport.  It is good for advertising and good public exposure. 

[titanII]

  Dude in full-on arab regalia rolls out his rug while we're boarding, faces Mecca and loudly completes his prayers.  Who do they pull out for the "special" search?  A sixty-ish business man type and ME.

The TSA employees might have been trying to prevent being accused of racial profiling. maybe. I [obviously] don't really know.

[Eclipse]

As a business traveler I have never had anything but a quick, easy, time at TSA.  That was somewhere between 22-25 flights last year, which puts me in the mid-point for "road warrior" types, but ahead of the pack for the average American who flies once or twice a year on vacation.  In general my family tends to fly more than the average, and that has been our experience across the board.

I was body scanned once, and the machine, I am told, was fixed in about a week, however the woman running it needed several months of counseling.

I don't envy their job for a second, especially when you consider that they exist in a universe where everyone is both a terrorist or not, and they have to balance taxpayers, airlines, airports, local+ jurisdictions, and also deal with situations out of their control (they didn't make you late because you failed to plan properly, got bumped, weathered in, missed your connection, or were seated next to a crying baby from NY to LA).

It's easy for us to fallback on the idea that all terrorists are young males with a specific ethic "look"...until you factor in McVeigh and Kaczynski.  If you specifically exclude one race / gender / age group, etc., then rest assured that will be the next headline.

People mistake TSA for the ticket agent or flight attendant.  Hint:  TSA Officers are not customer service people any more than your local police officers are.  They are charged with a specific duty, and have pretty far-reaching power to ruin your day, if not more.

Yes, like every other government agency, there are people with a smile on their face and an emphatic attitude, and plenty of places where neither exists.

So...

You can charge at windmills and yell into the wind about how bad things are, which is your right, but at least take the steps to mitigate the circumstance
for everyone.  Watch "Up In The Air" about how to get through an Airport, wear TSA-friendly clothes, belts, and check your Leatherman.   Accept you
have to buy water on the secure side, etc., etc.

When you're selected for a random scan, pat-down, or double-check.  Close your mouth and just do it.  No one there is interested in your "opinion"
about the loss of privacy in America, nor can they do anything about it but make sure you don't fly that day.  Your Congressman or the local
news can do more about that than the TSA Officer, who is bound by protocol to escalate involvement as you escalate your reticence.   It is what it is.

Or at least go to some other line if you see me coming.

[davidsinn]

Yesterday I kinda defended the TSA....  today I am seriously rethinking that.   This is just insanity:  http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/26/florida.tsa.incident/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

TSA is staffed, by and large, with idiots.

The military is staffed, by and large, with murderers baby killers and rapists based upon events in Vietnam.*




That's the logic you're using. You're only looking at the few bad apples and forgetting that there are thousands of hardworking people that just want to get paid and go home like the rest of you. Has it ever occurred to you that the "stupidity" is mandated from places much higher than the average TSO will ever get to?


*Not my actual opinion. I was using shock value to make a point.

[indygreg]

I was body scanned once, and the machine, I am told, was fixed in about a week, however the woman running it needed several months of counseling.

Now THAT'S funny! :clap: