Common Uniform Infractions?

[Dragoon]

I would agree - the golf shirt is, or at least should be, a utility uniform (if you need to have it at all).  Fly in it, hunt ELTS in it, work mission base in it.  But don't go to National Board Meetings in it.

But until then, it's a service uniform.  And while men can wear black sneakers with it, women cannot, based on the wording.

[Fiddes_CAP-065]

1) Boots tucked instead of bloused.
2) " Ranger Rolled" patrol caps
3) Aerosmith black T-shirts under BDU's
4) Sleeves rolled 4 inches above elbows so cadets can show off their 19 inch guns...
5) Obese senior members wearing AF style uniforms that look like sausage casings....
6) State Military reserve, salvation Army, or ACA uniforms worn to CAP activities.
7) Queer eye for the straight guy-inspired multi-color squadron caps.
8) Is that a pledge pin on your uniform?!!!


Major Lord

Disabled smileys -MIKE

I believe the ranger rolled patrol caps is unit choice

Its not just the senior members that have the obesity problem, I have seen plenty of cadets

The 'ranger roll' is never, ever okay.

I just looked it up in the 39-1, and I stand corrected.  My apologies for any confusion.

[DC]

In my experience, and in no particular order:

1. LACK OF PRESSING! I see too many cadets and seniors that don't seem to know what an iron or starch is, or don't seem to think it is necessary.

2. Shoe Shine, especially with boots. Also to tie in with this, scuffed corframs. I hate the things because once you nick them they're ruined, but I've seen many people continue to wear them even with an appearance similar to black brushed aluminum.

3. Sleeve roll on BDUs too large. M39-1 mandates that the roll on the sleeve should be somewhere in the vicinity of two inches in width. Most cadets I've seen keep them at four inches or more, and the inside part of the sleeve is always creeping out of the roll.

4. Jewelry, especially exposed necklaces, and too many earrings.

5. Not wearing a tie with the long sleeve blues shirt

6. Wrong belt with BDUs

7. Facial Hair, mustashes that extend way beyond the lip, or in one instance that I've seen, a full-blown beard in a USAF style uniform...

8. Navy/Marine style patrol cap instead of the proper Army/Air Force style.

9. Improper tuck in of shirt. Both cadets and senior walking around with their shirt rolling over the top of their pants because the don't tuck it in all the way, and won't wear shirt stays to keep it there...

[floridacyclist]

1) Boots tucked instead of bloused.

And the problem with this is? I don't see the problem as long as they are not tapered MC Hammer-style.

[Stonewall]

1) Boots tucked instead of bloused.

And the problem with this is? I don't see the problem as long as they are not tapered MC Hammer-style.

Has that the same as peg-legged?

[floridacyclist]

I think so...although I had always previously thought that peg-legged meant squared-off like when you put cardboard rings in the bottom; I'm just looking at the definition of blousing. Either way, it's simply supposed to be gathered in and draped loosely, regardless of how you gather it. I'm just not sure why some folks have cows over tucking pants in when that is the way we always did it in the RealMilitary@. At one activity we had, I actually had a head cadet going around having cadets pull up on their pants leg to prove that they weren't tucked in. It would seem to me that if he couldn't tell by looking at them, then it was probably within regs.

AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 36-2903, DRESS AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE
OF AIR FORCE PERSONNEL

"Blouse trousers over combat boots or tuck trousers into boots to give a bloused effect. Blousing is defined as: to gather in and drape loosely (cannot be folded or have a tapered look)".

[ddelaney103]

I think so...although I had always previously thought that peg-legged meant squared-off like when you put cardboard rings in the bottom; I'm just looking at the definition of blousing. Either way, it's simply supposed to be gathered in and draped loosely, regardless of how you gather it.

AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 36-2903, DRESS AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE
OF AIR FORCE PERSONNEL

"Blouse trousers over combat boots or tuck trousers into boots to give a bloused effect. Blousing is defined as: to gather in and drape loosely (cannot be folded or have a tapered look)".

Some "high-speed types" like to put rings in the bottom of the pant to make it look more bloused.  That's legal, if a little silly.

"Peg legging" is when you wrap the pants around your leg so it looks skin tight from the top of the calf right down into the boots.  That's a no-no.

[SStradley]

1) Boots tucked instead of bloused.

And the problem with this is? I don't see the problem as long as they are not tapered MC Hammer-style.

I tuck and then drap excess down the boot top to look bloused I guess.  I tuck to keep ticks, ants and chiggers out.  I don't know anyother way, 

[mikeylikey]

1) Boots tucked instead of bloused.

And the problem with this is? I don't see the problem as long as they are not tapered MC Hammer-style.

I tuck and then drap excess down the boot top to look bloused I guess.  I tuck to keep ticks, ants and chiggers out.  I don't know anyother way, 

You are correct.  That is the smart way to do it. 

[Stonewall]

In the Army we tucked our pants in and bloused them over...basically let them hang out. 

Now, in the Air Force (Guard), most people blouse them on the outside with blousing rubbers, but since no one really cares in the AF, lots of people do either or.  But I have yet to see anyone "peg-leg" it.

[SARMedTech]

1) Boots tucked instead of bloused.

And the problem with this is? I don't see the problem as long as they are not tapered MC Hammer-style.

Has that the same as peg-legged?

We were just talking about this at an IMERT meeting with some friends. For our purposes, "pegging" is wear you take the cuff of your pants,old it over so its tight against the leg, then tuck it into your boot as far as it will go, giving a tapered, clean but not very attractive look. The only time I peg mine is if we are out in the field and I dont want catch my pants on anything or where the possibility of critters in the boots is very real. I will also some times do it of the for foul weather (alot of snow, rain, etc.

