Air Force's CADPAT name-tag & rank

[ags281]

Here's a simple idea: for around base just have everyone use the DEU style slipon. Can't get any more visible than bright gold, it doesn't require manufacturing a different type, and for anyone who thinks the obvious beret colour is not enough  ( ???), they also show what element you're with. For the field, have the almost invisible ranks on cadpat so that the cadpat actually works.  

 

[Zoomie]

They've already got blue berets (Was that authorized for wear with cadpat?)

Yes, it is approved dress.   Read the CANFORGEN.

If they want more then that, why not just go ahead and wear the airforce work dress? It's plenty distinct.

I believe that you have missed the point of why the AF is getting CADPAT.   Again   I suggest you read the CANFORGEN.

 

[Marauder]

I just kills me that we have people sitting around in some office somewhere thinking dumb shit like this up.

Why don't we just let all the zoomies wear Hawiian shirts as work dress. That's "distinct". Of all the fish to fry, and this is the one being battered and served? I need a drink now...

 

[sgt_mandal]

Does anyone have any pictures about all this?

 

[Bzzliteyr]

I saw a great powerpoint presentation on it the other day, I will try to upload it and place it on my webspace.

 

[McInnes]

From what I have often seen, many people wear cadpat slipons with gold embroidery in garrison and either black or green embroidery in the field. Works quite well.

 

[Yard Ape]

This was fixed a while ago.

How so?  The minutes are from 2003.  I haven't changed my slip-ons since then.  I don't recall hearing anything in O-Gps about officers having new slip ons.

I've never had difficulty reading the light green thread.  It was damn near impossible when we used black thread though.

From what I have often seen, many people wear cadpat slipons with gold embroidery in garrison and either black or green embroidery in the field. Works quite well.

I've never seen this practice.  I have seen some wearing the CF dress slip-ons . . . not sure what I think of this either, but it would be a better Air Force solution that spening on a special blue-thread rank.

If they want more then that, why not just go ahead and wear the airforce work dress? 

Because then the CF would not save money through having everyone in the same uniform.

That being said, who really cares? If the airforce wants to pay for it, then let them.

Because that is money that could be spent better somewhere else (and if the Air Force cannot find a better place to spend it, then the Army can!).

 

[ags281]

that is money that could be spent better somewhere else (and if the Air Force cannot find a better place to spend it, then the Army can!).

Like what, the MGS?  

It's kind of sad that we can get so worked up about rank slipons. I'm pretty sure that any extra money the different pattern blue style costs is trivial at best. The nametags have to be done up separately for each individual anyway, so using one colour of thread vs another is not a big deal. As for the ranks, I'll bet that the material/production cost of a single extra style of rank slipon would only get you a couple boxes of IMP's anyway. It's not the material cost that's wasteful, it's the salary for someone to debate ideas like this on DND time. If they want to use the already existing blue with gold slipon, great! If not, just let it go, because opposition will only justify more high-level jobs to make up a cost analysis and argue both sides ad nauseum.

 

[ZipperHead]

IMO, it's not just about the money, as admittedly, it can't be that much difference in the big picture. More than anything, it's like ags281 said: it's the fact that they pay somebody good money to deal with nausea like this. We, as soldiers, sailors and airmen, will b!tch about things, no matter how trivial or great.

I think the thing, when it gets down to it, is that there will always be groups that want to be "different" within the military, and will go to any length to express that difference. I'm thinking MP's wearing their new black uniforms. I'm thinking maroon berets. I'm thinking black berets (Armour Corps only, the Navy one is NOT black..... oh, who am I kidding, it's black).

Methinks that one day it will be cool to wear the OD combats because (eventually) everyone will wear CADPAT, so some people will want to go "retro" and wear the old stuff. Mark my words......

Al

 

[tabernac]

IMO, it's not just about the money, as admittedly, it can't be that much difference in the big picture. More than anything, it's like ags281 said: it's the fact that they pay somebody good money to deal with nausea like this. We, as soldiers, sailors and airmen, will b!tch about things, no matter how trivial or great.

I think the thing, when it gets down to it, is that there will always be groups that want to be "different" within the military, and will go to any length to express that difference. I'm thinking MP's wearing their new black uniforms. I'm thinking maroon berets. I'm thinking black berets (Armour Corps only, the Navy one is NOT black..... oh, who am I kidding, it's black).

Methinks that one day it will be cool to wear the OD combats because (eventually) everyone will wear CADPAT, so some people will want to go "retro" and wear the old stuff. Mark my words......

Well wouldn't you know, you beat me to it.

 

[Armymedic]

Sorry to jump in late...

