I was asked for direction for outfitting a CAP color guard with the proper equipment and decided to expand it to AFJROTC and SFJROTC units as well. Below is the full explanation with links.
While AF/SFJROTC and CAP are required to follow USAF standards (but does not in areas of drill and ceremonies) one area where the programs do follow and yet seem not to is the color of web belts, who wears the belts, and the color of colors harnesses.
Historically, the first USAF color guards were made of Air Police (AP), Airmen who were in the law enforcement (security forces) specialty. APs (just like the Army’s MPs) wore pistol belts and were armed with sidearms during the duty day. They took care of the color guard requirements for their base. When it came to more formal occasions and even ceremonies, the pistol belt was switched to the white version. When it came to a color guard, the guards would be armed with the sidearm, but the bearers would remove their pistol belt and wear a (white) colors harness. You can see this in the photo at the right. That color guard posed for photos for the first AF drill and ceremonies manual in 1953.
- Adjustable Poles
- Metal and dark wood staffs are not authorized. Purchasing them is a waste (fraud, waste, and abuse) of funding, no matter where you get the funds. I cannot help you with this.
- The ONLY authorized flagstaffs for AF/SFJROTC and CAP are the light ash wood guidon staffs as stated in AFI 34-1201 (AFI 90-1201) – https://www.glendale.com/guidon-poles/
- Hard Case for Multiple Flagstaffs – https://www.glendale.com/airliner-flag-carrying-case-telescoping/
- Pistol belts (dozens of holes for attaching gear) are my second choice – https://www.glendale.com/pistol-belts-medium-weight/
- Rifle
- M1917 Mk1 (4lbs or 6lbs, not my favorite. They are short and have an odd curve.) – https://www.glendale.com/drillamerica-mk1-replica-rifle/M1
- M1903 (- https://www.glendale.com/drillamerica-1903-springfield-replica-rifle-wt-8-5lbs/
- Hard Rifle Case – https://www.glendale.com/single-rifle-airline-approved-cases/
- USAF wheel cap with extra chin strap
- Cap – https://www.glendale.com/usaf-service-cap/
- Extra black chin strap – https://www.glendale.com/usaf-service-cap-straps/
- White Web Colors Harness – https://www.glendale.com/best-quality-web-carriers/
- White Web Belts with Silver Hardware
- MP belts (no holes for attaching gear) look really good – https://www.glendale.com/military-police-belts/
- Pistol belts (dozens of holes for attaching gear) are my second choice – https://www.glendale.com/pistol-belts-medium-weight/
- You can go with the USAF ceremonial belt, but that requires wear of the ceremonial cap and the silver stripe on the trouser leg. A bit expensive and the only way this is authorized for CAP is if the cadet goes through a regional academy teaching ceremonial drill.
- White Gloves with Grip – https://www.glendale.com/honor-guard-gloves/
- White Shoulder Cords
- Epaulet cord – called an infantry-type cord. This is the type, https://www.glendale.com/button-loop-cord-two-colors/ but Glendale does not seem to have single colors on the website. If you call and order just white, I’m sure they can take care of you.
- Outside shoulder (at the seam of the sleeve) – https://www.glendale.com/shoulder-cords-with-pins-one-color/
AF/SFJROTC, check your uniform guidance from HQAFJROTC.