URBAN LEGENDS

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URBAN LEGENDS!
Lieutenant Colonel Davis
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PURPOSE

• To dispel some of the many incorrect notions
  passed on as truth through both cadets and senior
  members

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ROE

• Im Presenting Information Based On My Research
• Some of whats going on out there is PROHIBITED
• Some there is just no written guidance that says
  Thou shalt!
• Where Ive Found References, Ive Provided Them
• So that Im not spreading Urban Legends
• I Have No Emotional Attachment to This Info
• I would be happy (THRILLED!) to remove any of
  this if Im wrong

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Saluting

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• When in a group (but not a formation), if an
  officer senior to everyone approaches the group,
  the senior person present in the group salutes
  for everyone.

• URBAN LEGEND!
• In this situation, (a gaggle), everyone salutes.

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Saluting

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• Youre a lieutenant and in a gaggle with two
  majors and two master sergeants. A captain
  approaches. The approaching captain must salute
  the majors, but you and the NCOs do not salute
  the captain because youre with 2 officers who
  are senior to the captain.
• URBAN LEGEND!
• The captain salutes the majors, and you and the
  NCOs salute the captain.

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Saluting

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• The U.S. Military (and by extension, CAP) salutes
  with the palm down because weve never lost a
  war.
• URBAN LEGEND!
• This is totally false, though a complete, true
  and documented explanation may be impossible.
  Through at least the Spanish-American War (1898),
  US Forces saluted with the palm exposed.
• My research

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Uniforms

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• There is a right side up and upside down with
  ribbons.
• For the Most Part This Is URBAN LEGEND!
• Obviously this ribbon can only go one way

• But a ribbon like this can go either way

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Uniforms

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• If a unit has been awarded a unit citation (or
  multiple citations), members who join that unit
  after the award date are authorized to wear the
  citation(s) while they belong to that unit, but
  must remove the citation(s) if they transfer to
  another unit.
• URBAN LEGEND!
• Only members belonging to a unit during the time
  frame covered by the award citation(s) are
  authorized to wear the ribbons
• CAP Regulation 39-3, Page 4, Paragraph 9. h. (2)
• The period of an outstanding achievement is
  normally short and characterized by definite
  beginning and ending dates.
• CAP Regulation 39-3, Page 5, Paragraph 12. c.
  (2)
• The Unit Citation Ribbon may be worn
  permanently by all individuals who
• were members of the unit during any portion
  of the period of time shown in the National
  Headquarters Personnel Action announcing the
  award.

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Uniforms

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• When BDU sleeves are rolled up, the cuff of the
  rolled sleeve cant exceed the width of the sewn
  cuff or another pre-determined width
• URBAN LEGEND!
• CAP Manual 39-1, Table 2-3, line 1 states Long
  sleeve camouflage pattern (woodland green) may be
  rolled up if rolled up, sleeve material must
  match shirt and will touch or come within 1 inch
  of forearms when arm is bent at a 90-degree
  angle
• You MAY issue a local policy stating the length
  of the cuff must be xx but dont repeat that as
  gospel to other units
• Be careful about such a policy, it may not be
  practical

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Uniforms

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• A cadet awarded a Blue Beret through the
  National Blue Beret special activity can wear
  that beret at any time
• TRUE (Now)!
• No official guidance in CAPM 39-1, supplements to
  that manual or national policy letters
• National Board Minutes, an elusive e-mail
  message, and occasionally postings to the CAP
  Knowledge Base are the ONLY source of this
  information

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Uniforms

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• Only Cadet NCOs and officers may wear neck ties
  or tie tabs
• URBAN LEGEND!
• See CAPM 39-1, Tables 2-1 and 2-3
• No restriction on who may wear ties or tie tabs

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Uniforms

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• Ribbons MUST be worn on light blue AF-Style
  shirts
• URBAN LEGEND!
• See CAPM 39-1, para 4-2 a.
• Ribbons are ONLY required on service dress or
  semi-formal uniforms optional for other service
  uniforms

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Drill and CeremoniesAt or By My Command!

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• If an officer or NCO is in command of a unit
  while performing drill and a new officer or NCO
  comes to take command that unit, the new leader
  must issue the command At My Command or By My
  Command before the unit can respond.
• URBAN LEGEND!
• The command, At My Command is used when using a
  teaching technique called Mass Commands. For
  drilling a unit, a competent authority can take
  over command and there is no command he/she must
  issue before troops respond. There is no such
  command as By My Command in AF Manual 36-2203.

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Drill and CeremoniesAttention!

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• When issuing the command to call a unit to
  attention, the preparatory command is Atten or
  Tench and the command of execution is HUT!.
• URBAN LEGEND!
• Page 11, paragraph 2.1.1 and 2.1.1.1
• In this manual, the first letter of
  preparatory command is capitalized and printed in
  boldface (Squadron), and the command of execution
  is printed in all caps and boldface (ATTENTION).
• When calling a unit to attention or halting
  a units march, the preparatory command includes
  the units designation.
• Proper command would be Squadron (Flight, or
  Element), TENCH-HUT! (Page 16, Figure 2-2)

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Drill and CeremoniesFall In!

