Army to recommend Multicam for entire force

[Littleguy]

It's not the green Class A in blue. It's a butchered Dress Blues, and the ugliest and most non-military uniform to come out since maternity utilities.

 

If you were in something resembling military shape and had the green Class A properly fitted, it absolutely looked better as a military uniform than the ...thing...we're cursed with now.

 

Wearout date is the end of 2014...I'll be wearing greens to my retirement ceremony.

 

And yeah, FRACUs suck. They'll need to make them in 50/50 NYCO.

Have you not seen the USAF service dress?

[VolunteerArmoury]

I've only seen the change mentioned in the media and the quotes from military.com (I've not gone to the military.com source so it may relay the answer) but I've not seen anything on AKO (Army Knowledge Online-for the non military folks or not recent veterans, that's the Army's actual intranet site). I caught no mention of it that on https://peosoldier.army.mil/ nor http://www.army.mil/info/organization/natick/ Did I miss it somewhere? I seem to remember the media saying we we all changing to multicam a few years ago as well without the Army stating that.

[32sbct]

There will never be a single camo pattern (unless we perfect Predator light-bending invisibility) for every environment. Isn't that why we had the BDU and DCU in the 1990s? And the polyester green shirts were terrible, but I think I rocked the Class A greens.

 

 

I agree, you definitely look squared away. It's not that I disliked the Class A dress green. I wore it from 1985-2009, I just like the new ASU better. While it is clearly not liked by some, it is essentially the exact same jacket as the class A dress green, just in blue.

[32sbct]

I've only seen the change mentioned in the media and the quotes from military.com (I've not gone to the military.com source so it may relay the answer) but I've not seen anything on AKO (Army Knowledge Online-for the non military folks or not recent veterans, that's the Army's actual intranet site). I caught no mention of it that on https://peosoldier.army.mil/ nor http://www.army.mil/info/organization/natick/ Did I miss it somewhere? I seem to remember the media saying we we all changing to multicam a few years ago as well without the Army stating that.

 

You are correct, this was not an official announcement, just a report from miliatry.com. The official announcement is probably a few months away at his point.

[Golem]

You are correct, this was not an official announcement, just a report from miliatry.com. The official announcement is probably a few months away at his point.

Yes, after the trial ends, and all the points are tabulated.

[elbertson]

Well the ASU is essentially the the dress green but in blue. You can't tell me the dress green looked better. I'm not a fan of any dress uniform with bloused boots. However, I can't argue with one aspect of your post. The class B uniform without the coat does look like a security guard. I also prefer the ASU with the service cap as opposed to the beret. Think of the honor guard at the tomb of the unknowns in Arlington. I think they look very sharp. I guess your preference is for the dress green with the Beetle Bailey hat. To each his own but I thought that uniform looked dated years ago. Not to mention the ugly green shirt. They should have kept khaki shirt. Now the Khaki summer uniform, that was nice. Wish we still had that one.

In my opinion, the only time the green class As even came close to looking half decent was paired with a pair of Corcorans. I was glad I had that option instead of having to wear them with chintzy worthless low quarters.

[Sabrejet]

Speaking of Multicam...you'll be seeing a lot of the British version (MTP /Multi-Terrain Pattern) at the London Olympics in the next month as additional troops are drafted in to bolster security. Unlike in the US, British troops who have been deployed to Afghanistan wear MTP as a duty uniform on their return.

 

[hawk3370]

If this is true, why not shut down the trials now?

 

I mean, if they've already made up their mind, what's the point of continuing the expensive trial process?

I think this story is the product of some misunderstandings, or a "high official" spewing something "off the record" s/he thinks will soothe the concerned public who've read the "$5bn uniform fiasco" stories.

 

My last assignment was Deputy Director of Testing and Evaluation, Combat Developments at the Infantry School. Prior to that I was a staff officer in Test and Evaluation Division at TRADOC Hq. That position put me in charge of all testing for the Infantry, Armor/Engineer and Aviation Boards and I was the OIC of the Concept Evaluation Program (CEP). In all those positions we were instructed to spend every cent allocated each year regardless of the worth of the test. We would generate B/S projects just to use up the money so that we would not be cut in the next budget. I recall the director of T&E at TRADOC calling me into his office one day and told me we had 250 million dollars to get rid of in the next two months. I had to hit the road going to all the Test Boards instructing them to create needless test to use up the funds. In my opinion its not about whats the best for the troops its about what contractor can best benifit from our wishes. Not to say we didn't come up with some really fantastic stuff, my last project before retireing was the ANPVS-7 night vision goggles which was the first 3rd generation tubes for night vision. They have now evolved those night vision optics and thermal into putting us the leading military in the world on night vision.

If you think this is a fantasy take a look at the current testing that is costing the Air Force billions in spending in excess of 59 dollars a gallon for bio fuel as opposed to 3.50 a gallon for JP-4 and JP-5 fuels, This is at the demand of the current Commander in Chief.

 

Terry

[M60 Driver]

My last assignment was Deputy Director of Testing and Evaluation, Combat Developments at the Infantry School. Prior to that I was a staff officer in Test and Evaluation Division at TRADOC Hq. That position put me in charge of all testing for the Infantry, Armor/Engineer and Aviation Boards and I was the OIC of the Concept Evaluation Program (CEP). In all those positions we were instructed to spend every cent allocated each year regardless of the worth of the test. We would generate B/S projects just to use up the money so that we would not be cut in the next budget. I recall the director of T&E at TRADOC calling me into his office one day and told me we had 250 million dollars to get rid of in the next two months. I had to hit the road going to all the Test Boards instructing them to create needless test to use up the funds. In my opinion its not about whats the best for the troops its about what contractor can best benefit from our wishes.

Terry

 

One only need to read, and I highly recommend doing so, (USMC) Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler's small book, really just a pamphlet, War is a Racket, to appreciate just how long this and other related shenanigans have been going on.

[solsys]

That story is completely incorrect. I spoke with the unnamed 'source' as well and he completely duped the author.

[SEAL76]

Yes...I know! Here's an example of the new "blues" I photographed a couple of weeks ago, here worn Ranger-style. Blousing is the key!

 

Blousing the pants of a dress uniform and wearing boots is just plain weird. Is it even regulation? Of course I was a SEAL and how stupid would cracker jacks look with boots bloused?