Civil Air Patrol Uniform Question

[silliness7]

My ds wants a service coat for Christmas. It's taken a bit of haunting ebay to find an Air Force coat the right style (3 buttons, 3 pockets) and size, or at least a size close enough that could be taken in if necessary. We'll still need to replace the buttons with CAP buttons and I'm still not sure which ones to order from Vanguard. I'm hoping a knowledgeable Hive member can help me out. Also, after all the ebay stalking dh tells me that he needs an officer's coat with shoulder straps? I know what it looks like but don't know what it's called. It's an epaulet or it's a strap of fabric on which to slide an epaulet. O.K., all I've found is enlisted coats with no such strap or epaulet. :glare:

 

Then ds says that a friend of his who has service coat peeled off his epaulet after a meeting or something and it looked like a velcro jobby. So now I'm wondering if there is some kind of device that can make the enlisted jacket work.

 

From what I hear CAP cadets cannot purchase these coats new. And dh was sent to ebay to hunt one down. I am not sure where he gets his information (CAP talk?). I was hoping to get something ordered this afternoon and he is out of pocket.

 

Confused yet? I'm sorry. Short story. Can I order the enlisted service coat and find something to fix the fact that it doesn't have the epaulet feature? And if you know which button I need to replace the AF buttons that'd be so great too. THANKS!!

[higginszoo]

Sorry, no help. My ds is only C/A1C, and I only got to C/SrAmn 25 years ago.

 

But I do feel your pain on the uniform stuff. Ds came home with a packing list for encampment on the 26th ... including an absolute need for 2 more uniforms (a second set of blues and BDUs). And Vanguard doesn't have his size (not that I have $300 to drop on uniforms right now anyway).

[Kathleen in VA]

Rebecca,

 

I have a call in to ds23 regarding this - he is in San Antonio right now visiting an old Civil Air Patrol friend. He is a senior member now and may know something that could help. Can you tell me what size he would need? Our squadron often has uniforms that have gone through other cadets available. I'll come back and post again after I hear from him.

[silliness7]

Rebecca,

 

I have a call in to ds23 regarding this - he is in San Antonio right now visiting an old Civil Air Patrol friend. He is a senior member now and may know something that could help. Can you tell me what size he would need? Our squadron often has uniforms that have gone through other cadets available. I'll come back and post again after I hear from him.

 

Oh thank you for calling your ds, Kathleen!!! A 36 is our first choice if that is still available when I finally get ready to click the buy button. I will buy a 38 if necessary based on a conversation my dh had with a very knowledgeable seamstress here in town who does quite a chunk of business altering military and law enforcement uniforms. She says she can alter a size or two but no more. Now I'm wondering if she could add the epaulet strap. I'm thinking out loud. I have no idea. Sigh.

 

Thanks again, Kathleen. I look forward to hear what your ds says.

[silliness7]

Sorry, no help. My ds is only C/A1C, and I only got to C/SrAmn 25 years ago.

 

But I do feel your pain on the uniform stuff. Ds came home with a packing list for encampment on the 26th ... including an absolute need for 2 more uniforms (a second set of blues and BDUs). And Vanguard doesn't have his size (not that I have $300 to drop on uniforms right now anyway).

 

No joke!! My oldest ds has 2 paper routes which he uses to finance his CAP addiction. :D My 2nd son recently joined and has zero income.

 

Can you say, "Dear Grandma, all I want for Christmas is a donation to my CAP fund because I am a lazy pauper."? (he used to have a paper route but quit it, so not much sympathy here)

 

I am very glad that a 2nd set of blues was not on our encampment list. ouch! We're still wearing the first free set. Ds is sad that he has not grown in a full year, but I'm a little happy. :001_smile:

[Kathleen in VA]

Oh thank you for calling your ds, Kathleen!!! A 36 is our first choice if that is still available when I finally get ready to click the buy button. I will buy a 38 if necessary based on a conversation my dh had with a very knowledgeable seamstress here in town who does quite a chunk of business altering military and law enforcement uniforms. She says she can alter a size or two but no more. Now I'm wondering if she could add the epaulet strap. I'm thinking out loud. I have no idea. Sigh.

 

Thanks again, Kathleen. I look forward to hear what your ds says.

 

Well, I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help. Ds called and said he bought his at Maxwell AFB in Alabama (CAP HQ) when he went to Cadet Officer School down there one summer. He suggested you try an AF Base Exchange. I asked him about getting on base since we are not a military family and he said he showed the gate guard his CAP ID and explained his plan to buy a uniform and they waved him through. He also said the exchange tailored it for him as well. Do you happen to have an AF Base nearby?

[silliness7]

Well, I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help. Ds called and said he bought his at Maxwell AFB in Alabama (CAP HQ) when he went to Cadet Officer School down there one summer. He suggested you try an AF Base Exchange. I asked him about getting on base since we are not a military family and he said he showed the gate guard his CAP ID and explained his plan to buy a uniform and they waved him through. He also said the exchange tailored it for him as well. Do you happen to have an AF Base nearby?

 

 

There's an Air National Guard Base fairly close by. I wonder if they would have that kind of thing. The closet Air Force Base looks to be maybe 4 hours away. Thank you for asking. :001_smile:

[higginszoo]

No joke!! My oldest ds has 2 paper routes which he uses to finance his CAP addiction. :D My 2nd son recently joined and has zero income.

 

Can you say, "Dear Grandma, all I want for Christmas is a donation to my CAP fund because I am a lazy pauper."? (he used to have a paper route but quit it, so not much sympathy here)

 

I am very glad that a 2nd set of blues was not on our encampment list. ouch! We're still wearing the first free set. Ds is sad that he has not grown in a full year, but I'm a little happy. :001_smile:

We went to the Army/Navy Surplus and i was able to pick up a set of XS, short, BDUs for $30. Now here's hoping that Vanguard can get the tapes and patches here before next weekend. Still no luck on the blues. When I put in his initial order, the ladies at Lackland actually called me to verify. I offered to bring him down so they could measure. The smallest they had there are still too big, almost a year later. His brother is even smaller, and will be joining in a year.

[higginszoo]

There's an Air National Guard Base fairly close by. I wonder if they would have that kind of thing. The closet Air Force Base looks to be maybe 4 hours away. Thank you for asking. :001_smile:

Our ANG base has a PX, and it's pretty easy to get on, as long as you can present a reason to the guard, though the CAP ID helps. I'm an AEM, so I have my own card.