BDUs for tiny Cadets

[JoeTomasone]

So, my daughter just became a member.   I borrowed some X-Short BDUs from a local Squadron, but my she is still dwarfed by them.  Does anyone know of a good source of BDUs for teeny-tiny Cadets, where hopefully you can order by the sizes used in normal clothes?   And before anyone asks, tailoring is out.  The BDU blouse can be almost wrapped all the way around her and buttoned in the back. 

[a2capt]

This is the common solution, the pocket buttons are not hidden, the cuffs are not the same, but .. they fit.

http://armynavysuperstores.com/kidbdu.htm

They're usually available in local stores here since there's lots of military around..

[ARandomCadet]

One of the SMs from my squadron has seen cadet have to get they little Halloween costume style BDUs that you can pick up at Walmart or a costume store. She has even seen cadet have to go to encampment with the Halloween style BDUs. And I heard that when I was getting uniform items issued and a cadet who has been in since last year was asking about BDUs because he wouldn't fit into any.

Edit: Avoid getting the Halloween costume style BDUs at all costs. Only get them if as a last resort (they are going to an ALS or other activity where it is required) and there is nothing else you can do. Thanks to Storm Chaser for adding that in his post, and therefore reminding me that I forgot to put it in earlier.

[Storm Chaser]

There are a few places online where you can get BDU-style uniforms in children sizes. Bear in mind that these may not be regulation BDUs, so my advice is to look around and try to find the closes match you can find to the real BDUs. You may even be able to alter it a bit to make it look closer to the real thing (some of these uniforms have the pocket buttons exposed, for example).

Whatever you do, I wouldn't recommend getting a Halloween costume from Walmart as Cadet Rainey suggests. There are better sources for BDUs out there and a Halloween costume would just be too obvious.

[NIN]

So, my daughter just became a member.   I borrowed some X-Short BDUs from a local Squadron, but my she is still dwarfed by them.  Does anyone know of a good source of BDUs for teeny-tiny Cadets, where hopefully you can order by the sizes used in normal clothes?   And before anyone asks, tailoring is out.  The BDU blouse can be almost wrapped all the way around her and buttoned in the back. 

Yikes, thats small.

We had a small cadet for whom home tailored his BDUs. Took up the sleeves just above the cuffs about 3", relocated the bottom pockets up to only about an inch below the top pockets and folded under the hem of the shirt about 3".

From 3 ft away, you'd never know there were mods made.

However, thats making something "shorter" not making it "less tent like."

Although, I wonder if there is a way to take in the shirt in the center of the back (like a big sewn gather) in a way that is not obtrusive...

[MacGruff]

I have a cadet who has that issue, but not so much with the BDU,s - the official blues are way too large for him. As far as the BDU's goes, we found a local Army/Navy shop that carried the Woodland Pattern BDUs in smaller children sizes and they work for him.

Getting back to the Blues, the smallest size the squadron has is way too large on him. He just went to encampment and we outfitted him with the closest we could come from regular clothing stores.

[ARandomCadet]

I have a cadet who has that issue, but not so much with the BDU,s - the official blues are way too large for him. As far as the BDU's goes, we found a local Army/Navy shop that carried the Woodland Pattern BDUs in smaller children sizes and they work for him.

Getting back to the Blues, the smallest size the squadron has is way too large on him. He just went to encampment and we outfitted him with the closest we could come from regular clothing stores.

I'm that way except I'm too large. They issued me size 32 (I wear 36-38)pants,a size 15 shirt (it works but no room to grow), and a 7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8), so they went ahead and are reissuing everything to me except for the BDU pants and jacket along with the belts. Everything else has to be reissued because it is too small or too large.

[miss.aviator.girl]

I had this problem with my blues when I first joined. I can totally relate. Now I'm on a color guard and the shoulder cord and flag harness are WAY too big and I look awfully lame and out of place. That's my sob story.

[RogueLeader]

7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8),

You do realize that 7 3/4 is larger than 7 3/8 right?  If you wear a 7/34 cover with a 7 3/8 head; you are swimming in it.

[Nuke52]

I'm that way except I'm too large. They issued me size 32 (I wear 36-38)pants,a size 15 shirt (it works but no room to grow), and a 7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8), so they went ahead and are reissuing everything to me except for the BDU pants and jacket along with the belts. Everything else has to be reissued because it is too small or too large.

Man, that is a bummer.  If only you lived, oh, I don't know, near a pilot training base--for example--there might have been a military clothing sales or an army surplus store nearby...

[ARandomCadet]

7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8),

You do realize that 7 3/4 is larger than 7 3/8 right?  If you wear a 7/34 cover with a 7 3/8 head; you are swimming in it.

Exactly, and they knew that but they said it I what they could give me for now (they issues everything too small then gave me the way to large flight cap and BDU cover).

[ARandomCadet]

I'm that way except I'm too large. They issued me size 32 (I wear 36-38)pants,a size 15 shirt (it works but no room to grow), and a 7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8), so they went ahead and are reissuing everything to me except for the BDU pants and jacket along with the belts. Everything else has to be reissued because it is too small or too large.

Man, that is a bummer.  If only you lived, oh, I don't know, near a pilot training base--for example--there might have been a military clothing sales or an army surplus store nearby...

I was gone for two weeks and when I got back they said they ordered a completely new uniform. I didn't even have time to go on base and get a uniform.

[Critical AOA]

7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8),

You do realize that 7 3/4 is larger than 7 3/8 right?  If you wear a 7/34 cover with a 7 3/8 head; you are swimming in it.

