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Why does the Army still have the White Mess Uniform?


iamck94
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At one point in history an Army officer could own 9 different dress uniforms, now it's been reduced to three. I don't agree with the abolition of the Green Uniform, even though in its current form it's unattractive, especially when compared to the original its original form. When the Army decided to get rid of summer uniforms, they decided to keep the Army White Uniform and the Army White Mess Uniform. Since the mid-80's the Army's dress uniforms have been reduced to the Green Uniform, Blue Uniform, Blue Mess Uniform, White Uniform, and White Mess Uniform. While it seems odd to me that the Army decided keep the hot weather version of the formal uniforms, but abolish the hot weather service uniform, when the formal uniform is much less common, they did. Anyway, as of 2014 the Army will only have three dress uniforms; Army Service Uniform, Army Blue Mess Uniform, and Army White Mess Uniform. From what I've read the White uniform was a rare uniform to begin with, as were the mess uniforms. So my question is if the Army wants to get rid of the White uniform because it's rare, why keep the White mess uniform? I can understand keeping the Blue Mess, but why the white? If you're going to have a hot weather version of a dress uniform, why not the more common uniform?

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Big brass needs something really fancy to wear to formal dinner parties. Can't have just the brass from the other branches dressed to the 9s. As far as I know, they're not any sort of direct issue, but I don't know about what is or isn't for high ranking officers. Keeping the uniform authorized won't likely affect much one way or the other for the average Joe or taxpayer, I'd imagine.

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Big brass needs something really fancy to wear to formal dinner parties. Can't have just the brass from the other branches dressed to the 9s. As far as I know, they're not any sort of direct issue, but I don't know about what is or isn't for high ranking officers. Keeping the uniform authorized won't likely affect much one way or the other for the average Joe or taxpayer, I'd imagine.

 

I think you hit it on the head. When I lived in Washington and partied with all the brass at various balls and events, everyone military wore whites. It was difficult to tell them apart...you really had to know ranks and what to look for. The rule of thumb was that anyone not wearing whites was a lobbyist. :rolleyes:

 

Don..

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I totally agree, they look fantastic. I'd like to get married in those, it's just, why get rid of the more common one. If the army is going to one uniform that works as a service/formal uniform, why not keep the current white uniform to function as a hot weather ASU. To me, the blue mess uniform could function as the "fancy dinner party attire". The mess uniforms are rare as it is, and the hot weather ones are the rarest, so generally speaking I would say that the uniform least seen by the average soldier is the white mess uniform. I've have met people who have seen the white uniform, and I've seen the blue mess uniform myself, but I've never met anyone who has seen nor have I personally seen the white mess uniform. To me that states that it is the rarest of all Army uniforms. Although the white uniform does look snazzy, I think the Army should keep it as the tropical ASU option. If you're going to keep the white mess, then keep the white uniform, and if you're going to get rid of the white uniform, do the same with the white mess.

 

By the way LtRGFRANK, why do you have the white mess? Do you also have the blue mess?

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I totally agree, they look fantastic. I'd like to get married in those, it's just, why get rid of the more common one. If the army is going to one uniform that works as a service/formal uniform, why not keep the current white uniform to function as a hot weather ASU. To me, the blue mess uniform could function as the "fancy dinner party attire". The mess uniforms are rare as it is, and the hot weather ones are the rarest, so generally speaking I would say that the uniform least seen by the average soldier is the white mess uniform. I've have met people who have seen the white uniform, and I've seen the blue mess uniform myself, but I've never met anyone who has seen nor have I personally seen the white mess uniform. To me that states that it is the rarest of all Army uniforms. Although the white uniform does look snazzy, I think the Army should keep it as the tropical ASU option. If you're going to keep the white mess, then keep the white uniform, and if you're going to get rid of the white uniform, do the same with the white mess.

 

By the way LtRGFRANK, why do you have the white mess? Do you also have the blue mess?

yes my son now Major Frank does. Why? cause he wants to

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have to admit as a collector seeing these on here and other places I really think they look sharp :)

I was talking with a friend who was in Saudi Arabia during desert Shield as a Navy Corpsman and she said that she was in navy almost 12 years and said she only used her mess dress outfit like 2 times 3 at most.

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