New Army uniform changes possibly in the works

[MattS]

The army is considering some major uniform changes according to an article in the latest Army Times. It will be interesting to see how the bureaucrats screw it up (again).

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/05/army...bc5993cbc62%2C0

[m1ashooter]

We sure spend a lot of the taxpayers and service members dollars screwing around with uniform changes. When will this insanity stop.

[Jack's Son]

We sure spend a lot of the taxpayers and service members dollars screwing around with uniform changes. When will this insanity stop.

Why not go back to the uniform that "wasn't broken"........no need to fix it!

[Sabrejet]

Any Army worth its salt should listen to what the guys at the sharp end have to say about the practicalities of their equipment, irrespective of political interference. Maybe that would then save millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars?

 

Sabrejet :think:

[MattS]

Any Army worth its salt should listen to what the guys at the sharp end have to say about the practicalities of their equipment, irrespective of political interference. Maybe that would then save millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars?

 

Sabrejet :think:

 

Ah, if government only worked that way. We can only dream...

[Bugme]

How many times have we all heard soldiers say: "Bring back the BDU". What are the guys in Washington not hearing?

[kjones5452]

I've lost count as to all the patterns that the different services have. I have no clue why the Navy or Air Force has

to outfit non combat personel with camo. Also can somebody give me a GOOD reason why the Army and Marines

need different patterns? They operate in the same country so why not the same battledress? It all reminds me of

a womans closet, with all the different colors and styles.

[TS Allen]

Right on, KJones5442. Just like with the BDUs, the services should get together and decide on a practical uniform we all can wear. However, the days of a unified uniform are gone, and not likely to come back. MARPATs good for the Corps, the new Navy thing is great for mechanics, and the AF is special as we all know.

 

On 1 APR Army Times ran a fake cover story on the Army bringing back the black campaign cover. While the first image, which showed one of those fugly "Army" pins on the front was unpopular, there was yelps of joy in the barracks at the idea slapping rank, branch insignia, and a branch-colored cord on a cover and bringing it back. The Cowboy hat, after all, is a pretty popular item with soldier.

 

As fortune would have it, a few Australians had been staying with us a couple of weeks before on training, and had gifted some of their hosts their beloved brown slouch hats. Those things were not only practical (they wore them around garrison at all times) but looked sharp.

 

I'm almost tempted to suggest to one of these crazy departments that they bring the hats back. By all accounts, the slouch hat the US wore in the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection is one of the most popular items of headgear ever adopted by the US Army. Put together a copy of period accounts of officers and men saying how wonderful the hats were. You wouldn't even have to take away the beloved DI cover - just let them keep their Montana peaks and limit the rest of the Army to other ways of blocking the cover.

 

~TS

[henry2]

We need to go back to a set of three basic uniform for the military guys and girls

 

1-PT gear with summer system and a cold weather systtem

 

2-bdu with basic camo pattern for all branchs one color that all the services could use with a cold weather protection system so that trooper does have to go out and buy after market items to keep warm in the field

 

3-dress uniform for winter and summer time wear

[doyler]

How many times have we all heard soldiers say: "Bring back the BDU". What are the guys in Washington not hearing?

 

Bug

Im sure they only hear the lobbyists who speak and represent the manufactures of all the different items

[Andrei]

Bug

Im sure they only hear the lobbyists who speak and represent the manufactures of all the different items

No, they want to make happy all the camouflage uniform collectors worldwide.

[Bluehawk]

Sample comments from the article (to all of which and more I say a hearty AMEN! :w00t: ):

------------------------------

Return to starch and polish

 

Uniform components weren’t the only thing that soldiers gigged. Dozens spoke against the ACU’s appearance. Some called for the wear of Class A’s in garrison. Others longed for the days of starched uniforms and polished boots.

 

“Let’s have a uniform that we can take pride in — one that doesn’t look like we just pulled it out of a duffel bag no matter how you wash or dry it,” said Mike Lavigne. “I really do miss the days of breaking starch and having shined boots. You could tell who cared about their appearance and who didn’t.”

 

Master Sgt. Mark Wilder, a 25-year vet, said the change to the ACU was “a major contributor to the lost art of garrison leadership.”

 

“I found more pride in my appearance when I wore a freshly pressed and starched uniform,” said Sgt. (p) Joseph Smiley, who has 11 years in service. “Now, we see so many soldiers, NCOs and officers that walk around here looking like rag bags because they just took their uniform out of the dryer and put it on. Where is the pride today? I love the Army and being among the NCO ranks, but some times I feel ashamed to be associated with some of my peers because of their appearance.”

 

Sgt. Daniel Macomber was more to the point: “BDU = Best Damn Uniform. Joes in the Army don’t take pride in their uniform anymore. Shined boots and crisp straight lines.”

 

That would be OK with Dwayne Uhlig, who told Chandler, “Just say the word. My BDUs and black boots are still polished and starched ready to go!”

[hirsca]

All of this reminds me of a former boss---a change merchant who did not believe in "if it aim't broke, don't fix it.' He had to keep his name in front of the execs with all of his "progressive ideas." I'm so glad that I'm retired.......

[Jason G]

Interesting article. I, for one, don't have an issue with different branches having a different 'identity'. That's why, after all, they are different branches.

 

Remember too that even the initial issue is 'paid for' by the recruit, so it's not like the stuff is just free.

 

I personally LOVE the slouch hat idea. Not sure how it would go over but it's cool.

