As a regular member, how do I start the ball roling if I have a uniform change suggestion? How do I get it to the National Board?
Quote from: flyguy06 on March 27, 2009, 04:12:37 PM
As a regular member, how do I start the ball roling if I have a uniform change suggestion? How do I get it to the National Board?
You have to present the idea to your chain of command. The only ones who can really present it is the members of the NB. Your best bet would be the wing commander.
what's the suggestion?
I would like to see us get rid of the grey epulates. I would like to see us go back to blue epulets on the air force blue uniform
Talk about a long-shot.
Quote from: RiverAux on March 27, 2009, 06:13:44 PM
Talk about a long-shot.
I'd have to agree. I thought someone tried that even with adding "CAP" to them and it went down. The Grey does have a distinctive look which how the Air Force likes it.
We used to wear blue epulets with "CAP" on them back inthe 80's. SOmething happened to make the USAF get rid of that.
IIRC it was because we looked to much like our AF counterparts. They want us to look different now hence the grey.
Quote from: Black Angus on March 27, 2009, 06:31:20 PM
IIRC it was because we looked to much like our AF counterparts. They want us to look different now hence the grey.
I'm pretty sure that is just one of the about ten rumors.
I still have the blue CAP epaulets. They were my dads. Capt, Maj, LTC. Im holding onto them just in case.
I wouldn't expect to be going back that way any time soon. The closest we'll come is the CSU with the actual air force insignia.
What is a CSU?
Corprate Service Uniform the AF blue pants with White Aviator Shirt. AKA the TPU.
I submitted one back in 1975 that is still on the books. It went through the chain on command, got voted in. If it's a good idea, you have a good chance, but if it's something that already has a history, like blue shoulder marks, I'm afraid there's already a smoking hole where it's already crashed and burned.
I think this idea falls in the category of items that they have probably informally or even formally discussed at the NB in the past so wouldn't really need to be brought to their attention.
Now, if you've got a great new idea about a policy or procedure, like Gunner did, thats probably the sort of thing that you would want to start up the chain of command.
Just playing devil's advocate:
What would be the justification for the change from grey to blue?
IIRC, this has been brought up in the NB several times, and has been shot down every time.
A year or so ago, Midway 6 over at CAPBlog had a Q & A session with Col Hodgkins, CAP-USAF/CC. One of those questions was along the lines of "What would it take to get the blue epaulets back?" Col Hodgkins's response was something like "It's just not going to happen."
Sooner or later, the Air Force is going to say "How many different definitions of NO do you folks have?"
Do I miss the old blue? Yep. Did I despise the berryboards? Yep. Do I like the grey we have now? Well, it looks better than the berryboards. FWIW, I wish we'd have brought back the blue ones, with CAP, for the CSU.
QuoteFWIW, I wish we'd have brought back the blue ones, with CAP, for the CSU.
This would have certainly helped set the stage for requesting them on the AF-style service dress uniform.
yea you defentally dont want RED back
As one who regularly wears the TPU CSU I wouldn't mind seeing the following changes proposed:
Ditch the AF blue shoulder marks for the gray CAP shoulder marks. Personally, I don't feel comfortable wearing RealAirForce® shoulder marks, which might confuse us at a distance for a member of Ma Blue. I think the gray shoulder marks contrasts well with the blue trousers and white shirt while making us distinctive from Ma Blue. Cadinks can still wear the blue shoulder marks, since their insignia is markedly different from that of senior members.
Eighty-six the two line blue nameplate for the three-line blue or gray nameplate (the color differentiating cadet/senior status) across the board. Keep the two-line CSU style brushed silver nameplate for both AF-style and CSU service dress jackets.
My two cents' worth, before the black vans and the guys in white coats offering me to wear a straitjacket take me on a one-way trip to the looney bin... ;D
This has been beaten to death: one year before an NB a wing commander sent an email over the winglist calling for uniform suggestions, and specifically specifically said NOT to mention blue boards, as this was run up the chain ad-nauseum.
It all boils down to this: If you want blue boards, wear the white shirt. (Frankly, I'm surprised that USAF let us get away with even that.)
I also like the idea of ONE brushed two-line nameplate for the service coat (USAF and CSU)
I would like to see what the NB or the Uniform committee comes up with for the replacement for the silver braid on the CSU, if any. I initially thought the braid was cool until I started seeing members in pictures (I really don't care anymore about looking USAF-like) the silver just awkwardly stands out. We ought to use black, like the army does: what-the-hey, their phasing out their service greens anyway, and in a couple of years, it will become CAP-distinctive by default.
Also, what happened at NB on the unit commander's badge below the pocket?
In general, good luck with uniform suggestions: remember that Wing Commanders get them by the ton.
Quote from: O-Rex on March 30, 2009, 01:58:29 PMI also like the idea of ONE brushed two-line nameplate for the service coat (USAF and CSU)
Second, wholeheartedly.
Quote from: O-Rex on March 30, 2009, 01:58:29 PM
Also, what happened at NB on the unit commander's badge below the pocket?
Would like to know that myself.