The vice wing commander of the US Air Force Academy, Motaz Ahmed, breaks down every uniform cadets are issued at the Academy. He explains the uses and features of all six uniforms and the meanings behind the various patches, awards, and badges found on his uniforms.
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00:00 For the white shirt, cadets can get to have fun with the sleeves.
00:03 You can buy a normal white shirt and pick a pattern that you would like to have be put on your sleeves
00:12 and just send it to a regular alteration shop and they will put the sleeves on for you.
00:16 I'm Cadet First Class Mohtaz Ahmed and I'm the Vice Wing Commander of the United States Air Force Academy
00:21 and these are all the different uniforms issued to cadets by the Academy.
00:28 The United States Air Force Academy is a military service academy
00:31 and its job is to develop officers of character for both the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force.
00:37 First up, we got the OCPs or the Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform.
00:43 So this uniform is worn by cadets four to five times a week
00:48 and its purpose is designed for durability and while still maintaining the comfortable aspect of having a uniform.
00:56 Cadets wear this uniform whenever they have field training or any military training exercises.
01:02 First up on our right arm, we got the American Flag patch followed by either the Squadron patch
01:10 or because I'm on Wing Staff, the Wing Staff patch which says Valor to Victory.
01:14 We got your last name on your right chest and in the middle we have the cadet rank.
01:24 So freshmen don't have rank yet, so they don't have anything and upperclassmen, they have different rank.
01:32 My rank is Cadet Colonel, so we have six bars.
01:35 Next up, we got the United States Air Force patch which is on your left chest.
01:42 On your left shoulder, you have your class year.
01:46 I'm going to be graduating in 2023, so I have 23 on my left shoulder
01:51 and your last patch will be the United States Air Force Headquarters patch.
01:55 Next up, we got the pants.
01:59 These pants have many pockets that cadets can use to put any of their equipment that they'll be using
02:09 for the field training or the military training that they will be doing this day.
02:12 For this pants, cadets wear it with this belt which is the Spice Brown belt.
02:20 So in addition to all the different pockets this, you know, this the pants have,
02:24 we have the pen pockets that cadets can use to store different pens or pencils that they can use
02:31 to write down on the field or during their training exercise.
02:34 Additionally, for this uniform, the first three classes, the first three years you get to wear
02:42 the patrol cap which is just a simple cap that is Spice Brown and has your name on the back of it
02:48 and your senior year cadets, seniors get to wear the blue beret with the prop and wings on it.
02:57 So finally, we got the Coyote Brown boots that cadets wear with the OCPs and the reason we have
03:03 boots is that cadets can wear it for all the different terrains that they will be having
03:09 their military training exercises in.
03:11 So next up, we got the PT uniforms or the physical training uniforms.
03:16 This uniform on the right chest, we have your last name and under that we have your graduation year.
03:23 So again, 23 and on the left part of your chest, we got the Air Force Academy logo
03:30 followed by a big Air Force Academy logo on the back of it and that's for the jacket.
03:35 Under the jacket, we have the white PC or physical training t-shirts.
03:42 Again, we have the USAFA and over it, we have your last name and your class year that you'll
03:48 be graduating in and again on the back, we have the Air Force Academy logo.
03:53 Next up, we got the PT, the physical training pants which are just simple pants that cadets
04:02 again for that can will be wearing for their physical training or PE or physical training
04:07 classes.
04:08 Lastly, we got the athletic shoes that cadets wear with this uniform.
04:12 Cadets must keep it into a neutral color and still provide ankle support so they can be
04:18 performing their physical exercises in a safe manner.
04:21 Coming up next is the flight suit uniform.
04:24 This is a one-piece and right here on our right shoulder, we have the again the wing
04:32 patch or squadrons will have a their squadron patch.
04:37 On the right part of the chest, we have the Air Force Academy headquarters patch.
04:41 So on the left part of the chest, we have your name patch which says your name, USAFA
04:47 cadet and your class year.
04:48 And lastly, we have the American patch on the left part of the shoulder and this uniform
04:56 is used whenever cadets are doing any of the airmanship programs offered at USAFA.
05:01 The four main ones are soaring program, the parachutist program, the powered flight program
05:06 and lastly, the remote piloted aircraft program.
05:09 So what's special about this uniform is flame resistance.
