The wonderful World of covers.

[lordmonar]

a) The "regs" don's say anything about berets in blues.
b) The regs do say that only a blue beret my be authorised.
c)  Chain of command outweights local interpetation of the regulations. (i.e. a cadet/senior who says "my commander/wing/what ever says we can wear it" is a valid argument).

Now...this guy at your meeting....was he just visiting or was he there at a program you invited him to.  Because as an acitivity director you have the authority to state the uniform and the power to enforce it over other wings/squadron rules....i.e. a Cali guy shows up in his orange ES shirt or a PAWG guy with his ranger bling...you can make him take it off.

[CadetMurphy]

a) The "regs" don's say anything about berets in blues.
b) The regs do say that only a blue beret my be authorised.
c)  Chain of command outweights local interpetation of the regulations. (i.e. a cadet/senior who says "my commander/wing/what ever says we can wear it" is a valid argument).

Now...this guy at your meeting....was he just visiting or was he there at a program you invited him to.  Because as an acitivity director you have the authority to state the uniform and the power to enforce it over other wings/squadron rules....i.e. a Cali guy shows up in his orange ES shirt or a PAWG guy with his ranger bling...you can make him take it off.

Thank you very much sir

[PHall]

If a CAWG guy is wearing the "Ground Team Uniform" outside of the state they are most defititely out of uniform.
It's only authorised in the State of California only and only while in the field on a mission.
If they show up at your Squadron Meeting or at your Search Base wearing it tell them to either change into an authorised uniform or to just go away, your choice.

[Al Sayre]

Quite frankly, the main reason I don't like the CA GT uniform is that it looks just like what the garbage men used to wear when I lived in Melbourne FL...

[NCRblues]

I have always wondered this...

Many CA wing members I have talked to said "the CA wing GT uniform is helping CA get more GT missions"....

So here is my question... why did you put on the name tapes, wing patch, GT badge and MP wings yet leave off CAP grade?

And a quick follow up on that question.... does the local sheriff or fire dept. have to take off their grade when on a GT style mission, and if not, why are we doing so? We are as much a legal organization as any fire dept....

[zonaman]

It looks like AZ is trying to be like CA. Check out this web site of Squadron 302 in PHX.

http://www.squadron302.org/Album/#IMG_3144.JPG

I could be wrong, but my understanding of the AZ ground team is that they are now focusing on C.E.R.T. Community Emergency Response Team and now wear this new uniform.

[SarDragon]

Those t-shirts used to be available from the Bookstore.

[a2capt]

They like to say as the answer to that, "there is no grade in ES" just positions, and w/o grade, it's not really a military uniform at all, I imagine  ... and a whole lot less convincing at NHQ needed to be done.

The thing has been on again, off again a couple times. I wouldn't be surprised if it's off again.

What missions has it gotten CAWG? I certainly have not seen any additional closing traffic or other reports put out through the normal channels. Missions have been way less since the guard frequency is no longer monitored by satellite.

[Dad2-4]

Texas person here. Short answer: No. IMHO the cadet is blowing smoke up someone's posterior thinking he can get away with it in another wing. Check out the Wing supplements on the TXWG site. Nothing there about black berets.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Except Councelor Troi never wore Green, she wore nontraditional uniforms until some strict Captain in a later season set her strait (she wore the standard blue uniform later in the series).

I met her (Marina Sirtis) just prior to the final season of TNG.  Very nice (she signed two autographs for everyone), very small (5' 1" would be pushing it) and mind-numbingly beautiful.  She told the audience that she had wanted to wear a Starfleet uniform earlier (and she wore a "skirt" version of it in the first episode, "Encounter At Farpoint") in the series, because she did have a rank (Lieutenant Commander, promoted full Commander in the final season)  but the producers thought that her role as a counsellor (psychiatrist) would make her patients more at ease if she wore civilian clothes.  I've never seen that rationale in USAF, USA, USN or USPHS medical officers.

Remember also that the colours for Command and Operations/Support/Engineering/Security were reversed by the time of TNG, which is why Lt. Worf (I also met Michael Dorn, nice guy and prime candidate for CAP) wears gold while Capt. Picard and Cmdr. Riker wear maroon.

But as for us...I've told the story before of how I met a lieutenant colonel in another wing who wore a dark-blue beret with BDU's with a CAP flight cap device.  He outranked me, so I didn't push it.  He is the only non-cadet I have ever seen wear a beret of any kind in CAP.

I know there are those on here who hate berets with a passion, and the US is pretty much alone in reserving berets for special ops (it's not that way anywhere else in NATO, except for the British/Australian/NZ Special Air Service with tan berets, and the traditional maroon beret for airborne), General Shinseki's decision of a few years ago aside.  However, I have always thought that a beret would be good and (making gagging noises) distinctive for CAP, as an optional headwear for the "corporate" uniforms.

Of course, certain of us will automatically think "let's make it grey!!!" but my take would be something like the RAF/RCAF grey-blue...it has elements of both, plus it's actually a colour, not to mention that USAF Special Operations Weather types wear grey.

