OAKLEY GOVERNMENT SALES

[Spaceman3750]

They said they changed management about a year ago and that since then they have tightened the policies. Read the email though, It says that ALL CAP MEMBERS are deemed not qualified.   

I was just reapproved about 2 months ago...

[coolkites]

Here is part of the email they sent me today.
*******************************************************************************************************
"the Civil Air Patrol program as a whole does not  meet the requirements of entry into US Standard Issue.  As stated on our website,
                "The program is for active duty military, reserve, federal and local law enforcement, fire, EMS and those holding military retiree credentials. We have developed a strong program over the past 20 years and we want to ensure that the integrity of the program is held high."

*********************************************************************************************************
EDIT: removed part of email, I was planning to reply back.

[Larry Mangum]

Unsolicited advice,  backoff. You are a cadet and I don't really think you want to compare the things a CAP cadet does with policemen, firemen and the military.  You do not represent CAP and I would suggest that you ask your squadron commander to push the issue up the chain. What you will do is convince them that there are dealing with a teenager, and they may very well close down the program for all CAP Members, if they have not already done so based upon the conversations you have already described here.

You seem to have forgotten, that if someone or a company chooses to grant us a discount because of our association with the Air Force, it is a privilege and not a right. Simply say think you sir/mam for your time and move on.

[coolkites]

I hate to admit it but you are right  :angel:. I guess I just wanted to take action because I was irritated at the way the ran me around and with the response I received form them. I guess the "new" management will do as they please and it looks like they are going to keep those policies tightened.  I'll plan on speaking with my chain of command to see what advice they would have towards the situation. I appreciate your unsolicited advice. Thank you.

[HGjunkie]

Well, if this is how the new management is treating CAP, I may look elsewhere for sunglasses in the future.

[mclarke]

I still have access to my account, and I just made it last month. Maybe it is just for seniors? I have no idea. Would be nice if CAP as a whole would be allowed (considering that we do a lot of ES, with no pay), but either way, I am glad for what benefits we do get.

[anonymous former c/col]

Oh my god.  Is this what CAP has come to?  I would have been kicked out of CAP in my day for CALLING A PRIVATE COMPANY AND DEMANDING A DISCOUNT that is clearly only authorized for the listed agencies.  I know and I can comment because I do qualify for reduced cost protective eyewear, and I was a CAP cadet.  Cadet and SMs who do this, you should be ashamed.  Why don't you demand a military discount at restaurants?  That'll save you 5%.  Oakley does that program as a courtesy to those of us who could lose our eyes on the job and end our careers.  Soldiers from IEDs, police/fire/EMS from violent patients, puke, car batteries, etc.  WE are doing a job that we can't walk away from, unlike CAP.  No Safety officer comes along and stops us. 

OAKLEY is not under any formal requirement to give you what you want, no matter how bad you want it.  If little people like you cause Oakley to cancel this program saying "Too many entitled little people were calling getting crazy about their assumed discount...it's not worth it"

... well, why don't you trying reading the testimonials by the SOLDIERS whose eyes were saved in combat.  Learn a lesson, fast, there high speed.

HGJunkie, you should be an Airman again for a while, and is no way for an HONORguardsman to conduct himself.

I think this last thread does it for me.  I have no interest in CAP membership if this is how it is.  Shameful.

WHAT HAPPENED TO MORAL LEADERSHIP PEOPLE?!

[mclarke]

Oh my god.  Is this what CAP has come to?  I would have been kicked out of CAP in my day for CALLING A PRIVATE COMPANY AND DEMANDING A DISCOUNT that is clearly only authorized for the listed agencies.  I know and I can comment because I do qualify for reduced cost protective eyewear, and I was a CAP cadet.  Cadet and SMs who do this, you should be ashamed.  Why don't you demand a military discount at restaurants?  That'll save you 5%.  Oakley does that program as a courtesy to those of us who could lose our eyes on the job and end our careers.  Soldiers from IEDs, police/fire/EMS from violent patients, puke, car batteries, etc.  WE are doing a job that we can't walk away from, unlike CAP.  No Safety officer comes along and stops us. 

OAKLEY is not under any formal requirement to give you what you want, no matter how bad you want it.  If little people like you cause Oakley to cancel this program saying "Too many entitled little people were calling getting crazy about their assumed discount...it's not worth it"

... well, why don't you trying reading the testimonials by the SOLDIERS whose eyes were saved in combat.  Learn a lesson, fast, there high speed.

HGJunkie, you should be an Airman again for a while.

I think this last thread does it for me.  I have no interest in CAP membership if this is how it is.  Shameful.

I agree, however, when I signed up I was under the impression (from this thread) it was authorized. Had I know I would have used my FD credentials (which my ID is always in my car, so yeah, easier to use my CAP).

I do have to comment on one thing though, CAP people are just as in need of eyewear as EMS/FD. Plane Crash, working with these floors and tornadoes. Sure, we can just walk away, just like cops and EMS can resign... But we dont, and CAP members do not get paid either.

[coolkites]

It's strange. They were extremely nice on the phone but they kept giving me the run around as to why SMs qualified and cadets did not. The manager I talked to seemed sympathetic but said the decision not to allow cadets came from higher up. I asked him if he could do anything about it and he said he would see if they would authorize me since I explained to him the role cadets play. Apparently the answer he got back was that nobody in CAP is authorized. I had never heard of this new management before this but I guess they tightened things down and the word just never got passed down or wasn't/isn't enforced. To be honest I don't think they are really preventing all members from using the program. I think that is just what they told me, maybe to make me not get my feelings hurt or something. Silly but whatever. Like Larry Mangum said, it's a privilege and not a right. If they won't authorize me then it's really not that big of a deal. I can have another member with an account order boots for me or I can look elsewhere (5.11, UA, and others). If I really wanted to get authorized I could talk to my chain of command and see if they either have access through supply or something. To be fair I can almost see their side when they told me cadets didn't qualify. They don't want 12yr old kids ordering gear, likely for a number of reasons. Not really a big deal in the end.

