Is it true??

newmusic11

5-Year Member
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May 13, 2012
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That The Citadel and Norwich University wear the same grey uniforms as West Point?
 
They are very similar but not the exact same
 
I'm not looking for praise.

It was a question, due to the fact that I heard they're the "exact same" on numerous sites, but when seeing the uniforms, I noticed differences.

No, they are not the exact same, but to the casual observer they do appear so, which was their intent. Years ago, our son was wearing his white over gray when we were in a restaurant. The waitress asked if he went to VMI and was disappointed that it was "only" West Point. Truth is stranger than fiction. No disrespect for VMI, it's a very fine school, but it's not West Point.

My previous comment was not intended as praise but to suggest that when others copy your design, there must be something special about it and worthy of duplication. Otherwise, why would they do it?
 
The material and the buttons are different. The buttons on the VMI "Coatee" (the formal uniform) are flat with "Cadet VMI" and the statue of "Virginia" stamped on them. The buttons on the West Point Uniform are round.
images

An oddity of the VMI formal uniform is that the tails are un-hemmed (supposedly this tradition dates back to the Civil War when the tails were cut to use as bandages- this sounds a tad unlikely to me but there it is. USMA rode out that war in peaceful repose in New York- so no bandages needed to be cut from the tails of their uniforms:eek:- hence they are still hemmed:wink:) Note the difference below:
VMI%2Bphotographer%2B05.jpg

wpback.jpg


VMI's uniforms are made out of the same scratchy- very hot, rough wool (when it rains you smell like a bunch of wet dogs) that they were made out of 173 years ago- none of the poly-blend stuff that they switched to at USMA years ago and the VMI grey blouse is more of a blue grey color than the USMA grey. On the VMI overcoat, the underside of the cape (which is flipped back when you are wearing your cross belts for parades) is red while the USMA overcoat is grey on both sides).
rearstaff.jpg


Finally- unlike USMA, VMI Cadets do not wear any kind of ribbons or qualification badges on their grey blouse (though they do wear them on their white summer uniform). So while they look similar- there are a fair number of differences when you see them up close.
 
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No, they are not the exact same, but to the casual observer they do appear so, which was their intent. Years ago, our son was wearing his white over gray when we were in a restaurant. The waitress asked if he went to VMI and was disappointed that it was "only" West Point. Truth is stranger than fiction. No disrespect for VMI, it's a very fine school, but it's not West Point.

My previous comment was not intended as praise but to suggest that when others copy your design, there must be something special about it and worthy of duplication. Otherwise, why would they do it?

My bad... I thought you meant that as I am trying to portray an image of something I'm not, by just wearing something similar - when in reality, it's two birds with far different colors. [WP and VMI that is]

I met a guy a few years back who was from West Point and I had to ask him if he went there since I couldn't tell that what he was wearing was a WP uniform till I saw his hat [or whatever they call them] had the eagle on it and stuff. I'm just trying to decide between Citadel and Norwich or stay near home and attend Saint Louis University or Washington Univ.
 
The material and the buttons are different. The buttons on the VMI "Coatee" (the formal uniform) are flat with "Cadet VMI" and the statue of "Virginia" stamped on them. The buttons on the West Point Uniform are round.
images

An oddity of the VMI formal uniform is that the tails are un-hemmed (supposedly this tradition dates back to the Civil War when the tails were cut to use as bandages- this sounds a tad unlikely to me but there it is. USMA rode out that war in peaceful repose in New York- so no bandages needed to be cut from the tails of their uniforms:eek:- hence they are still hemmed:wink:) Note the difference below:
VMI%2Bphotographer%2B05.jpg

wpback.jpg


VMI's uniforms are made out of the same scratchy- very hot, rough wool (when it rains you smell like a bunch of wet dogs) that they were made out of 173 years ago- none of the poly-blend stuff that they switched to at USMA years ago and the VMI grey blouse is more of a blue grey color than the USMA grey. On the VMI overcoat, the underside of the cape (which is flipped back when you are wearing your cross belts for parades) is red while the USMA overcoat is grey on both sides).
rearstaff.jpg


Finally- unlike USMA, VMI Cadets do not wear any kind of ribbons or qualification badges on their grey blouse (though they do wear them on their white summer uniform). So while they look similar- there are a fair number of differences when you see them up close.

