Army Service Uniform tomorrow?

[wm]

your baseball cap with your Blues!

If you were a Drill Sgt, you could wear your Smokey bear hat -- that covers the eyes and ears, keeps the sun away, can be kept on in a stiff wind if you use a chin or rear strap; It's one of two one hundred percent American military head gear items and it only take about a half pound of sugar a week to keep the brim stiff -- unless you want to wear it like this LINK, the guy standing at the far end of the flatcar...

And what, besides the animosity of the Cav, would be wrong with a return to the black Stetson?

On the decorations: We are talkijg about merit badges here, aren't we? Seems to me the Boy Scouts and girl Scouts both use a sash over the shoulder to display all their merit badges. I guess the Army won't try that option since it, unlike the Scouts, is still in search of adult leadership.

[Tom Odom]

On the decorations: We are talkijg about merit badges here, aren't we? Seems to me the Boy Scouts and girl Scouts both use a sash over the shoulder to display all their merit badges. I guess the Army won't try that option since it, unlike the Scouts, is still in search of adult leadership.

Brilliant--combine the sash with the safety belt!


Wayne, we are in twubble now

[wm]

Brilliant--combine the sash with the safety belt!


Wayne, we are in twubble now

Tom, I think we need to get this to the Army Uniform Board and Army Safety Center ASAP.
We can make the belt look like the old Sam Brown Belt , only black and wider in order to support the DUI, flashes, tabs, and associated "warrior" symbology. We embed some strobing LEDs as the safety device, with the battery and on/off switch in a "cartridge box" attavched at the back of the belt. Shoot, it could even have loops to attach a sabre scabbard.

Alternatively, think of the sash worn by Lt Warf on Star Trek Next Generation, only in black leather.

[Ken White]

Tom, I think we need to get this to the Army Uniform Board and Army Safety Center ASAP.
We can make the belt look like the old Sam Brown Belt , only black and wider in order to support the DUI, flashes, tabs, and associated "warrior" symbology. We embed some strobing LEDs as the safety device, with the battery and on/off switch in a "cartridge box" attavched at the back of the belt. Shoot, it could even have loops to attach a sabre scabbard.

Sam Browne.

Schmedlap said:

"...The flash and pizzaz of the vivid blue and bright white detract from what civilians generally associate with competency and experience: ribbons and badges placed upon a subdued colored uniform that reflects the calm and firm bearing of an officer. This uniform is all flash, causing the abundance of ribbons and badges to just blend in with the rest of the flashiness and make the individual wearing it look like the typical Wal-Mart greeter who sports a vest full of buttons and a goofy hat."

Actually he said a lot of things I agree with totally and that all make sense but the quoted part in particular is my concern. I suspect we will draw more adverse than favorable comments; the white shirt is, I think, a particularly bad move.

As to the male uniform model, he may be a paratrooper as someone above said but from what he's wearing and displaying, I'm inclined to suspect he's not, he's just airborne. There's a difference. Don't know him so that may be unfair; if it is I apologize to him. The statement that he may just be wearing all that stuff to show where it goes may also be correct -- that, to me, is the point -- that much stuff, again channeling Schmedlap, shouldn't be worn on a duty uniform by anyone. IMO of course, YMMV..

[Ski]

These uniforms are awful. Pure slop. I don't think a single female Sergeant Major was involved in the selection process.

[Van]

Ski,

How do you know the Army uniforms were all designed by men?

Look at the placement of the nametags/tapes. If it had been designed by a woman (or a man who gave a darn about their emotional comfort), it would have been no lower than the collar or shoulderboards.

[patmc]

I think everyone missed that they took out the best part... the suspenders.

What else are women suppossed to snap when dancing with you at a wedding or ball?

[Stevely]

These uniforms are awful. Pure slop. I don't think a single female Sergeant Major was involved in the selection process.

I remember the many, many yuks I had at the expense of the Air Force when McSqueak introduced the Airline Pilot uniforms and the BDU's with the leather flight suit patches. Perhaps this is karmic payback.

[Schmedlap]

The thing to remember is that you aren't required to trip out the B uniform as Mr. Paratrooper has done, just as you could do that with the current green shirt.

That's a good point. The NCO pictured is probably sporting all of those ribbons, badges, et cetera, so as to demonstrate how various accouterment are properly displayed. That said, I also remember the mercifully few occasions when class A or blues were required and we were expected to wear every single item that we were authorized. I learned this when I caught some heat from a commander who noticed that I had all of the standard fare (GWOT, NDSM, ASM, etc), but no medals on my uniform (AAM, ARCOM, BSM, etc) and he knew that I had been awarded them. I pointed out that I never put them on my ORB and didn't particularly care about them. He seemed to be personally offended at this and ordered me to put the awards on my ORB and on my uniform and redo my DA photo. (Background: I'm not a big fan of officers getting medals unless there is an objective standard for them - I know some officers who are Silver Star awardees who didn't even deserve BSMs, but some E-4's for whom the opposite is true). I've seen some officers and senior NCOs go so far as to dictate which combat patch will be worn - an unnecessary expense and hassle for the E-4 who falls under his arbitrary rule and must get his uniform altered when he is already within regulation.

There are definitely some good aspects of the change (fewer uniforms, more emphasis upon regimental affiliation and combat service), but the goofy look really makes me wonder how this reflects upon the Army in the eyes of the nation that it serves, especially at a time when confidence in the Army is so critical. The flash and pizzaz of the vivid blue and bright white detract from what civilians generally associate with competency and experience: ribbons and badges placed upon a subdued colored uniform that reflects the calm and firm bearing of an officer. This uniform is all flash, causing the abundance of ribbons and badges to just blend in with the rest of the flashiness and make the individual wearing it look like the typical Wal-Mart greeter who sports a vest full of buttons and a goofy hat.

Fortunately, the ACU remains the uniform that most Soldiers will wear most of the time, so maybe it's not a big deal.