Cloth Rank Nuances

[DakRadz]

Pylon- I like the method, sir, but I have a new-style enlisted due to the pricetag.
Once I'm in college I may purchase another in officer style and use that trick. Much appreciated!

[DakRadz]

Back to the cloth rank... Anyone have a clue why NHQ made the BDU cap 1/2 inch above the visor?
To me, it just looks... Bad. Like I threw it on there without consulting the regs.

[CAPC/officer125]

Also, for attaching the rank to the shoulderboards, I took a leaf out of C/Maj Temaat's book- well, nearly so.

First I worked the prongs off with a pair of pliers. Then I used a rasp/file to get rid of the nubs and make the entire backside of the rank flush.
Last, I used school glue to attach the rank to the board. After letting it dry for a few hours (overkill for school glue, I know) I pried the pip off with my fingernails to test the strength of this idea.

Conclusion: If I ever have that much pressure on the rank of my hard boards, there will be bigger problems than reapplying some school glue.
The only problem is I'll have to figure a way to remove the dried glue when I replace the ranks. And as C/Maj Temaat pointed out, I can't be promoted in my service coat- imagine the Sqd/CC and Wing/CC standing there with a bottle of Elmer's to *glue* on my tri-pip...

Otherwise, looks like a good way to avoid buying 3 sets of boards just because of promoting.

I use hot glue and a pair of wire cutters (no nail file...haven't thought of that)...haven't tried school or wood glue. Maybe that will work better and I won't have to redo it every so often when the seatbelt decides to see how far my rank can go. Well anyway I only have a few more months til I have a permanent rank on my shoulder so I will be getting a new set of shoulder boards around Thanksgiving (hopefully [getting the boards not the time frame]). Then I can test out my theories and figure out where the holes are now that I know they are there.

[AlphaSigOU]

Back to the cloth rank... Anyone have a clue why NHQ made the BDU cap 1/2 inch above the visor?
To me, it just looks... Bad. Like I threw it on there without consulting the regs.

Methinks someone at NHQ CAP cut-and-pasted the wear rules for the old OD ballcap without checking current wear regs in AFI 36-2903. The old cap had the grade placed 1/2" above the bill, IIRC.

[NIN]

Back to the cloth rank... Anyone have a clue why NHQ made the BDU cap 1/2 inch above the visor? To me, it just looks... Bad. Like I threw it on there without consulting the regs.

Honestly? I always cheated my rank a little on the BDU cap, cuz the 1/2" looked bad.  I lowered it a bit and it looked great and never a word was said.  (then again: I was a Lt Col, so who is really going to be inspecting my uniform?<GRIN>)

[Mustang]

Back to the cloth rank... Anyone have a clue why NHQ made the BDU cap 1/2 inch above the visor?
To me, it just looks... Bad. Like I threw it on there without consulting the regs.

Methinks someone at NHQ CAP cut-and-pasted the wear rules for the old OD ballcap without checking current wear regs in AFI 36-2903. The old cap had the grade placed 1/2" above the bill, IIRC.

What?!?  Some Person at NHQ would NEVER do that!!!   

[Hawk200]

What?!?  Some Person at NHQ would NEVER do that!!!   

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Oh yeah, the cloth patches will shrink. Especially the new style that have the diagonal weave. The old style that were webbed wouldn't shrink though. Yes, the way to get around that is washing it before you sew it on, but then you are still left with one other issue, most sewing thread shrinks also. I get around that by using a synthetic clear thread that looks a lot like fishing line. It doesnt shrink and you don't have to change colors when you go from sewing your nametapes and badges to sewing on your wing patch if yours is bordered with gold or any other color than ultramarine blue.

[DC]

Oh yeah, the cloth patches will shrink. Especially the new style that have the diagonal weave. The old style that were webbed wouldn't shrink though. Yes, the way to get around that is washing it before you sew it on, but then you are still left with one other issue, most sewing thread shrinks also. I get around that by using a synthetic clear thread that looks a lot like fishing line. It doesnt shrink and you don't have to change colors when you go from sewing your nametapes and badges to sewing on your wing patch if yours is bordered with gold or any other color than ultramarine blue.

I've always experienced the opposite. Webbed tapes shrunk and had to be prewashed, while the fabric strip tapes I have now still look perfect after many dozens of washings.

Depends I guess.

[DakRadz]

I get around that by using a synthetic clear thread that looks a lot like fishing line. It doesnt shrink and you don't have to change colors when you go from sewing your nametapes and badges to sewing on your wing patch if yours is bordered with gold or any other color than ultramarine blue.

My wing patch is bordered white, tapes/rank ultramarine, gold on the National Ensign, and white again for squadron patch. I picked up some clear thread real quick after seeing the encampment packing list.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

That clear thread really does look good too doesn't it? At least I think so.

[SarDragon]

Watch your iron temp when you use the clear thread.

[a2capt]

Watch your iron temp when you use the clear thread.

LOL.. I can see this now.. "poink.. poink.. poink.." the thread popping out.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I use my iron on my patches, it does pretty good.

[DakRadz]

Watch your iron temp when you use the clear thread.

LOL.. I can see this now.. "poink.. poink.. poink.." the thread popping out.

That, good sir, is just evil. Imagine my horror if I accidentally did that.

I'm already continuously sewing and removing patches on and off to suit my needs (JROTC or CAP). Especially when I'm told of an event less 24 hours beforehand and have the wrong program sewn on my blouse..

[jimmydeanno]

I'm already continuously sewing and removing patches on and off to suit my needs (JROTC or CAP). Especially when I'm told of an event less 24 hours beforehand and have the wrong program sewn on my blouse..

What?

[DakRadz]

I'm already continuously sewing and removing patches on and off to suit my needs (JROTC or CAP). Especially when I'm told of an event less 24 hours beforehand and have the wrong program sewn on my blouse..

What?

Sorry, forgot to add the [/rant]
A situation where I had taken my two BDU blouses and sewn CAP patches on them both (for encampment). One of those blouses was normally for JROTC.
I never got around to returning them to the configuration of having a set of CAP patches on one, JROTC patches on the other.

I was informed of an event which required me to rip off a bunch of patches and re-sew others on, within 24 hours. Hence my remark about being horrified and annoyed if my iron made permanent patches "poink" (see above) 

Anyway, I was ranting, but I hope that clears any confusion. Back to the regularly scheduled uniform thread.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I know that while you are in both JROTC and CAP you can have one uniform for both. In the 39-1 it states that you can have both patches on your shoulders one on one shoulder and the other on the other shoulder, but what it doesn't state is the reg on all the other patches?

[DakRadz]

Well sir, I could, but...

Having the patches of both on one blouse doesn't work as a cadet officer- I have sewn on rank for one, and pin on rank for JROTC.
Also, as you said, I have no clue what patch would go wear as far as nametapes and such.

We already have issues with such patches by others. I'm setting an example as the C/CC- I may be in another program, but I'm not mixing and matching even if authorized. It looks horribly non-uniform.

I think that reg is more for cadet enlisted who happen to be in JROTC- a cadet officer or C/SNCO in JROTC may not want to spend lots of money if they're unsure if CAP will work out.
By the time the Mitchell is earned, you can usually find a way to be separate.

Back on topic, I'm going to try to get the sewing done this weekend- rank and an amazing looking but PITA-shaped squadron patch which we just received

[Hawk200]

I know that while you are in both JROTC and CAP you can have one uniform for both. In the 39-1 it states that you can have both patches on your shoulders one on one shoulder and the other on the other shoulder, but what it doesn't state is the reg on all the other patches?

That no longer applies since patches were removed from the blue uniforms.