(This post was originally posted on 9 August, 2016)
Civil Air Patrol has three main symbols-the Seal, Command Insignia and Logo. While all three symbols have different purposes and usages, they are all derived from the original CAP insignia which we discussed in Part One.
The Civil Air Patrol seal is the legal seal of the organization and is most commonly found on official documents, letterhead and business cards when the use of the CAP Seal would be more appropriate than the CAP Logo (which we will discuss in a future post.) The CAP Seal is also used on the CAP blue polo shirt uniform.
As you can see the Civil Air Patrol Seal (below) is derived from the Seal of the United States Air Force (bottom) and incorporates the CAP propeller in triangle first seen on the original CAP insignia. An earlier version of the Seal had the words "Civil Air Patrol" at the top of the circle and "Auxiliary United States Air Force" on the bottom-which was succeeded by the current seal in the early 1980's.
Here is the official description of the Seal according to CAPR 900-2:
(1) Crest. The crest includes the American eagle, which is symbolic of the United States and air-striking power; the cloud formation behind the eagle depicts the creation of a new firmament; and the twists of the wreaths beneath the eagle incorporate the colors of the basic shield design
(2) Shield. The CAP logo is superimposed on the shield.
(3) Encircling Stars. The encircling 13 stars represent the original 13 colonies of the United States, and the three set apart at the top of the design portray the three departments within the Department of Defense —the Army, Navy and Air Force.
CAP is proud of our connection with the US Air Force and to serve as it's Auxiliary! Did you know that in 2015 Civil Air Patrol was named a full member of the US Air Force Total Force when performing missions as the USAF Auxiliary?
Next time we will discuss the Command Insignia most commonly worn on flight duty uniforms and found on CAP aircraft and vehicles and the Logo.