I'm not sure if kids still learn fractions these days.  Heck, we already know that spelling and grammar are out.

[RogueLeader]

I'm that way except I'm too large. They issued me size 32 (I wear 36-38)pants,a size 15 shirt (it works but no room to grow), and a 7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8), so they went ahead and are reissuing everything to me except for the BDU pants and jacket along with the belts. Everything else has to be reissued because it is too small or too large.

Man, that is a bummer.  If only you lived, oh, I don't know, near a pilot training base--for example--there might have been a military clothing sales or an army surplus store nearby...

I was gone for two weeks and when I got back they said they ordered a completely new uniform. I didn't even have time to go on base and get a uniform.

You do realize that you can still go and buy your uniform on base right?  You also realize that you only get one free uniform and are expected to buy any other uniform that you needs as you grow?  Because you are.

[ARandomCadet]

I'm that way except I'm too large. They issued me size 32 (I wear 36-38)pants,a size 15 shirt (it works but no room to grow), and a 7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8), so they went ahead and are reissuing everything to me except for the BDU pants and jacket along with the belts. Everything else has to be reissued because it is too small or too large.

Man, that is a bummer.  If only you lived, oh, I don't know, near a pilot training base--for example--there might have been a military clothing sales or an army surplus store nearby...

I was gone for two weeks and when I got back they said they ordered a completely new uniform. I didn't even have time to go on base and get a uniform.

You do realize that you can still go and buy your uniform on base right?  You also realize that you only get one free uniform and are expected to buy any other uniform that you needs as you grow?  Because you are.

Yeah the one they ordered me (the replacement, that will correctly fit) is the free one you can get through eServices. My squadron has a room that is almost nothing but uniform items, and they get what will fit you out of their. Then if there is nothing that fits, then they order one through eServices.

[Eclipse]

Yeah the one they ordered me (the replacement, that will correctly fit) is the free one you can get through eServices. My squadron has a room that is almost nothing but uniform items, and they get what will fit you out of their. Then if there is nothing that fits, then they order one through eServices.

That's not how it is supposed to work - if a unit has a supply closet, great, but the free one from NHQ is supposed to go to the cadet for which it is intended, and regardless of
whether there is anything in the closet.

[ARandomCadet]

Yeah the one they ordered me (the replacement, that will correctly fit) is the free one you can get through eServices. My squadron has a room that is almost nothing but uniform items, and they get what will fit you out of their. Then if there is nothing that fits, then they order one through eServices.

That's not how it is supposed to work - if a unit has a supply closet, great, but the free one from NHQ is supposed to go to the cadet for which it is intended, and regardless of
whether there is anything in the closet.

And they are getting the supplies come directly from the base here, since CAP members can shop at the BX for uniform items. So IF they need to order one for NHQ then they will, but they try to go through what they have first.

[Eclipse]

And they are getting the supplies come directly from the base here, since CAP members can shop at the BX for uniform items. So IF they need to order one for NHQ then they will, but they try to go through what they have first.

Again, that is not how it works, and that's not where the FCU comes from.

Every cadet is entitled to an FCU, regardless of what is in the closet or what base you're near.  It's supposed to be ordered along with the member app,
or very soon after.  If you have misinformed or misguided leaders who choose to write checks and spend squadron funds for uniforms that could be obtained
from NHQ for free, well, so be it, but maybe someone at wing should be looking more closely at the WBP check requests.

[Nuke52]

I'm that way except I'm too large. They issued me size 32 (I wear 36-38)pants,a size 15 shirt (it works but no room to grow), and a 7&3/4 flight cap and BDU cover (it was the closest they had, I wear a 7&3/8), so they went ahead and are reissuing everything to me except for the BDU pants and jacket along with the belts. Everything else has to be reissued because it is too small or too large.

Man, that is a bummer.  If only you lived, oh, I don't know, near a pilot training base--for example--there might have been a military clothing sales or an army surplus store nearby...

I was gone for two weeks and when I got back they said they ordered a completely new uniform. I didn't even have time to go on base and get a uniform.

Wait just a cotton-pickin' minute!  You mean, you do live near a base??  Why didn't you say that in the first place?!?

[jeders]

And they are getting the supplies come directly from the base here, since CAP members can shop at the BX for uniform items. So IF they need to order one for NHQ then they will, but they try to go through what they have first.

Again, that is not how it works, and that's not where the FCU comes from.

Every cadet is entitled to an FCU, regardless of what is in the closet or what base you're near.  It's supposed to be ordered along with the member app,
or very soon after.  If you have misinformed or misguided leaders who choose to write checks and spend squadron funds for uniforms that could be obtained
from NHQ for free, well, so be it, but maybe someone at wing should be looking more closely at the WBP check requests.

I think what is happening here is that the squadron is getting uniforms donated from the local base and issuing from those immediately rather than deal with the 2-8 month waiting period for the FCU. It could also be that they are issuing BDUs, which aren't provided through the FCU. Either way, I'm fairly certain that they aren't buying new uniforms on base and and storing them in the supply closet.

My squadron was actually able to get about two pick-up loads full of uniforms from another squadron who had so many uniforms donated to them, that the base fire marshal (they also met on an AF base, go figure) was going to shut them down. Unfortunately, the people that went down to get the uniforms didn't do a lot of screening and just grabbed bags/boxes of uniforms. Not much need for small female blues uniforms when you have very few females.