I have to back up MG43 statements about 2 CMBG thumbing at the CANFORGEN, but its directed at those soft airforce pers who are working at the army units, ie medics, clerks and supply techs.
They have no problem with the 427 Tac hel, and Base pers wearing thier blue tshirts.

Personally I have to agree, isn't the blue beret enough to differentiate 2 pers who do the very same job at the same place.

 

[childs56]

well as i am in the airforce now and have seen the new slipons with the blue shirt i have to say the blue shirt has to go, ugly and very not military like, as for the slipons they are hard to see and honeslty not to bad looking. they can stay. the nice thing about the slipons is they identify the airforce from lets say a soldier, even though you cant see their rank. for people complainig about this. well move on to better complaints. the reson for this issue of uniform to the airforce is so that we will all have the same uniform (with small differences) if you look at the bigger picture we are trying to make a military that is fully deployable on a moments notice. that includes the navy army and airforce. as the airforce may be in country with you they need the same camo, the days of not being able to deploy rapidly because of uniform and kit  shortages are trying to be rectified. most of our military is lets say below standard of what we all would like to see. from the attitudes of the army and airforce i can see we will not reach this goal of true 24-48hrs deploability as we all have our heads up our a__'s. when we wine about a uniform change, yet we wine when the airforce doesnt go to the field what gives. we need to look outside of our own units and local intrest's and look at were we want the military as a hole to be in 5 years time. yes new uniforms and equipment need to be purchased. at the end of it all we will have helos that will direclty support the army, tactical airlift that will support the army and a  navy that will transport our army,  out of these three things the airfoce will have to be on the ground with the army, weather its in fob's or far's etc we may not be doing any fighting but we need to be kitted up and prepared to do it. as it takes maint pers to fix the helos  and look after them. and its not in hotels,  well enough ranting here as dumb as it might seem the name tags look good  and lets try to look at our future of were we should be going.

 

[Garry]

Seems to me to be a moot point anyways- when I was Army (Tanks) I pretty much always had coveralls on, no rank or name tag. When I was Tac Hel, (Airforce) I never had any rank or nametags on my combat  flying suit either.

Couldn't care less what we wore in Garrison, that's all Sgt-Maj stuff anyways.

and y'all are wearing helmets in AFV's now?..wow....

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

The USAF should have looked north of the border for once and looked at our Airforce who went "BLUE" in the mid 90's. Lesson Learned we all now wear CAD PAT.

I agree, it looks horrible.   However, before we get too smug, we have an AF that took a digital camoflage uniform and insisted on adding blue rank badges, blue name tags and a blue t-shirt, all in the name of "identity", as though the little birdy on the old name tags didn't do that well enough... :

 

[Big Foot]

Teddy, thats still cheaper, and looks better, than a completely different uniform.

 

[mover1]

I agree, it looks horrible.   However, before we get too smug, we have an AF that took a digital camoflage uniform and insisted on adding blue ranks badges, blue name tags and a blue t-shirt, all in the name of "identity", as though the little birdy on the old name tags didn't do that well enough... :

Sorry the AF is not ARMY enough for you. ANd the Blue rank and names and shirt. Actually look pretty good.

 

[axeman]

Sorry the AF is not ARMY enough for you. ANd the Blue rank and names and shirt. Actually look pretty good.

yup and they are invisible until you are 2 ft away from them unless they are brand new

 

[48Highlander]

yup and they are invisible until you are 2 ft away from them unless they are brand new

That's fine, just means less officers to salute

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

Teddy, thats still cheaper, and looks better, than a completely different uniform.

True, but I cannot agree that any further distinction beyond what was already built into CADPAT (ie: the swords, anchor or eagle on the name tapes) was necessary.  Instead, the AF (which means - in the end - the entire CF) spent thousands of dollars modifying a perfectly good CF tactical uniform with obviously non-tactical accoutrements all in the name of increasing "group identity". I note that the Navy hasn't appeared to need to resort to such means to foster esprit de corps. A poor selection of priorities, IMHO.

Similarly, I don't really understand the need for the USAF to have a separate camouflage pattern. They have been using BDUs for years (both desert and temperate) and a USAF airman/woman is still instantly identifiable by rank and other badges. However, that's a problem for the Americans and their services are funded differently than ours.

 

[Gunner]

Sorry the AF is not ARMY enough for you. ANd the Blue rank and names and shirt. Actually look pretty good.

Sorry mover1, I disagree.  The blue is just about the dorkiest looking thing I have ever seen on a CADPAT uniform (right up there with the Year of the Veteran Pin...).  The who purpose of having crossed swords, anchor, albatross on your name tag is so you can see what element he/she is with.  When is the navy bringout out their black slip ons with gold rank for the Cadpat?