Skip to main content
Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters
Main Content

Curry Uniform Voucher

How the Curry Uniform Voucher Works

The Curry Uniform Voucher provides cadets with financial support to assist them in purchasing their first uniforms, upon their earning Achievement 1, The Curry Achievement.

(1)   Self-Declare Financial Need in Membership Application.  The cadet declares their financial need category when they complete the membership form (CAPF 15 or online form). This step applies to cadets who joined after 1 October 2022.

(2)   Earn the Curry Achievement.  The cadet completes the tasks necessary for the first promotion and earns the Curry Achievement.

(3)   Voucher Arrives.  Within 5 days of officially completing Achievement 1, cadets receive their voucher email containing a unique "coupon code" from our uniform partner, Vanguard.  The email comes from curry@vanguardmil.com and is sent to the cadet, the primary parent email, Commander and Deputy Commander for Cadets. 

Voucher Amount. The voucher amount will be $100 for all cadets who joined before 1 October 2022. Starting 1 October 2022, the voucher amount for new cadets will be determined based on the family's financial need as declared in the membership application. The financial priority categories are the same as in the Cadet Encampment Assistance Program (CEAP) and CadetInvest applications. The financial need section in the membership application beginning 1 October 2022 includes these categories and amounts:

  • 1st Priority cadets receive a $175 voucher. This includes families of greatest need who have received assistance in the past 12 months from SNAP, WIC, Unemployment, free/reduced school lunch, etc.

  • 2nd Priority cadets receive a $125 voucher. This includes families with 2 or more cadets enrolled, or incomes under $80,000

  • 3rd Priority cadets receive a $75 voucher (default amount). This includes families not eligible for Priority 1 or 2, but the family declares they are facing financial challenges

  • Voluntary Opt-Out for cadets who do not require assistance to obtain a uniform

(4)   Shop.  The cadet may use their voucher to purchase items from a limited menu that include Blues and ABU items. A full set of new uniforms costs about $380. Families should first see if uniforms can be issued items from their local unit and then purchase items still needed with voucher amount. The family will need to pay the difference between the voucher amount and cost of the uniforms ordered. 

Expiration.  Curry Uniform Vouchers expire 45 days after issuance. We want to serve as many cadets as possible, but doing so requires us to enforce a firm, but reasonable, expiration date. Unfortunately, vouchers are not renewable and are not transferrable. 

Remaining Balances. If the cadet uses only a portion of the voucher amount, the remaining balance is returned to CAP. 

Exchanges.  Please contact Vanguard if you need to exchange an item. Vanguard will swap items one-for-one, but the cadet must pay for shipping.

(5)   Wear.  The cadet can reference the New Cadet Guide to learn how to properly wear their new uniforms once they have arrived. When a cadet outgrows a uniform or leaves CAP, local leaders will request that the cadet return the uniform so that it may be used by another cadet.

 

Best Practices for Staff

Partnering with Parents.  When a new cadet joins CAP, encourage the cadet and the parents to register their email address with CAP. 

Publicity.  When promoting a cadet to C/Amn mention to the cadet and his or her parent(s) to watch their email for a Curry Uniform Voucher. Check spam folders, too. If the family adds curry@vanguardmil.com to their email contacts then the voucher will show up in their email inbox and not in junk mail. 

Monitoring.  A report is available in eServices to help units manage the program. This report shows you the date the cadet earned their Curry.  Vouchers are sent on Tuesdays and Fridays after the first promotion.  The report can be found at: eServices > Cadet Promotions > Reports > Curry Blues Voucher Report

1.  Assign the task of monitoring Curry Uniform Vouchers to a staff member (ie: Supply Officer, Personnel Officer, CDC)

2.  Get into the habit of running the report on a certain week of the month.

3.  Download the report. Look at each individual named on the report. Does he or she have a full blues and ABU uniform? If not, ask if the cadet needs help using the Curry Uniform Voucher.

4.  Vouchers expire after 45 days so pay special attention to cadets who earned the Curry so that their voucher doesn't expire before they can use it. Unfortunately, vouchers cannot be re-issued or transferred. 

Expired Vouchers. If a cadet's voucher has expired then the cadet should work with the unit to access the unit's supply closet or shop at local military surplus stores. Uniform items that are not provided at the unit or found locally can be purchased through Vanguard without the voucher. Vouchers cannot be re-issued or transferred. 