05:12 We have many different pockets that cadets can use to put different things in while they're
05:16 performing their aviation exercises.
05:18 One, we have pockets that cadets can put their squadron patch in.
05:23 In addition to different leg pockets that cadets can place different notebooks or different
05:30 writing utensils that they can take notes while they're flying.
05:36 And lastly, we have a calf pocket that they can put their flight caps in.
05:42 In addition to that, we have the pencil pocket that cadets can put pencils or pens in to
05:48 just for quick access while they're flying.
05:51 And worn with this uniform is the flight cap.
05:53 Next up will be the service dress.
05:57 The service dress is one of our most formal uniforms that cadets wear during interviews
06:02 or during formal events.
06:04 So first we got the shoulder boards because I'm a cadet colonel.
06:07 We have this rank, which is ground cloud horizon, four thick bars followed by two stars because
06:13 I'm the vice wing commander.
06:15 Next up, we got the US insignia followed by the prop and wings.
06:19 On the right part of the chest, we have your last name followed by any badges because I
06:25 have the German proficiency badge.
06:27 That's where you'll place it.
06:29 On the left part of the chest, we have any aviation wings.
06:35 This is the soaring wings because I soloed and I have the private pilot license.
06:39 I get to have a star.
06:40 In addition to that, we have the parachutist wing, which is offered in our airmanship 490
06:46 course that cadets can take in the academic year or in the summer.
06:50 After that, we have three ribbons.
06:52 We have the national defense ribbon, the global war on terrorism ribbon, and the air force
06:57 training ribbon.
06:59 And lastly, we have any award pins that you received in the semester at your time at USAFA.
07:05 And this is the superintendent pin, which has the academic dean star followed by the
07:11 commandant's military wreath, followed lastly with the athletic lightning bolt.
07:16 This is the blue shirt that we wear under the service jacket.
07:19 It will have everything, all the pins and all the awards that will be worn on the service
07:23 jacket.
07:24 We got the blue pants that can be worn with or without the jacket.
07:27 You wear them with a belt and they only have two side pockets and two back pockets.
07:34 So the blues uniform is worn at least two times a week.
07:38 And with the service coat, you can wear it whenever there are formal events or special
07:43 interviews that we're going through.
07:45 Just the blue shirt and the pants can be worn anytime.
07:50 Additionally, with this uniform, you have the option to either one, wear the flight
07:54 cap or to the service wheel cap.
07:57 We have the air force mestress.
08:00 This uniform is worn for very formal events such as hundreds night ring dance or graduation.
08:07 This uniform can also be worn by graduates when they're getting married.
08:12 For the jacket, we have the different rank that cadets can wear or once they commission,
08:18 they can put active duty officer ranks.
08:22 For ribbons and medals, we have cadets can wear any kind of different kind of medals
08:28 that they have, that they have earned.
08:30 And for the white shirt, cadets can get to have fun with the sleeves.
08:34 You can buy a normal white shirt and pick a pattern that you would like to have put
08:40 on your sleeves and just send it to a regular alteration shop and they will put the sleeves
08:46 on for you.
08:47 Lastly, we have the pants and these are special set of pants that must be worn with suspenders
08:54 and they have two side pockets.
08:56 Finally, we have the parade dress.
08:58 Cadets wear this uniform whenever there's a parade such as the founders day parade or
09:06 graduation and graduation day parade.
09:08 For this uniform, cadets wear their rank and prop and wings on the collar.
09:15 And lastly, for the jacket, they wear yellow sashes for if they're going to the Air Force
09:21 or a gray sash if they're going to be commissioned to the Space Force.
09:25 And only seniors get to wear a sash.
09:28 The pants for this parade dress are very unique.
09:32 They come in with a built-in suspender system that cadets wear under the jacket.
09:41 And it has no pockets because you're not supposed to wear or have anything in your
09:47 pockets during parades.
09:48 Cadets wear the white wheel cap with this uniform in addition to white gloves and the
09:56 saber if they are a senior in a leadership position.
09:59 For shoes, we have the black core frames.
10:03 These shoes are worn with service dress, the mess dress, and the parade dress.
10:08 And this uniform is the only uniform that is academy specific.
10:11 And that's everything a cadet is issued at the Air Force Academy.
10:15 [ Silence ]