Question on USAFA Uniform

thealt

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A friend of my son who is in AF ROTC came to the Leadership Symposium at AFA this week. I saw a picture of the two on my son's FB and noticed that the AF ROTC uniform is a darker blue than the AFA uniform. Does anyone know if the AF ROTC uniform is similar in color to the standard issue service uniform in the AF? I know the USAFA service uniform is different than the AF uniform, but am curious if the ROTC is still different than the AF uniform. Does anybody know the answer to this?
 
The AFROTC uniform is much closer to the active duty uniform. I am not sure if it is exactly the same, but it is closer than USAFA uniform. The ROTC ribbons though are just for ROTC, where as the USAFA ribbons carry on (merit pins and such do not). Hope this helped.
 
ROTC wear the real AF uniforms, albeit with different rank/ribbons etc. The actual uniforms themselves are the same as far as I know.
 
I'm in AFROTC and yes there is a color difference in uniforms. AFROTC also have different shoulder rankings. USAFA have a fancier look to it.
USAFA Physical Training Uniforms are different too. They get their names on it whereas ROTC dont.
 
The AFA cadet uniform is what Airmen wore from 1947 until the mid-90s when the uniform was changed to the current "airline pilot" uniform. When the AF was deciding to make this uniform change, one of the versions under consideration had stripes on the lower sleeve similar to the Navy service dress jacket. I believe the AF lost a lot heritage when they made the change and personally, I prefer the cadet uniform.
 
The AFROTC uniform at least at our DS's det is the exact same color as the AD uniform. I know that for a fact since Bullet's AD uniform is the same color as our DS's. Plus, we have purchased him additional blues from the military clothing store that he wears for AFROTC.

This is also true for the PT gear. It is identical to what they wear AD.
 
The AFA cadet uniform is what Airmen wore from 1947 until the mid-90s when the uniform was changed to the current "airline pilot" uniform. When the AF was deciding to make this uniform change, one of the versions under consideration had stripes on the lower sleeve similar to the Navy service dress jacket. I believe the AF lost a lot heritage when they made the change and personally, I prefer the cadet uniform.

A former "Chief of Staff" of the USAF, who's name will NOT be mentioned by ME...DID change us into the "Navy/Delta Airlines" uniform, complete with naval rank, but in silver braid!!!

His replacement WISELY did away with that monstrosity!!!
(Not an insult to the Navy, their uniform looks pretty sharp, but the AF version...BFUgly!)

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
A former "Chief of Staff" of the USAF, who's name will NOT be mentioned by ME...

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

My boss at ACC was an F-16 driver who was his Exec when he was PACAF/CC...

The link below is of a General Officer who must have been one of the officer's testing the "Navy" uniform and had his offical photograph taken in the uniform.

http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5796
 
Flieger,

I don't think that uniform ever became "official". I only say that because I recall they had a long conversion time, and by the time the "official" date came around his successor had already changed it again. So many people hated that design they delayed purchasing it unless they were forced to do it.

Bullet went straight from the old blues to the current blues.

Was there one uniform that he who shall not be named the AF kept after his departure? I don't think so.

Now looking back, I bet in yrs to come the flight suit and blues under his command will be worth something by collectors because they were in the inventory for such a short period of time. Especially for anyone who did not modify the flight suit with the seams and pockets.
 
Flieger,

I don't think that uniform ever became "official". .

It never did become an official uniform. The "Navy" uniform and the current uniform with officer rank insignia on the shoulder were wear tested concurrently and the current design won out.

The changes made to the BDUs during this timeframe were also disasterous. There was a push to strip the BDUs of all accouterments and the rank insignia was removed from the collar (officers) and sleeves (enlisted) and replaced with an aircrew style name patch over the breast pocket. All of the professional badges and squadron/MAJCOM patches were also removed. You couldn't tell what rank anyone was from a distance which made saluting extremely difficult.
 
I don't recall that because Bullet was a flier at that point, so it wasn't on my radar. Was that the same time they switched to the baseball cap as covers?

I remember because of the blues changing and the baseball cap people were wondering if the Air Force was going to change their name to something with Navy in it? :shake:

Was that also the same time they changed the motto? Wasn't it also the same time that they brought maintenance under the command of the squadron? Two more things that were quickly changed after he who shall not be named was replaced.
 
Pima, correct on all counts.

The early to mid-90s were a very tumultuous time in the AF not unlike what’s happening today. Massive personnel cuts after the first Gulf War; a whole slew of base closures as a result of the 1989 BRAC; stand-up of Composite Wings in the CAF; TQM was rampant; and then the uniform changes on top of that. Twenty years later, it seems things are pretty much as they were in 1991 (other than the uniforms!). All in all though, it was a pretty exciting time to be managing change and I’m glad I was part of it.
 
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