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• To command a unit to fall in, the preparatory
  command is Squadron (Flight or Element) and the
  command of execution is Fall In!
• URBAN LEGEND!
• The command is simply Fall In!
• Page 12, paragraph 2.1.1.3
• In certain commands, the preparatory command
  and the command of execution are combined, for
  example FALL IN, AT EASE, and REST.
• Page 32, paragraph 4.3.1
• A flight forms in at least two, but not
  more than four, elements in line formation
  (figure 4.1). The command is FALL IN.

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Drill and CeremoniesReport

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• When taking an attendance report from element
  leaders, the person requesting the report
  (usually the flight sergeant) commands
  REEEE-port!
• URBAN LEGEND!
• The command is simply REPORT
• Page 49, paragraph 5.3.4
• The flight sergeants then command REPORT.

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Drill and CeremoniesReport

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• When element leaders are giving their attendance
  report, they will execute a half left face or
  otherwise turn 45 degrees to face the flight
  sergeant, salute and give their report
• URBAN LEGEND!
• Element leaders stand and report in place
• Page 49, paragraph 5.3.4
• Remaining in position, the element leaders
  in succession from front to rear of each flight
  salute and report _____ Element, all present or
  _____
• Element, (number) person(s) absent.

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Drill and CeremoniesFall In!

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• When ordered to fall in, cadets will ALWAYS fall
  in at close interval.
• URBAN LEGEND!
• If youre going to say ALWAYS, this is wrong
• Default for falling in is at NORMAL interval
• Page 48, paragraph 5.3.1
• On the command FALL IN, the squadron forms
  in two or more flights with normal interval
  between individuals (unless close interval is
  directed)

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Drill and CeremoniesOpen Ranks March!

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• When performing Open Ranks movements, the front
  elements take the required steps forward and the
  last element takes one step BACKWARDS.
• URBAN LEGEND!
• This is totally bogus IAW AFMAN 36-2203
• Page 37, paragraph 4.5.1
• On the command MARCH, the fourth rank stands
  fast and automatically executes dress right dress
  at normal interval. Each succeeding rank in front
  of the fourth rank takes the required numbered of
  paces

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Drill and CeremoniesDress Right, Dress!

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• When performing Dress Right, troops will extend
  their arms with their hand clenched into a fist.
• URBAN LEGEND!
• I have NO clue where this originated but it
  wasnt 36-2203
• Page 35, paragraph 4.4.1.1
• On the command DRESS, everyone except the
  last airman in each element raises and extends
  the left arm laterally from the shoulder with
  snap so the arm is parallel with the ground. As
  the arm is raised, uncup the hand at
  approximately waist level, keeping the palm down.
  Extend and join the fingers and place the thumb
  along the forefinger.
• Notice it also says parallel with the ground

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Drill and CeremoniesAs You Were!

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• If an incorrect command is issued by an officer
  or NCO commanding troops for drill, members of
  the formation may say As you were
  sir/maam/chief/sergeant! The commander may
  issue the command, As I was!
• URBAN LEGEND!
• There are NO SUCH COMMANDS in AFMAN 36-2203
• AFMAN 36-2203, Page 12, paragraph 2.2.5
• Use the command AS YOU WERE to revoke a
  preparatory command.
• After the command of execution has been
  given and the movement has
• begun, give other appropriate commands
  to bring the element to the
• desired position. If a command is
  improperly given, the individuals
• execute the movement to the best of
  their ability.

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Drill and CeremoniesArms Up to Prevent Breaking
Ranks

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• If someone attempts to go between cadets they
  should raise their arms to prevent it
• URBAN LEGEND!

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Customs and CourtesiesRemoving Covers in Cars

• Truth or Urban Legend?
• While riding in a car with a senior officer,
  junior officers/NCOs will remove their covers if
  the senior does, or leave their covers on if the
  senior leaves his/hers on.
• Near as I can tell this is URBAN LEGEND!
• This one was HUGE in California
• I can find no references in CURRENT documents for
  this one
• It is possible that once upon a time this was
  true
• It may STILL be true, but I cant find a
  reference

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Protecting Yourself From The One-Eyed Man
Wearing a Clown Mask With a Hook For a Hand
Who Just Escaped From a Mental Hospital
Oh Yeah He is After Cadets at Encampment

• Remember we go by TODAYS regulations CAP and
  Air Force
• If you have people who have been around for 40
  years, they may know a LOT, but they may not be
  current
• If you have commanders and/or DCCs that served in
  other branches of the military
• READ the regulations, manuals and instructions!
• Knowing your stuff is the best way to beat the
  one-eyed man
• Be skeptical
• Be respectful, and do it at the right time, but
  ask questions
• Know what is a local procedure vs. what is IN THE
  REGS!
• If you have local procedures, dont bring them to
  Wing/Region activities claim they are the
  gospel
• Dont be afraid to look it up!

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• QUESTIONS?