 

As far as ACU's go....heck, I can't sell the ones I have in the civilian economy as 'surplus' for 5.00 each. On the other hands, I can't keep BDU's in stock at 10.00 a piece.

 

That alone should tell you something.

[captzak]

Well let's hope that the final say goes to the grunts in the field and not the politicians in DC. I have never heard any good reviews about the ACU's and like someone said earlier...why on earth are non-combat troops decked out in camo? It'll be interesting to see what ends up happening.

[solsys]

Read the article. It is an issue military times is trying to stir up.

 

I don't see the beret going anywhere soon. There are way too many other issues to deal with.

 

As for the Velcro? The official Army story is that it has. They have reduced the amount of Velcro on the ACU, therefore, they have done away with Velcro.

[ww2reproductions]

One year they asked us what uniform we would like to have and all my diggers replyed they wanted black German WW2 wool panzer uniforms :w00t: And a cotton version for summer....And we wanted cuff titles with our unit moto.

Yes we were an armoured unit.

We had German Leopards then.

So now we have M1 abrams we could go for the WW2 US tanker uniform and helmet :thumbsup:

So you can see nothing changes.

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

The Army acts like it is still trying to find its identity; 236 years old and still not sure? I for one think it does not speak well of the US Army to keep changing designs like it is in a fashion competition. One thing that I have always admired about my Marine brothers, it that distinctive uniform that has changed little over the years.

 

For us Dog-faces...what was wrong with campaign hats, leather boots, Sam Browne's and stiff collars... :ermm: ...no really!

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

One year they asked us what uniform we would like to have and all my diggers replyed they wanted black German WW2 wool panzer uniforms :w00t: And a cotton version for summer....And we wanted cuff titles with our unit moto.

Yes we were an armoured unit.

We had German Leopards then.

So now we have M1 abrams we could go for the WW2 US tanker uniform and helmet :thumbsup:

So you can see nothing changes.

 

Funny, that sounds like the guys on my tank. I named our baby "Blitzkrieg" when I was in Bravo Co. and then "Das Panzer" when in Delta Co., we all wore German tanker boots, and we (uhhh I) tried to get away with the addition of a small Waffen-SS 2nd. Panzer Div. crest stenciled on, but that was a NO GO...oh boy was that a NO GO! :dunno:... :ermm:

[Norton]

The Army acts like it is still trying to find its identity; 236 years old and still not sure? I for one think it does not speak well of the US Army to keep changing designs like it is in a fashion competition. One thing that I have always admired about my Marine brothers, it that distinctive uniform that has changed little over the years.

 

 

Bravo spoken perfectly.. But I would have to say that ACU was better than the 1979 Green polyester pickle suit and baseball hat I was issued at FT Jackson

 

For the last 30 years, the U.S. Army has been in a state of what I call "uniform chaos." A "wash and wear" mentality has permeated the Army. This has resulted in uniforms that seek to mimic corporate America and replicate the styles of the 1970s.

The result; for almost three decades the U.S. Army has worn some of the worst-looking and poorly-designed uniforms of any Army in the last 100 years. :

 

 

 

Also Does anyone here remember the bizare lime green female Class A uniform from the late 1970s?

 

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190...3_Chaos,00.html a good read

[MattS]

Looks like the debate is still ongoing: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/07...test=latestnews

[J_Andrews]

That late 1970s female outfit was not LIME green. It was teh color of a bar of ZEST SOAP.

 

The maternity version, with black Mildred Bailey bubble beret, was especially sharp.

 

AND anyone recall the life and death of short-sleeved khakis? My favorites outfits were cammie jungle fatigues, the wash-and-wear private-purchase khakis, and the Class B greens worn with short -sleeved shirt and black wooly-pully.

 

I have long said that, FOR NATIONAL IDENTITY -- the "Look" -- US soldiers should wear cowboy hats and baseball caps.

 

In lieu of baseball caps, Cav people could have cammie kepis.

 

Combat arms (and maybe all branches) ought to have branch of service color scarves, for garrison wear. But in utilitarian form, not "dickies" with snaps and elastic, etc. The plastic backings in use in Infantry blue would get my vote for all BOS colors in Class As.

[willysmb44]

The funny thing was they did survey specific units around 2000, I guess prior to the beret thing. That was Shinseki’s “legacy” as he walked out the door for retirement. I admit his Stryker concept worked out pretty well (we thought it was sheer lunacy when it was first proposed but then we had no idea what kind of wars we’d be fighting) but I think when he passes on, his grave will be defiled regularly. I have never met anyone who liked the beret for everyone. Heck, I remember people making comments about how they didn’t want to go to an Airborne command because then they’d have to wear one. I work near Ft Lewis and I see soldiers all the time walking around outside with no headgear on because of the beret issue. I have on many occasions walked up to them and asked, “Where’s your headgear, soldiers?” to which they always react like I just hit them with a cattle prod. :think:

[Cobrahistorian]

Spent the past week sitting here on an Active Duty post, cursing what many of us have come to call the "stupid hat". Friggin berets are useless, but particularly so in 100 degree heat without a cloud in the sky.

 

Hopefully we'll see some (or all!) of these uniform changes before year's end.

It'd be nice to see A2CUs get rid of most the velcro too.

 

Jon

[MattS]

Just my 2 cents, but I was in an airborne unit for most of my 4 year enlistment. Berets are hot in the summer, cold in the winter, miserable to wear when wet, and do nothing to keep the sun out of your eyes. The ONLY thing positive about them was the 'esprit-de-corps' it fostered in select units, which was completely eroded when they issued them to everybody.