Personally, I usually just put on my pants, then my socks and then my side zip boots. I zip up the boots and adjust them as need be. Then I take the old fashioned (ala WWII) green braided blousing bands and put it just above the "cuff of my boot. Make final adjustments to the boots, then take the pants leg and turn it up and inside the pant leg, thus securing the "extra" fabric under the blouser and presto! perfectly bloused boots.

One suggestion though: if you have trouble with diabetes, etc with poor circulation or you are a heavier individual, I would use the black or camo nylon 2" wide strips with velcro at each end. Any military type can show you whats involved with using these as it differs from the cord and hook type I use. The wider band distributes the pressure more evenly and you stand a better chance of not have your legs swell. Plus you can adjust the tightness of them because of the velcro. with the braided/hook model, your stuck with as far as it will stretch.

I personally dont like the pegged look at all and have only seen it used when I was working medical standby for our local NG Chem Battallion. They pegged them so as to make it easier getting in and out of MOP suits. Also, some of our IMERT members dont blouse at all due to size or comfort or just plain preference and this is allowed provided the cuffs are in good order and not fraid. Just take out the blousing string sewn into the cuff. Sometimes when I am in the field i will either leave then down and not bloused our roll them up to just below the top of my boot...sort of basic training style.

YMMV/

[floridacyclist]

Since we all seem to be in agreement, how did "boots tucked instead of bloused" make it onto a list of uniform infractions if they seem to be one and the same?

[Hawk200]

Since we all seem to be in agreement, how did "boots tucked instead of bloused" make it onto a list of uniform infractions if they seem to be one and the same?

The're not one and the same. There is a difference between them.

However, tucking used to be against the CAP manual, and the AFI. The current wording in -2903 now permits it, as long as the pant leg presents a bloused appearance. It used to be an issue, but it's not anymore since the AFI changed.

According to the AFI, both practices are now permitted.

[Dragoon]

That's good. Cause if you do it right, it's almost impossible to tell the difference unless you squat down next to the guy and try to spot his socks..

[mdickinson]

The infractions I see the most are:

1. BDUs worn with black belt instead of blue.
2. BDUs worn with silver buckle instead of subdued.
3. Senior members (who may or may not be within the height/weight regulation) wearing uniforms that are too small (Blues, BDUs, and especially mess dress). In the case of the "I-can-still-squeeze-into-it" mess dress, those seated nearby at dinner advised to wear safety glasses, because that double-button-linky-thing looks like it's about to explode... 
4. Embroidered rank on BDU collar positioned incorrectly (not aligned with front of collar)
5. Crew-neck T-shirt worn under a blues shirt with open collar.
6. AF-style uniforms worn with civilian outerwear (seems to happen most frequently with the sage green flight suit)
7. Seniors wearing blue name plate (intended for wear on the white-and-blue uniform) on AF blue shirt (gray nameplate should be worn).
8. Seniors wearing black or gray name plate on white-and-blue uniform shirt (blue nameplate should be worn).
9. Cadet officers wearing metal grade insignia on collar of BDU shirt.
10. Seniors in AF-style uniforms with hair too long (touching the ears).
11. Improperly positioned patches on flight suit (No, you cannot wear your "Inland SAR School" patch on the right breast pocket... or the ES patch on the right shoulder!)

[mikeylikey]

^ #1, isn't a riggers belt allowed now? 
#8, when were Cadets allowed to wear pin-on?  I think when I was one, we were allowed pin-on (not sure hats or both hats and bdu shirt).  They should be permitted to wear pin-on insignia for they promote faster than Officers.

[Hawk200]

1. BDUs worn with black belt instead of blue.

The Air Force permits this now. Some CAP personnel are following suit.

I think this occured because the Army went to the tan web belt, and there were loads of black ones available. So Air Force personnel started wearing them.

[mdickinson]

1. BDUs worn with black belt instead of blue.

The Air Force permits this now. Some CAP personnel are following suit.

"Some CAP personnel" are wrong. CAPR 39-1 makes it very clear that the only belt we wear with our BDUs is a blue belt with an open-face subdued buckle.

What seems to happen is that one person in a unit, or a wing, gets it into their head that something unauthorized (like a black belt) is "OK," and then convinces others that it's OK. Then when someone points out that a dozen people at a unit, or an encampment, etc. are wearing the uniform incorrectly, they protest that they are sure it's OK.

But it's not.

[Hawk200]

1. BDUs worn with black belt instead of blue.

The Air Force permits this now. Some CAP personnel are following suit.

"Some CAP personnel" are wrong. CAPR 39-1 makes it very clear that the only belt we wear with our BDUs is a blue belt with an open-face subdued buckle.

What seems to happen is that one person in a unit, or a wing, gets it into their head that something unauthorized (like a black belt) is "OK," and then convinces others that it's OK. Then when someone points out that a dozen people at a unit, or an encampment, etc. are wearing the uniform incorrectly, they protest that they are sure it's OK.

But it's not.

I didn't say it was right, only explained the reason why it was occuring.

But since we have a "uniform hotline" thread, I'll post it in there. There's no reason why a CAP member shouldn't be able to get almost everything they need at an Air Force Mil Clothing store.

[isuhawkeye]

"Some CAP personnel" are wrong. CAPR 39-1 makes it very clear that the only belt we wear with our BDUs is a blue belt with an open-face subdued buckle.

What seems to happen is that one person in a unit, or a wing, gets it into their head that something unauthorized (like a black belt) is "OK," and then convinces others that it's OK. Then when someone points out that a dozen people at a unit, or an encampment, etc. are wearing the uniform incorrectly, they protest that they are sure it's OK.

And others just dont care about a uniform infraction that you never really see