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

[wink]

Fair points @Griz882. I work with O-5s who dont even own a service uniform - and Reservists that havent worn anything but a flight suit in decades. I think its a generational thing.

Slowly changing now that drill periods are now required to include complete "seabag" uniform inspections. Not necessarily wearing the uniform, but displaying the uniform on a conference room table as proof you a. own it and b. you know how to configure it.

There is a small rebellion on the fact that AF is requiring members to own the standard duty, not 2-piece flight suit, OCP uniform...

Plenty of ridiculous regulations regarding flight suit wear over the years. In my time you were likely to get into a car accident driving through the main gate as drivers swerved about trying to slip on the the top half of their flight suit since it was prohibited through the gate. Not being able to wear a flight suit from squadron spaces to the exchange or to get lunch was too much, but I'm more in @Griz882 camp on this.I've never been able to appreciate a senior Air Force officer wearing a flight suit to give a formal presentation to a civilian group, many in sport coats and even ties. I think that is disrespectful of your audience. A formation of UPT studs uncovered in flight suits marching with guidon US and AF flags, or stumbling through close order drill is cringing. No matter how you slice it, it is working attire, it's not office attire, it's not resort casual. It isn't a service uniform.

 

[Flash]

Looks like the Navy has nixed flight suites in the NCR. There's been a mini revolt over it at my agency.

Flight suits rules in the NCR have been ever changing since 9/11, when I got to the Pentagon Navy folks were not allowed to wear flight suits while all the Army folks were running around in BDU's. Eventually Naval Aviators on the Joint Staff started wearing flight suits, but no one else. Then everyone was able to do so, except for those on the Navy staff, then back to khakis....and so on. IIRC the Director of the Navy Staff had the final say on NCR uniforms, no surprise that the stricter standards one time happened when the new DNS was a shoe.

Beyond the NCR I was on a 'Joint' staff (in reality Army) where we were explicitly prohibited from earing flight suits. That lasted until a new commander took over and a bunch of us just showed up wearing flight suits the next day, while also reminding all the Army folks we were still getting flight pay. Surprisingly it was just...accepted, when 80% of us were mobilized reservists who gave a lot less fucks the bosses seemed to know to pick their battles. "Why is it when I tell my Army officers to do things they say 'Yes sir', but when I tell you Navy reserve guys you tell me I'm stupid?". "It's because you're orders are stupid."

As for 'office wear', since 9/11 the general norm has been 'combat' uniforms even in the office with the exception of a some more senior DC staffs and some public facing jobs. I have absolutely no problem with folks wearing flight suits even in office jobs around DC as they've earned the right to wear it.

I can assure you, no civilian is showing up to work in worn out jeans and a sweaty henley shirt. I get it, if you are on an airbase and you are flight crew then the look is just fine, but people in the MDW need to dress in a proper uniform and show some pride in their service standards…and this applies to the USAF.

Civilian dress code standards have relaxed greatly since COVID, and we are none the worse for wear for it. And yes, jeans and t-shirts are not uncommon...

 

[Gatordev]

Navy needs to rebrand the flight suit as the the Aviation Duty Uniform (ADU). And permit wear in office environments.

They did that already. Everyone wears a bag to the office already. All of this was already a thing within the Naval Aviation community. Stepping into other community-hosted or joint commands may yield different results, but even aviation CoCs will often just have flight suits as the uniform of the day.

 

[SynixMan]

I was Space Force USSF S5 staff in 2020-2021. As @Flash mentioned, NCR regs are a shifting target. Mostly wore NWU Type 3s which honestly are fine. Wayyyyyyy better than Type 1s. Some of our 13xx brethren are too dramatic.

 

[wink]

I was London CINCUSNAVEUR N3 staff in late 90s. It was civ coat and tie every day. Maybe that is why I am not overly sympathetic.