The Great Flight Jacket Thread (wearing/buying Leather, NOMEX, WEP jackets/patches)

[Waveoff]

I've had numerous junior aircrew in my squadron say that they are not allowed to wear their leather jacket until they become qualified because of some apparent rule that in order to wear the jacket, it requires a nametag with a warfare insignia. This is in contrast to what I have always been told and observe on a regular basis by our own O4s that no nametag needs to be stitched on, similar to the relaxed fit jacket.

The SWO jacket has verbage that explicitly requires a nametag so I get that, but I see no definitive wording for ours. Any thoughts?

 

[Griz882]

I have a flight jacket question for the active duty guys. Months ago I was lucky enough to score a Massif flight jacket from Uncle Sam’s Surplus (now defunct) and I love the coat. But...I imagine that most squadron patches are too large to fit the squares of Velcro on the upper sleeves. Do you wear smaller versions, no patch at all, or sew it to the front? You don’t see many of them online.

 

[HSMPBR]

I've had numerous junior aircrew in my squadron say that they are not allowed to wear their leather jacket until they become qualified because of some apparent rule that in order to wear the jacket, it requires a nametag with a warfare insignia. This is in contrast to what I have always been told and observe on a regular basis by our own O4s that no nametag needs to be stitched on, similar to the relaxed fit jacket.

The SWO jacket has verbage that explicitly requires a nametag so I get that, but I see no definitive wording for ours. Any thoughts?

Sounds like the typical Sky SWO self-flagellation VP is famous for.

 

[SynixMan]

I've had numerous junior aircrew in my squadron say that they are not allowed to wear their leather jacket until they become qualified because of some apparent rule that in order to wear the jacket, it requires a nametag with a warfare insignia. This is in contrast to what I have always been told and observe on a regular basis by our own O4s that no nametag needs to be stitched on, similar to the relaxed fit jacket.

The SWO jacket has verbage that explicitly requires a nametag so I get that, but I see no definitive wording for ours. Any thoughts?

By junior aircrew do you mean the enlisted AWs? If so, I'd let the Aircrew Chiefs police their own. The uniform (6803.B.2) regs are sufficiently vague that technically you don't have to wear any patches on it.

If you mean winged officers, then, well, I've got nothing. They sound afraid of their own shadow.

 

[OscarMyers]

I have a flight jacket question for the active duty guys. Months ago I was lucky enough to score a Massif flight jacket from Uncle Sam’s Surplus (now defunct) and I love the coat. But...I imagine that most squadron patches are too large to fit the squares of Velcro on the upper sleeves. Do you wear smaller versions, no patch at all, or sew it to the front? You don’t see many of them online.

I've never seen a patch sewn on that jacket. I've seen a few people wear the full size squadron patch on the sleeve. Most people just wear the squadron smaller 3 in round secondary patches/fin flashes or weapons school patches. I think PVC patches look the best, but Navy folks aren't quite on board with PVC squadron patches yet.

 

[Pags]

I have a flight jacket question for the active duty guys. Months ago I was lucky enough to score a Massif flight jacket from Uncle Sam’s Surplus (now defunct) and I love the coat. But...I imagine that most squadron patches are too large to fit the squares of Velcro on the upper sleeves. Do you wear smaller versions, no patch at all, or sew it to the front? You don’t see many of them online.

I think if you sew something on you puncture the waterproof layer so you probably don't want to do that. I always had a name tag on the name tag spot, a flag, and a squadron patch on it. I think the ends might hang over on some banners but who cares?

 

[robav8r]

By junior aircrew do you mean the enlisted AWs? If so, I'd let the Aircrew Chiefs police their own. The uniform (6803.B.2) regs are sufficiently vague that technically you don't have to wear any patches on it.

Uhhhh, no. Aircrew Chiefs don't have their own set of uniform regulations and instructions. AW's are authorized aircrew and have the same right to wear the G1 as anyone else.

 

[Griz882]

I think if you sew something on you puncture the waterproof layer so you probably don't want to do that. I always had a name tag on the name tag spot, a flag, and a squadron patch on it. I think the ends might hang over on some banners but who cares?

Excellent...now I need to find a super cool patch that doesn’t imply I’m a member of my odd organizations!

 

[Waveoff]

By junior aircrew do you mean the enlisted AWs? If so, I'd let the Aircrew Chiefs police their own. The uniform (6803.B.2) regs are sufficiently vague that technically you don't have to wear any patches on it.

If you mean winged officers, then, well, I've got nothing. They sound afraid of their own shadow.

Yep, told so by their chiefs. On one hand, letting them handling their own creates a disconnect of “well why do officers get to do it” and we have already extensively said that the flight school “unwritten rule” of not wearing it until wings is stupid.
If you want to get technical, regs say (I know...eye rolls) you shall wear it with a name tag with warfare designator and one optional squadron patch. That being said, I’m not removing the shoulder flag I have on mine because I’m a hypocrite.

 

[Waveoff]

I have a flight jacket question for the active duty guys. Months ago I was lucky enough to score a Massif flight jacket from Uncle Sam’s Surplus (now defunct) and I love the coat. But...I imagine that most squadron patches are too large to fit the squares of Velcro on the upper sleeves. Do you wear smaller versions, no patch at all, or sew it to the front? You don’t see many of them online.

In our squadron people usually wear the custom deployment name tag, and whatever they want on the shoulders I.e., crew patch, WTI, plane patch etc. almost no one wears the squadron patch on the arm.

 

[wink]

If you want to get technical, regs say (I know...eye rolls) you shall wear it with a name tag with warfare designator and one optional squadron patch. That being said, I’m not removing the shoulder flag I have on mine because I’m a hypocrite.

Wonder when they got stupid. We all wore ours with a name tag and the officer's crest, which I think I've seen studs wear on flight suits these days. Some guys didn't have name tags so they didn't have to get it removed and punch more holes in the jacket when they got their wings. But that was a bad idea because it was too easy to steal.

 

[Waveoff]

Wonder when they got stupid. We all wore ours with a name tag and the officer's crest, which I think I've seen studs wear on flight suits these days. Some guys didn't have name tags so they didn't have to get it removed and punch more holes in the jacket when they got their wings. But that was a bad idea because it was too easy to steal.

So did they get Velcro ones? I’ve only seen one person with a Velcro name patch for the leather. Most have one sewn directly on. I think that’s why most students hold off, at least when I went through. They don’t want Velcro, or to make holes.

 

[wink]

So did they get Velcro ones? I’ve only seen one person with a Velcro name patch for the leather. Most have one sewn directly on. I think that’s why most students hold off, at least when I went through. They don’t want Velcro, or to make holes.

Never saw Velcro on leather jackets in my day. Everything was sewn on. Even the flight suits and CWU jackets had patches sewn on. Only the name tags were Velcro. Then again, saw some CWU jackets with name and wings embroidered, which I think was a PI thing. No one in my squadrons did that.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Only after I became a DAF and a rated AF pilot did I fully understand the intense standardization of AF flight suits/jackets. Major Command on the right breast (Air Combat Command) , unit patch on right sleeve (CAP-USAF), and either flag or next higher HQ (First Air Force).

I enjoy the looks I get when I fly in jeans and a polo and my G1.

But I do have the full kit of emblematic issued if I chose to optionally wear a flight suit (and its optional in our regs)

 

[wink]

Wearing my G1 today. Never had patches and the name tag was removed years ago. Can't see the holes unless you look real close.