Mandatory Scarves

[Renegade One]

MANDATORY SCARVES...NAVY STYLE

TINS...CO of my sister squadron once-upon-a-time had some significant exchange duty with the USAF in his background and had a liking for the scarf thing. One Friday afternoon at Miramar O'Club, "Brand X" aircrews all show up as a group (by order, I'm told) wearing their new scarves. Name of squadron isn't important; suffice it to say they were red and white checked and looked like napkins from an Italian restaurant. After taking all the grief a club full of "Fightertown" guys could give them, believe they might have told the CO "Never again!". Or words to that effect. Some traditions don't translate all that well...

 

[a-6intruder]

After an A-4C Squadron CO tour (VA-12 Ubangis) including a combat cruise my dad gets assigned a couple of years later to a Joint group known as "Silk Purse" flying EC or RC-135s (I don't recall) as the Airborne Command Post out of RAF Mildenhall, flying w/ the USAF.

Not only did they have the ascot, but they also wore this white hat that looked like Charlie Brown's winter hat (w/ the ear flaps) and a rank insignia on it. My dad just said NFW...