[wuzafuzz]

In regards to the ground teams having different uniforms, I totally agree.  I do like our California Wing supplimental regulation which has GT members being VERY visible in the field.  It helps us in a lot of ways. 



http://sq45.cawg.cap.gov/Uniform/CAWG_GTuniform.html

I've always liked the orange shirts for GSAR, but had only seen them with OD or forest green pants/hats.  Looks odd with navy blue.  Oh well, at least the photo doesn't show a beret.  THAT would be awful, IMHO.

[davidsinn]

But as for us...I've told the story before of how I met a lieutenant colonel in another wing who wore a dark-blue beret with BDU's with a CAP flight cap device.  He outranked me, so I didn't push it.  He is the only non-cadet I have ever seen wear a beret of any kind in CAP.

Was he from Indiana? We have a  supplement for GT qualified people to wear a blue beret with flight cap device or C/Officer rank while in an ES environment only.

I have one and I wear it all the time for ES. It looks good over my BBDU.

[SarDragon]

In regards to the ground teams having different uniforms, I totally agree.  I do like our California Wing supplimental regulation which has GT members being VERY visible in the field.  It helps us in a lot of ways. 

[pic deleted]

http://sq45.cawg.cap.gov/Uniform/CAWG_GTuniform.html

I've always liked the orange shirts for GSAR, but had only seen them with OD or forest green pants/hats.  Looks odd with navy blue.  Oh well, at least the photo doesn't show a beret.  THAT would be awful, IMHO.

Those are Florida Gator colors, and the Denver Broncos, too.

[Hawk200]

(i.e. a cadet/senior who says "my commander/wing/what ever says we can wear it" is a valid argument).

Was he from Indiana? We have a  supplement for GT qualified people to wear a blue beret with flight cap device or C/Officer rank while in an ES environment only.

A wing king's authority does not extend past his boundaries. What's legal in your home wing isn't necessarily legal someplace else.

Which is why it is really important to focus on what the publication says, not "so and so said I could wear it." The problem with "so and so said" is that it's a little too hard to verify. Many people think berets are "cool." Even to the point they will wear them, and claim that it's allowed to their locality.

[HGjunkie]

Of course, certain of us will automatically think "let's make it grey!!!" but my take would be something like the RAF/RCAF grey-blue...it has elements of both, plus it's actually a colour, not to mention that USAF Special Operations Weather types wear grey.

So does the Cadet Corps of the USAC...

[davidsinn]

(i.e. a cadet/senior who says "my commander/wing/what ever says we can wear it" is a valid argument).

Was he from Indiana? We have a  supplement for GT qualified people to wear a blue beret with flight cap device or C/Officer rank while in an ES environment only.

A wing king's authority does not extend past his boundaries. What's legal in your home wing isn't necessarily legal someplace else.

Which is why it is really important to focus on what the publication says, not "so and so said I could wear it." The problem with "so and so said" is that it's a little too hard to verify. Many people think berets are "cool." Even to the point they will wear them, and claim that it's allowed to their locality.

Exactly. One of the stipulations of our GT beret is inside Indiana only and not at a national activity such as NESA. I was pointing out that beret wear is common for SM in my state. I know a Major with a NBB beret.

[RiverAux]

Check the difference in necklines of the uniform worn by the doctor and by the counselor and I think you'll see the real reason for the switch
(FYI, I have a Marina autographed photo too --- somewhere).

[SAR-EMT1]

 I doubt any Wing would ever allow a Beret to be worn on a regular basis. Would serve no purpose... even the Army is moving away from it. ... Heck, even the FRENCH Army is moving away from it. ( But I heard the Pineda Ranger Corps might adopt it) 

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Was he from Indiana? We have a  supplement for GT qualified people to wear a blue beret with flight cap device or C/Officer rank while in an ES environment only.

I have one and I wear it all the time for ES. It looks good over my BBDU.

I didn't see his wing patch, but it wasn't in an ES context.

Also some years ago, and I've slept since then.  First thing to go with age is the memory.

RiverAux: I noticed, obviously...when I met her she was wearing a little black dress.  She hated her costume from the first season...she said it made her look fat (don't see how, she's so tiny).

If the USAC wears a grey beret, I'm surprised they haven't caught a bit of stick from the AF Combat Weather types...elite units do tend to be somewhat protective of their distinguishing headgear.

SAR-EMT1 - I haven't noticed that other nations are phasing out berets:


Flight Lieutenant William Wales, RAF, in Afghanistan


Lieutenant Harry Wales, British Army Air Corps


General Walt Natynczyk, Chief of Canada's Defence Staff (a bit like Chairman of the JCS here)


General Wolf Langheld, Deutsche Bundeswehr

Admittedly, for whatever reason, berets have never really caught on in general usage in our armed forces.

[JeffDG]

The surnames that you ascribe to "Wales" up there is actually "Windsor-Mountbatten"

"Prince of Wales" is a title, not a name.