Kind of looks tacky being unhemmed...Never noticed that before lol, however, these schools aren't for fashion designers :p
 
The Citidel and VMI are excellent schools but thery are not West Point.
Facts: entering students average SAT Scores:
Math: WP 640 VMI 570 Citadel 540
Reading: WP 610 VMI 520 Citadel 520
% of applicants admitted: WP 9-11% VMI 56% CITADEL 56%
Make your own conclusions but you can see that WP is clearly a big cut above these other fine institutions.
 
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And they are not Free either.
Though I have no idea what this has to do with the difference in the uniforms- the profile of the class of 2015 is at the link below:
http://www.vmi.edu/uploadedFiles/Admissions/Class_of_2015 Sheet1.pdf
Some of the salient points you will see : the acceptance rate was 45%; the mean Math SAT is 579 and mean Verbal is 572 and average HS GPA was 3.5 with 48% in the top quarter and of their class and 86% in the top half. 49% of the class were team captains in HS and 89% had a varsity letter. Approximately 1/3 of the Corps plays on an NCAA Intercollegiate sports team (and about 45% of the female cadets), and close to 60% of the graduating class will be commissioned and historically about 20% will have a military career- not bad considering that most had to pay for school. (By comparison- what was the retention rate past the mandatory 5 years for USMA for the last 10 years? Low enough that the AOG thinks it's a problem.)

While I don't have the Citadel's numbers (note the spelling- Citadel)- I'm wouldn't be surprised if it has similar numbers.So while they aren't West Point (and don't want to be either) They do just fine- even without their tails hemmed.
 
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And they are not Free either.
Though I have no idea what this has to do with the difference in the uniforms- the profile of the class of 2015 is at the link below:
http://www.vmi.edu/uploadedFiles/Admissions/Class_of_2015 Sheet1.pdf
Some of the salient points you will see : the acceptance rate was 45%; the mean Math SAT is 579 and mean Verbal is 572 and average HS GPA was 3.5 with 48% in the top quarter and of their class and 86% in the top half. 49% of the class were team captains in HS and 89% had a varsity letter. Approximately 1/3 of the Corps plays on an NCAA Intercollegiate sports team (and about 45% of the female cadets), and close to 60% of the graduating class will be commissioned and historically about 20% will have a military career- not bad considering that most had to pay for school. (By comparison- what was the retention rate past the mandatory 5 years for USMA for the last 10 years? Low enough that the AOG thinks it's a problem.)

While I don't have the Citadel's numbers (note the spelling- Citadel)- I'm wouldn't be surprised if it has similar numbers.So while they aren't West Point (and don't want to be either) They do just fine- even without their tails hemmed.

So I could go to the citadel for the rest of my education and at the end, never even get an active duty or reserves slot for my branch of choice? Especially after paying?
 
So I could go to the citadel for the rest of my education and at the end, never even get an active duty or reserves slot for my branch of choice? Especially after paying?


I'm sorry but I really don't see what you are trying to say

USMA is a federal school in which upon enrollment you get a guarantee commission in the Army, and you are enlist in the military while you are at USMA

VMI, citadel and Norwich are NOT federal and they get founding from states

And if you look closely at their mission, for example VMI mission :" it is the mission of Virginia military institute to produce educated and honor men and women for the vary works of CIVIL LIFE..."

It basically mean it is STILL a college.

They give you a choice if you want to commission or not

And by the way, of course they can't guarantee a spot for you be aside to have to EARN them, nothin is given to you, is same every where even in the federal academies.
 
That The Citadel and Norwich University wear the same grey uniforms as West Point?



They look kind of the same but if you look close they are different

Mr. Burno gave you some good examples already

All the school have different bottom design to represent those school

Material are different too, as for example of VMI, they still use wool because VMI is heavily based on tradition and are proud of it.

About why they look that similar, if you notice, all those school are mainly Army schools and that's the uniform US army cadets wore when those school were established, and it became a symbol of a cadet ( hope this make sense )
 
USMA is a federal school in which upon enrollment you get a guarantee commission in the Army, and you are enlist in the military while you are at USMA.

Slight correction, one is only guaranteed a commission when one completes all academic, physical, and military requirements and graduates.

An appointment allows one to enter West Point; the rest is up to the cadet.
 
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