wear of the flight suit

[shorning]

It's got to do with the USAF pilot community protecting their status symbol...that is the only reason for it. 

Not so much. 

An AD pilot or aircrew flying as a passenger has the training to assist the active aircrew in case of an emergency.

That's more the case.  All aircrew have certian training WRT crew duties.  Even if you're not crew on that particular airframe, you know who the crew is and how to follow their instructions.  Meanwhile, true pax are only looking for the schmuck in a bag.

[JohnKachenmeister]

The why is there also a restriction on wearing BDU's?  Most of the "True Pax" in a C-130 wear BDU's and don't even know where to go to the toilet.  I know.  I was one.  In C-130's and C-141's. 

There were a lot of us in BDU who were being transported as cargo.

[shorning]

The why is there also a restriction on wearing BDU's?  Most of the "True Pax" in a C-130 wear BDU's and don't even know where to go to the toilet.  I know.  I was one.  In C-130's and C-141's. 

There were a lot of us in BDU who were being transported as cargo.

What?  Are you saying that the Air Force has a restriction on wearing BDUs when flying?  Don't think so, BTDT.  DCUs too.  Don't know where to whizz?   Ask a crew member.

[A.Member]

.

[SarDragon]

The why is there also a restriction on wearing BDU's?  Most of the "True Pax" in a C-130 wear BDU's and don't even know where to go to the toilet.  I know.  I was one.  In C-130's and C-141's. 

There were a lot of us in BDU who were being transported as cargo.

To restate -

EXCEPTION: BDUs and flight suits will not be worn. This will enable members to arrive for activity participation with the proper uniform ready to wear.

They made a rule, and they justified it (whether you agree or not).

YMMV.

[JohnKachenmeister]

My point was that the rule has nothing to do with the justification.

What if BDU's and Flight Suits WERE appropriate for activity participation?

[lordmonar]

My point was that the rule has nothing to do with the justification.

What if BDU's and Flight Suits WERE appropriate for activity participation?

I don't know...part of the restriction may come from the fact that years ago (late 80's) you were not allowed to fly on military aircraft in BDU's.  You had to be in uniform and you had to be in blues unless you were going TDY to the sand box.  That was how you could tell the "duty pax" from the "Space A'ers".

I wonder how often we actually follow this rule.  I mean I have seen any number of photos of CAP members flying on military aircraft in BDU's.

[Pylon]

I wonder how often we actually follow this rule.  I mean I have seen any number of photos of CAP members flying on military aircraft in BDU's.

So you and your cadets are going on a Military O-flight... but you shouldn't wear BDUs or flight suits.  Should SMs, erm "officers" wear polo shirts and the cadets wear blues or some such nonesense?   

Way to show our USAF counterparts we do all we can to look special and stand out like a sore thumb from the rest of the family.   

[JohnKachenmeister]

Also, at various times in a cadet's "Career" BDU's may be his only uniform.  They outgrow the blues, and BDU's are easier to replace out of surplus.

They also wear better as hand-me-downs.

Sorry, but I commanded a unit in the "Inner City" for a while.  We did so much with so little for so long, we eventually were able to do anything with nothing.

"This has been a message from your Civil Air Patrol... C.A.P.; That part of the Air Force that DOES have to have bake sales."

[DNall]

Every time I've seen a flight it was clearly stated that UOD was blues & people not in the right uniform would not get to go, but the flight crew doesn't know anything about that & people do fly in other uniforms. As I understand, it is indeed about having only qualified military flight crew in flight suits. My only guess about BDUs would be the same reason they didn't want grade on BDU hats for so long - if there's an emergency situation, they don't want any confusion about who has legal command of whom. Recall that was the logic for so long behind no thaving grade on BDU covers - cause you could deblouse & suddenly NCOs think you have legal command of them in an emergency, that's not good. Anyway who cares. If the AF designates what uniform you are to wear if you want to participate in some flight with them, either do what you're told or don't fly.

[MIKE]

WIWAC I did a KC-135 and C-130 O-rides and we wore BDUs.  Not the cleanest aircraft. 

[JohnKachenmeister]

Every time I've seen a flight it was clearly stated that UOD was blues & people not in the right uniform would not get to go, but the flight crew doesn't know anything about that & people do fly in other uniforms. As I understand, it is indeed about having only qualified military flight crew in flight suits. My only guess about BDUs would be the same reason they didn't want grade on BDU hats for so long - if there's an emergency situation, they don't want any confusion about who has legal command of whom. Recall that was the logic for so long behind no thaving grade on BDU covers - cause you could deblouse & suddenly NCOs think you have legal command of them in an emergency, that's not good. Anyway who cares. If the AF designates what uniform you are to wear if you want to participate in some flight with them, either do what you're told or don't fly.

"Legal authority to command in an emergency?"

CAP Officer:  "Get out, Sergeant, the airplane is on fire!"

AF Sergeant:  "Hey... you're only a CAP guy... You can't tell me what to do!"

CAP Officer:  "OK, Suit yourself."

AF Sergeant:  "AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Not a very likely scenario.

[DNall]

 

[Hammer]

If you don't yet have an aeronautical rating like Observer, are you prohibited from wearing the flight suit? 

On a web order form, I saw that you could order flight suit badges with emblems other than observer & pilot wings.  There were options for Christian, Jewish or Muslim Chaplains and a bunch of other emblems to go above the name and rank info. 

Sir, would you mind telling me the web sit that you were using/looking at?  I need new nameplates for my FDU.

[Hammer]

As a chaplain, I wear my chaplain's badge beside (that's the way the USAF does it ... the USAF Chief of Chaplains is a rated aviator) --to the inside-- of my aero rating badge.

Who is the new USAF Chief of Chaplains?

[shorning]

Who is the new USAF Chief of Chaplains?

...linky...

[Hammer]

Who is the new USAF Chief of Chaplains?

...linky...

Thanks, sir!

Pretty interesting, he graduated from the USAFA in 1969, got out in 1974, and came back in 1979, AND gor promoted to Captain in 1979...I didn't know you could do that,.  In theory, would the same work for a Lawyer or a Doctor?

haha he's also the only rated General that I've ever seen with Basic wings, and he's also a Paratrooper...pretty neat.  BTW, are you supposed to wear Jump Wings below the ribbons?

[Hawk200]

he's also the only rated General that I've ever seen with Basic wings, and he's also a Paratrooper...pretty neat.  BTW, are you supposed to wear Jump Wings below the ribbons?

Probably not even a paratrooper. Probably got the wings at the Air Force academy. The have a class, Airmanship 490 think it is, that gets you the jump wings. It's not even an Airborne school, you'd learn the same thing in any skydiving course.

Below the ribbons is a grey area. Technically, the AFI says it's for duty and miscelleneous badges, but the illustration in the previous rendition of 36-2903 showed  an individual with an occupational badge in that position. I guess it took off from there.

[SAR-EMT1]

Hes a General, and thus more then mere mortal. As a Chaplain General hes answerable only to God  :angel:
Point being- Try to tell a General something about his uniform.   

[AlphaSigOU]

Hes a General, and thus more then mere mortal. As a Chaplain General hes answerable only to God  :angel:
Point being- Try to tell a General something about his uniform.   

In days of old, general officers designed their own uniforms. It's since morphed into a gray area where generals will wear unique variations of the uniform, such as the blue MA-1 style flight jacket with name and rank embroidered.

Army generals are issued a general officer-specific pistol belt and pistol. About 20 years ago AFR 35-10 allowed a special belt buckle for the blues for AF general officers.