CAP Color Guard Uniform Issue

[AirForceBlue117]

Hello, alright...my squadron is kind of on the flips right now, so I would really like to know this. Ok, we just got in a Leadership Officer (Previously Air Force Honor Guard) and he pushed a lot to let us have a color guard, he made me the Color Guard Team Leader (As its called I believe), and he wanted to me ask someone about the uniform. Is the Color Guard team allowed to use Service Dress (Not in Cadet Competitions, but at local events like at a town hall meeting)?

[Майор Хаткевич]

What does the uniform manual say? How about the color guard pubs?

[AirForceBlue117]

Which one? I don't remember any manuals stating anything about Color Guard uniform regs. except in competition. Also, I've seen a lot of squadron color guards use service dress with the flight caps instead of the service caps like Honor Guard.

[AlphaSigOU]

Which one? I don't remember any manuals stating anything about Color Guard uniform regs. except in competition. Also, I've seen a lot of squadron color guards use service dress with the flight caps instead of the service caps like Honor Guard.

OK, cadet... you get one free pass. Refer to CAPM 39-1 for specifications on the Honor Guard/Color Guard uniform.

[PHall]

Which one? I don't remember any manuals stating anything about Color Guard uniform regs. except in competition. Also, I've seen a lot of squadron color guards use service dress with the flight caps instead of the service caps like Honor Guard.

OK, cadet... you get one free pass. Refer to CAPM 39-1 for specifications on the Honor Guard/Color Guard uniform.

He's just asking if it is alright for a Color Guard to wear the Service Dress uniform while presenting the colors at a City Council meeting.
In short, yes it is. The only restrictions I would put on this is that all of the uniforms must be of the same type, i.e. either all new style or all old style, for uniformity.

[AlphaSigOU]

Which one? I don't remember any manuals stating anything about Color Guard uniform regs. except in competition. Also, I've seen a lot of squadron color guards use service dress with the flight caps instead of the service caps like Honor Guard.

OK, cadet... you get one free pass. Refer to CAPM 39-1 for specifications on the Honor Guard/Color Guard uniform.

He's just asking if it is alright for a Color Guard to wear the Service Dress uniform while presenting the colors at a City Council meeting.
In short, yes it is. The only restrictions I would put on this is that all of the uniforms must be of the same type, i.e. either all new style or all old style, for uniformity.

OK, I'll buy that.

[Angus]

First off congrats on building a team up.  I wish more units would take the Color Guard serious.   :clap: :clap:

Also it's not common but if the situation needs you can also wear BDU's.  Those particular situations are few and far between.  Adding onto what has been said yes you can wear service dress when not in competition.  In my opinion this looks much more professional, I would also agree that all should be the same version either current or old style service coat.  As far as head gear goes, I would suggest using the helmets. When you wear them and are using the ascots it looks pretty darn impressive.  If you have a sharply dressed and trained team they'll be a great recruiting tool and also cold go far in the competition.   

[kwe1009]

Helmets are not authorized with the Honor Guard uniform.  If you are just going to have a color guard team then there is probably some grey area there. 

Color Guards can wear the blue uniform (with or without service coat), white gloves, white web belt, and white shoulder cord.  If you choose to wear ascots, they will be plain (only Honor Guard is authorized to wear the CAP Honor Guard patch).  Headgear is the flight cap (unless your wing authorizes helmets or service caps).  No boots with the blues either. 

If your unit can't provide those items then start small and work your way up to a full uniform.  The items below are in my opinion the most important to the least important:

• White gloves
• Parade Rifles
• White shoulder cord
• White pistol belt
• White flag slings
• White ascots
• Service coat

Good luck and probably the most important piece of advice I can give on this subject is to be innovative.  Color Guard is much more that what is in the Color Guard competition regulations.  Don't even look at that document in fact.  It only applies to competition (for instance, there is no regulation against having cadet officers in a Color Guard).  Learn "Respect for the Flag" and have fun.  There is no set way things like posting colors has to be as long as you follow the rules for respecting the flag.  I was in the Air Force Honor Guard for over 3 years and we were always trying to come up with different and cooler looking ways to do things.  Remember that it is a performance and your team is the co-star of the show (the American flag is the star).