To be clear I didn't demand they give me a discount. I simply inquired as to why cadets didn't qualify. the lady pointed me to her manager when she didn't know. I was curious so I asked. He didn't know and he told me he would get back to me. Nobody was demanding anything. I'm sorry anonymous former c/col if I or anyone else made it sound that way.

EDIT: Mclarke: I agree. If they had made a decision not to allow cadets then so be it. I was very curious as to why and because the manager didn't know either, he said that he could find out for me. From all the people who posted before me it appeared that cadets were allowed. When my application was denied I did what they (Oakley) told me to and I called for clarification. I don't think anyone here had negative or offensive intent at all.

[HGjunkie]

HGJunkie, you should be an Airman again for a while.

Whoa. Whoa. I served my time as an Airman. I'm just saying that Oakley used to grant us Access to USSI and now they won't for whatever reason. I don't think anyone is "Demanding" that Oakley re-grant us access (or discounts), they're just expressing disdain that we're suddenly barred from registering.

[anonymous former c/col]

If you want it, pay for it.  No one owes you anything.

I apologize for nothing.  I read this whole thread and all of you had this tone of "WHAAAAA!  They won't give me what I want!" 

Did you actually read the agencies they give this courtesy to?  I don't care who they gave it to in the past - view it as "Well, got one buy 'em."

CAP migh "need" protective eyewear.  I don't care.  I did my time on flight line and in the field.  Buy it.

I'm serious - you all have something to learn from the tone of gratitude from the soldiers who had their eyes saved by Oakleys.

[mclarke]

If you want it, pay for it.  No one owes you anything.

Or go on ebay

[HGjunkie]

and is no way for an HONORguardsman to conduct himself.

I'm actually curious as to what I did to make you think i'm mis-representing the Honor Guard.

[anonymous former c/col]

HGJunkie you are supposed to conduct youself with behavior above reproach.  "If this is how they want to treat CAP, I'll take my business elsewhere."

That says immature, entitled, whiny cadet to me.  And worthy of reproach.

[HGjunkie]

HGJunkie you are supposed to conduct youself with behavior above reproach.  "If this is how they want to treat CAP, I'll take my business elsewhere."

That says immature, entitled, whiny cadet to me.  And worthy of reproach.

Well, if i'm not granted access to the site, I kind of have to take my business elsewhere. Now, i'll still buy Oakley products, but I have to pay a higher mark-up and i'm not buying directly from Oakley (which I think is a better idea, but that's IMO).

Granted, I could have worded that phrase better, but I'm not acting entitled. Or whiny. Or immature, and I think the way i've been posting has kept my behavior above reproach.

[coolkites]

If you want it, pay for it.  No one owes you anything.

I apologize for nothing.  I read this whole thread and all of you had this tone of "WHAAAAA!  They won't give me what I want!" 

Did you actually read the agencies they give this courtesy to?  I don't care who they gave it to in the past - view it as "Well, got one buy 'em."

CAP migh "need" protective eyewear.  I don't care.  I did my time on flight line and in the field.  Buy it.

I'm serious - you all have something to learn from the tone of gratitude from the soldiers who had their eyes saved by Oakleys.

Sorry if I offended you or gave you the wrong impression.

The whole thing is that nobody demanded a discount. In my opinion if they offer a discount then that means you can use it (assuming you meet the conditions). Everyone here was under the impression that Search and Rescue qualified under their program, this was confirmed by Oakley.  For whatever reason they changed their minds. No big deal. The reason I didn't want to pay full price is because I can't. I'm a student, not a *insert high paying job without specificity so as not to offend anyone*. If they offer me their products at a price I can afford then I will buy it. If not, then I won't.

EDIT: In my opinion most CAP members earn respect. If Oakley wants to honor their SAR service (which saves lives) then I say good for them. If they decided not to though then that is there choice. I don't think anyone was challenging their choice.

[SarDragon]

If you want it, pay for it.  No one owes you anything.

I apologize for nothing.  I read this whole thread and all of you had this tone of "WHAAAAA!  They won't give me what I want!" 

Did you actually read the agencies they give this courtesy to?  I don't care who they gave it to in the past - view it as "Well, got one buy 'em."

CAP migh "need" protective eyewear.  I don't care.  I did my time on flight line and in the field.  Buy it.

I'm serious - you all have something to learn from the tone of gratitude from the soldiers who had their eyes saved by Oakleys.

I say again - "Lighten up, Francis!"

One of our more esteemed members, who is currently in The 'Stan, turned us on to the availability of a discount. The thread resurfaces periodically, as new people find it. No one is 'demanding' anything. But there was some confusion about why the eligibility seems to have changed.

As for your comment to Junkie, "HGJunkie you are supposed to conduct youself with behavior above reproach.", I suggest that you review some of your olde leadership books, and the CAP core values, before you do your 'bull in a china shoppe' act again.

[mclarke]

Okaaaaaaaaaaaay, so we are getting off topic...

Anyone have experiences with oakley products? Quality, other retailers that sell their stuff, etc...?

[HGjunkie]

Okaaaaaaaaaaaay, so we are getting off topic...

Anyone have experiences with oakley products? Quality, other retailers that sell their stuff, etc...?

I've got a pair of Flak Jackets, and they are a rock-solid piece of equipment. They're conservative enough to wear with the uniform, but practical enough to wear in the field. The added peace of mind Oakley tests all the frames for impact resistance is nice, and they cut harsh sunlight out really well.

[SarDragon]

Great quality products. Check their site for retailers.