Point of Contact.  Please direct your questions about the Curry Uniform Voucher to local leaders, or if necessary, cadets@capnhq.gov. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Aren't cadets supposed to be in uniform to earn Achievement 1?

Uniforms are no longer required for Achievement 1. The CAPR 60-1 was updated in Oct 2021 to change this requirement. The new update says "Cadets must possess and properly wear the Blues or ABU uniform within 60 days following their completing Achievement 1. For all promotions after Achievement 1, proper wear of the uniform is required.". Reference CAPR 60-1 Section 3.1.6.1. A Curry certificate is available in the Cadet Library and in the CAP Certificates module to use at promotion ceremonies for cadets who are not yet in uniform.

2. A family at our squadron did not use their voucher in time and it's expired. Can I get it re-issued from Vanguard?

Vouchers will not be re-issued. CAP sends this voucher to 4 email addresses so that units can use a team approach to help the family make the deadline. Voucher emails may go to junk mail and many email providers delete junk mail between 10 (Outlook) and 30 days (Gmail). Please work with your new families to ensure they find their voucher no later than one week from the Curry promotion date and use the voucher before it expires in 45 days. If the voucher has expired, please support the family with your local supply closet, provide guidance on how to obtain low-cost uniforms at a local suplus store, and/or network with neighboring units or your Wing to assist the family. Uniform items that are not provided at the unit or found locally can be purchased through Vanguard without the voucher. 

3. What about the cadets who joined before 1 October 2022, what will they receive as their voucher amount? 

Cadets who joined before 1 October 2022 and earn their Curry Achievement after the new program launches will receive $100 for their voucher amount. This is the amount the program offered when they joined the organization. 

4. What if the cadet doesn't select any of the financial need categories on their membership form? 

Cadets who join after 1 October 2022 and do not have a financial category declared on their application will receive the default amount of $75 when they earn the first achievement.

5. Is there a way to check if the cadet has used their voucher?

Yes! Please click on the link in the cadet's voucher email. If the link says "Uh Oh! This voucher code has expired!" then the cadet has already used the voucher or it's expired. If the link is still active for shopping then the cadet has not purchased items yet. 

6. Is there a report to monitor who receives the Curry Vouchers?

Yes, you can access the Curry Uniform Voucher Report via eServices > Cadet Programs > Cadet Promotions > Reports . This report shows you when cadets in your unit received their first achievement. Vanguard receives the vouchers on Tuesdays and Fridays, so there may be a delay between the date on the report (when the achievement is earned) and when the voucher is emailed. The expiration date is based on the date the voucher is issued. 

7. How will I know the voucher amount each cadet receives?

Commanders and Deputy Commanders for Cadets receive a copy of the voucher email, which lists the voucher amount.  

8. Can I shop for the cadet?

If the family is unable, unwilling, or unaware of the voucher then the unit should assist them and help get the order placed on behalf of the cadet before the voucher expires.

9. I accidentally selected the wrong financial need category when my cadet joined. Can I change our financial need category?

The financial need category can only be changed prior to the first promotion. Please email cadets@capnhq.gov before the first promotion is approved if you need to confirm or change what was entered in the membership application. Vouchers cannot be changed after they are issued.  

10. Where did the penny vouchers go? Do new cadets who opt-out of the voucher receive a discount?

Families that selected to Opt-out of the Curry Uniform Voucher between October 2022 and February 2023 received a voucher for $0.01 from Vanguard. The penny voucher is what Vanguard's computer system required to allow access to the Curry Uniform shopping menu for a $0 voucher.  Vanguard has since removed the penny voucher because it caused a lot of confusion. Currently, cadets who opt-out of the Curry Uniform Voucher receive a special email with a coupon code and a special voucher link that allow families easy access to a list of new cadet uniform items and permits them to shop at the discounted “new cadet” pricing. This coupon code email currently only goes to the cadet's email address. If you need a copy of a cadet's coupon code opt-out email in order to support that cadet and their family then please reach out to curry@vanguardmil.com. The coupon code and special shopping link are one time use only and expire in 45 days just like the Curry Uniform Voucher. Coupon code emails cannot be re-issued once they expire.

Last update: 21 November 2023

© 2024 Civil Air Patrol. All rights reserved.