[abdsp51]

No boots with the blues either. 

Boots are authorized with the blues uniform and there is nothing in 39-1 that prohibits them being worn by a color guard. 

[Flying Pig]

Just some friendly advice....  probably one of the worst atrocities committed by a color guard is when they end up looking like a bunch of rodeo clowns.  Shoulder cords, ascots, white shoe laces, bloused boots, pistol belts with big chrome buckles......

In regards to uniforms, go with moderation and let the focus be on the flag.  Not looking like a vanguard catalog exploded on you.

[Eclipse]

In regards to uniforms, go with moderation and let the focus be on the flag.  Not looking like a vanguard catalog exploded on you.

Exactly.

Spend >6 months< just learning how to properly post colors and not stepping on each other's heels, etc.

I've seen too many units drop $$$$! on "stuff" for CG only to have the cadets realize it's actually "work" and lose interest.

A tight / right team can put on a different hat, but wearing full regalia and not knowing which hand to salute with is embarrassing.

A few years ago we had a senior member who wanted to start a senior honor guard (yeah, I know, I know).  Thought through,
it wasn't necessarily >that< bad of an idea.  The intention was to have a core group of experienced seniors who practiced a lot
that could fill in for military honor guards at funerals and wakes when cadets could not attend, etc. (I know, I know). It was presented
as much as a team builder as an HG.

Anyway, there was a lot of attention spent on "heel taps", they may have practiced twice, and that was the end of that.

[kwe1009]

No boots with the blues either. 

Boots are authorized with the blues uniform and there is nothing in 39-1 that prohibits them being worn by a color guard.

True, I meant to say "bloused blues pant with boots".  Also, wearing boots with blues does not really present a good look to me unless you are blousing the pants.

[abdsp51]

True, I meant to say "bloused blues pant with boots".  Also, wearing boots with blues does not really present a good look to me unless you are blousing the pants.

That can be debated.  When I was still Security Forces on blues Mondays I wore boots with my blues and it looked much better than low quarters and much more comfortable.

[Eclipse]

True, I meant to say "bloused blues pant with boots".  Also, wearing boots with blues does not really present a good look to me unless you are blousing the pants.

CAP never blouses dress pants, so not something that would ever come up unless it was raised like this.

Nothing wrong with the boots if they are clean.

[Angus]

True, I meant to say "bloused blues pant with boots".  Also, wearing boots with blues does not really present a good look to me unless you are blousing the pants.

CAP never blouses dress pants, so not something that would ever come up unless it was raised like this.

Nothing wrong with the boots if they are clean.

Eclipse, I think that' it's best to say "CAP isn't supposed to blouse blues when wearing boots.  But I'm sure we all know someone who may have tried it and then been told to fix it.

[Eclipse]

Eclipse, I think that' it's best to say "CAP isn't supposed to blouse blues when wearing boots.  But I'm sure we all know someone who may have tried it and then been told to fix it.

((*sigh*)) sadly you are correct - I met a member once who had his gray dress slacks bloused with his golf shirt.

[Flying Pig]

Did he have CAP jump wings?

[Angus]

Eclipse, I think that' it's best to say "CAP isn't supposed to blouse blues when wearing boots.  But I'm sure we all know someone who may have tried it and then been told to fix it.

((*sigh*)) sadly you are correct - I met a member once who had his gray dress slacks bloused with his golf shirt.

Ew,that's even worse sounding than blousing with blues.  I've seen it once the person who did actually made it look decent.  Wrong, but decent.

[Mitchell 1969]

(for instance, there is no regulation against having cadet officers in a Color Guard).

It used to, back in the way back when. In my opinion, it should be there now.

It is US military custom* that care, custody and general responsibility for carrying colors is the responsibility of non-officer personnel. That's why the restriction is in place for color guard competitions, why would it possibly be otherwise outside of competition?

*Yes, I know, we are "not in the military." But we are certainly "of the military" when it comes to ranks, drill and ceremonies, customs, traditions.

[LSThiker]

why would it possibly be otherwise outside of competition?

Sometimes a squadron is only able to field 3 qualified NCOs and 1 officer for a presentation of the colors due to busy weekday schedules, lack of cadet numbers (recruitment event), or any number of reasons.