plastic encased insignia on flightsuit

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Are the navy blue grade insignia allowed on the flight jacket (blue or green; mine's blue) yet, or just the utility jumpsuit (where they look a LOT better than the plastic)?

Tip for sewing on the plastic ones: take an awl/icepick, a reliable hard surface (cutting board) and put holes in it around the edge...saves a lot of aggravation, bent needles and pricked fingers.

[lordmonar]

IIWKFAD (If I Was King For A Day) I would switch us to to the Navy's flight suit rank.

It is a small square OD patch with full color rank insigina.

None of the problems of the plastic encased, cheaper, easier to sew on, and still is full color so we can't be confused with hard core combat USAF pilots.

YMMV

[SilverEagle2]

Are the navy blue grade insignia allowed on the flight jacket (blue or green; mine's blue) yet, or just the utility jumpsuit (where they look a LOT better than the plastic)?

Navy cloth rank allowed only on Navy Nomex suit/jacket and Navy Utility.

If wearing green nomex and green flight jacket, plastic is the only option at this point.

[Fuzzy]

Or none. Probably for the best though. C/Captain would probably look pretty weird on the bag.

[SarDragon]

7. Cadet members do not wear grade insignia or CAP cutouts on the flight suit or jacket.

[SilverEagle2]

Thus why neither the Navy Blue cloth or Plastic Encased are made for cadet grades.

[SarDragon]

Thus why neither the Navy Blue cloth or Plastic Encased are made for cadet grades.

I'm sure that's more an economy of scale thing. How many cadet aircrew folks do we have? Likely fewer than the number of Cadet Colonels we've ever had, and in varying grades. Not worth making.

[AlphaSigOU]

IIWKFAD (If I Was King For A Day) I would switch us to to the Navy's flight suit rank.

It is a small square OD patch with full color rank insigina.

None of the problems of the plastic encased, cheaper, easier to sew on, and still is full color so we can't be confused with hard core combat USAF pilots.

YMMV

Only one problem with using Navy grade insignia - the grade insignia for lieutenant (our captain), lieutenant commander (major) and commander (lieutenant colonel is slightly different than the Army/Air Force's version. The connecting 'railroad tracks' are attached to the ends of the bars, rather than about a quarter-inch inward (or inboard, as our sea service brethren call it). The oak leaves are of a slightly different style; the metal versions don't have the intricate leaf-vein pattern that kind of gives the Army/Air Force version a sort of matt sheen - theirs appears to look plated. Older captain (colonel) grade insignia might show the eagle clutching a smaller grouping of arrows/laurel leaves than that shown on the Army/Air Force versions, though today's version is identical to the Army/Air Force. The illustrations show the comparisons (from Vanguard's site):

Navy LT - flight suit
CAP Captain - cloth
Navy LCDR - collar
USAF Lt Col

For the field grades cloth grades, it wouldn't be much of a problem, since they use the same style. The Navy LT grade, however,  is distinctive enough to be noticed.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I think also that the Navy/Marine/CG grade insignia are a little bit smaller than AF/Army.

You're right about the full LT railroad tracks.

[BillB]

CAP used to have OD cloth grade insignia. And with Big Blue going to subdued insignia, it would not be confused with USAF rank. I think I still have a flight suit with the OD background. (or whatever USAF called the background for flight suits)

[lordmonar]

AphaSigOU....you are right the Navy insignia is not exactly the same.....but compare them to the Plastic Encased rank (PER)

IIRC the PER for Captain does not even have the connecting bars.

The minor differences are not that noticable.....and if anyone asks....we just say WE ARE CAP no different than now when they ask about the PERs.

Another solution to the problem.....and one the USAF would really love.....is just removed the rank from the shoulder all together!

We just have our rank on the leather name patch and be done with it.

[AlphaSigOU]

AphaSigOU....you are right the Navy insignia is not exactly the same.....but compare them to the Plastic Encased rank (PER)

IIRC the PER for Captain does not even have the connecting bars.

The minor differences are not that noticable.....and if anyone asks....we just say WE ARE CAP no different than now when they ask about the PERs.

Another solution to the problem.....and one the USAF would really love.....is just removed the rank from the shoulder all together!

We just have our rank on the leather name patch and be done with it.

Agree with ya 100%; if it means we can keep green bags, it's OK by me. But methinks the 'zipper-suited-sun-god-mafia' would have conniptions over F&Fs besmirching their duty uniform! 

[Hawk200]

AphaSigOU....you are right the Navy insignia is not exactly the same.....but compare them to the Plastic Encased rank (PER)

IIRC the PER for Captain does not even have the connecting bars.

The minor differences are not that noticable.....and if anyone asks....we just say WE ARE CAP no different than now when they ask about the PERs.

Another solution to the problem.....and one the USAF would really love.....is just removed the rank from the shoulder all together!

We just have our rank on the leather name patch and be done with it.

Agree with ya 100%; if it means we can keep green bags, it's OK by me. But methinks the 'zipper-suited-sun-god-mafia' would have conniptions over F&Fs besmirching their duty uniform! 

I suggested this at one time, and the response was overwhelmingly negative. You'd think I was trying to take everyone's birthday away.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Another solution to the problem.....and one the USAF would really love.....is just removed the rank from the shoulder all together!

We just have our rank on the leather name patch and be done with it.

NCO aircrews (loadmasters, etc) in the AF do that.

[Hawk200]

Another solution to the problem.....and one the USAF would really love.....is just removed the rank from the shoulder all together!

We just have our rank on the leather name patch and be done with it.

NCO aircrews (loadmasters, etc) in the AF do that.

All enlisted do.

[tsrup]

Another solution to the problem.....and one the USAF would really love.....is just removed the rank from the shoulder all together!

We just have our rank on the leather name patch and be done with it.

NCO aircrews (loadmasters, etc) in the AF do that.

All enlisted do.

Along with all of the USMC

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Along with all of the USMC

Officers included?  New one on me...

[Hawk200]

Along with all of the USMC

Officers included?  New one on me...

MCPUB Link: http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/sites/mcub/library/MCUR/URCH7.htm#UR7005

It only mentions the nameplate, 7005 para 5. Patches and such are probably local suppplements.

[tsrup]

Along with all of the USMC

Officers included?  New one on me...

MCPUB Link: http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/sites/mcub/library/MCUR/URCH7.htm#UR7005

It only mentions the nameplate, 7005 para 5. Patches and such are probably local suppplements.

First Faux Pas (that I remember, there were many, along with addressing myself as "cadet") as a Midshipmen candidate... not giving proper greeting of the day to a Marine Corps officer in a bag because he didn't have anything on his shoulders..

Mistake not made twice.