cadets in uniform

nukepharm

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Just a question/debate that came to mind today. Our AF base increased security levels today and cancelled many events due to a perceived threat. We were advised to not "act military," to keep alert and basically not let the public know we are associated with military.
With those kind of warnings, anyone think they will change cadets traveling in uniform and plebes not being allowed to wear civilian clothing?
I have mixed thoughts on this and am just curious what others think. I know they will face far greater danger over the course of a military career.
 
For what it's worth, my son was originally supposed to travel in his summer whites to CORTRAMID this summer and then they changed that to "nice casual" (using some random military acronym but that is what it boils down to) and he now has to change into summer whites when he arrives instead. This change was made before the announcement of the increased security.
 
Just a question/debate that came to mind today. Our AF base increased security levels today and cancelled many events due to a perceived threat. We were advised to not "act military," to keep alert and basically not let the public know we are associated with military.
With those kind of warnings, anyone think they will change cadets traveling in uniform and plebes not being allowed to wear civilian clothing?
I have mixed thoughts on this and am just curious what others think. I know they will face far greater danger over the course of a military career.

Don't worry. After Ferguson, the whiny fraidy-cat parents got their way. Plebes haven't traveled in uniform since Thanksgiving. The plebes love it. But, it's becoming more and more like a civilian school. Smh.
 
Sledge, plebes have (mostly) always traveled out of uniform. Sure, they leave post in uniform...but once they hit the airport, they head to the bathroom and change into jeans--at least, that's what mine and his friends did.
 
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Sledge, plebes have (mostly) always traveled out of uniform. Sure, they leave post in uniform...but once they hit the airport, they head to the bathroom and change into jeans--at least, that's what mine and his friends did.

Maybe so. Still, there was an official policy change this year due to some officious parents. They don't even have to leave post in uniform now.
 
Maybe so. Still, there was an official policy change this year due to some officious parents. They don't even have to leave post in uniform now.

Those all powerful parents, overriding the COMM all the time.

Recent experience is that it seems to vary with the COMM. With old grad pressure to restore tradition, and occasional security or perceived discipline issues swing it one way or the other. It even changed twice in one year with one COMM. I'm fuzzy. but I think c/o 2015 might have even had to travel once in uniform as a yearling.

Like fraternization and other similar, some broke policy once out of sight from USMA. Some never got caught. Others were. From memory I recall DS indicating at least one of the times they were instructed not to change.

We've seen 4 COMM's in our short time observing. Cadet input is that they tend to alternate focus/strictness. And there is a clear trend that the more BTDT serious they are the less strict they are about tradition. And focus more on real world Army stuff than tradition. (Quiet, serious Hooah vs fake Hooah??)

As to security, the backpacks, haircuts, issue belts with khaki pants give them away anyway. Especially if still wearing their low quarters and cadet casual shirt. We won't talk about travel specifics (times and dates), it's not like it's predictable or anything.
 
Some terrorists targeting traveling cadets/midshipman is likely as them getting struck by lighting. Terrorists have won if we start changing our lives because we are afraid of something they might do to us.
 
Some terrorists targeting traveling cadets/midshipman is likely as them getting struck by lighting. Terrorists have won if we start changing our lives because we are afraid of something they might do to us.

So was terrorists taking four planes and successfully crashing 3 of them into their targets.

Some changes have no effect on anything and if they protect even one person over 40 years are worth it. Not having cadets/midshipmen/anyone traveling in uniform doesn't hurt anyone. It's a little backwards when our mandatory yearly ATFP training tells us to be as least obvious as possible and yet we take some of our youngest and newest members and make them travel in uniform.

Other changes that effect our personal rights to privacy and things like that, yes I agree with your sentiment, this doesn't come close to that.
 
It's a little backwards when our mandatory yearly ATFP training tells us to be as least obvious as possible and yet we take some of our youngest and newest members and make them travel in uniform.

All relative I guess. Don't travel in uniform. But must wear clearly identifiable PT clothes with yellow belt even when running off post, where there is not tons of security around like an Airport would have.

I'm not advocating cadets should travel in uniform. Or that changing your approach due to security risks is a bad idea. Just that if someone wanted to specifically target cadets it would not make much difference. Not as long as AR670-1 grooming standards exist, anyway.

I keep wanting to give examples of the limited effectiveness but don't want to give bad guys ideas to exploit.
 
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