BDU access ban from DRMO rescinded

[Laplace]

After a two year prohabition, CAP is once again authorized to screen woodland BDUs from DRMOs!   See attached NHQ memo.

Specific mention on limiting acquitions to woodland BDUs, not any desert style uniforms. 

I keep up with the only DRMO in my area, Ft. Polk, and I haven't seen much available in the past year.  Good luck and share any success stories.

[PHall]

Well considering that the Army has been "BDU Free" for over a year now, it's not surprising that you haven't seen any lately.

And I wouldn't bet on a whole bunch of servicable BDU's showing up at DRMO's that are near Air Force Bases either.
The one's that do will be pretty well worn.

[Eclipse]

USAF, probably not, but the Navy and Marines still wears lots of them, up in these parts, so I expect to start stocking up again...

[PHall]

USAF, probably not, but the Navy and Marines still wears lots of them, up in these parts, so I expect to start stocking up again...

Marines??? I thought the mandatory wear date for the MarPats was a couple of years ago.

[Eclipse]

USAF, probably not, but the Navy and Marines still wears lots of them, up in these parts, so I expect to start stocking up again...

Marines??? I thought the mandatory wear date for the MarPats was a couple of years ago.

If so, my bad - with the Navy wearing the pointed hats sometimes its hard to tell from a distance.

[stratoflyer]

Well I got a question. How can I go about getting stuff from a DRMO in the first place? I thought that was through liaison officers or something or other. The AF base near us I'm sure will be unloading BDU's soon as their BX has only recently been stocking up ABU's.

[IceNine]

Go through your chain to the wing Logistics

There are a number of DRMO "screeners" for each wing.  These people are the ones that get DRMO stuff for us

[Eclipse]

Well I got a question. How can I go about getting stuff from a DRMO in the first place? I thought that was through liaison officers or something or other. The AF base near us I'm sure will be unloading BDU's soon as their BX has only recently been stocking up ABU's.

Your wing's Logistics officer needs to be DRMO-authorized for starters (some aren't and never take the time).  Most wings have 2-3 people who are authorized.

You place your request for "x" to him, he screens it through DRMO, and the SD reviews the request (usually approving it).

How do you know what "x" is?  The Wing LG has access to a catalog, updated regularly, and should/can supply that down stream to your unit CC or Unit LG.

[Al Sayre]

Ya'll seem to have missed part of the memo on BDU's.  If you get them from DRMO, then you have to track them and ensure that they are returned to DRMO when they become unserviceable.  I don't kknow about you, but I don't look forward to a day when Cadet Dirtbag who joined six months ago decides to quit by just disappearing from the face of the earth.  I will have to file a theft report with the local sheriff to get the uniforms back because he didn't/won't return my phone calls or the uniforms that I have to account for.  This isn't going to be a real good PR move...

[JohnKachenmeister]

Ya'll seem to have missed part of the memo on BDU's.  If you get them from DRMO, then you have to track them and ensure that they are returned to DRMO when they become unserviceable.  I don't kknow about you, but I don't look forward to a day when Cadet Dirtbag who joined six months ago decides to quit by just disappearing from the face of the earth.  I will have to file a theft report with the local sheriff to get the uniforms back because he didn't/won't return my phone calls or the uniforms that I have to account for.  This isn't going to be a real good PR move...

You are right, Al, this is a war-stopper.

First, the number of decent BDU's we will get will be small, and if we have to write a report of survey for every shirt and pair of pants that we lose to a cadet who drops out, we will be swamped with paperwork.

Also, in March the NB may approve LtCol White's re-write of 39-1, and we may start phasing in ABU's either this year or next.

[Laplace]

Ya'll seem to have missed part of the memo on BDU's.  If you get them from DRMO, then you have to track them and ensure that they are returned to DRMO when they become unserviceable.  I don't kknow about you, but I don't look forward to a day when Cadet Dirtbag who joined six months ago decides to quit by just disappearing from the face of the earth.  I will have to file a theft report with the local sheriff to get the uniforms back because he didn't/won't return my phone calls or the uniforms that I have to account for.  This isn't going to be a real good PR move...

I think this means you cannot just throw "unserviceable" uniforms in the garbage or sell them.  Uniforms are considered expendable items and, for the most part, have no value after extended usage.   CAP regs say Commanders must make reasonable efforts to recover property from members who terminate membership or transfer to another Unit.  If you've made a telephone call and/or sent a letter to the Cadet's guardians; and received no response, that seems reasonable to me.   I have the Cadet and their guardian sign an initial form explaining that any issued uniforms are CAP property and need to be returned.  Officers sign this same form also.  Once I am aware a member has left the unit, I send out a form letter and follow up with a telephone call if necessary.  I place special emphasis on Field Jackets, Flight suits/jackets, and uniforms I know are brand new.  If I don't get a response or uniforms, I would not contact authorities nor notify the Wing CC to start a Report of Survey.   

I keep a pile of unserviceable uniforms at my unit to take to DRMO in future.   I agree that we may not get a lot of good used uniforms out of the DRMOs.  I would like to get the untold amount of boxes of brand new BDUs that have to sitting in warehouses somewhere   

[LtCol Hooligan]

I think the last line also may be specifically for wings as generally speaking, when you get BDUs from DRMO, they come in a large box on a pallet.  Someone then has to sort them and get them ready for squadrons to come and gettem.  I am sure what DRMO wants is the original items that are not serviceable back.  From there, the Wing issues the good ones to the squadrons.  Once that happens, they are expendable and each squadron has to decide how they will issue and account for them.  Wing most likely never wants to see them again!!

[Eclipse]

Ya'll seem to have missed part of the memo on BDU's.  If you get them from DRMO, then you have to track them and ensure that they are returned to DRMO when they become unserviceable.  I don't know about you, but I don't look forward to a day when Cadet Dirtbag who joined six months ago decides to quit by just disappearing from the face of the earth.  I will have to file a theft report with the local sheriff to get the uniforms back because he didn't/won't return my phone calls or the uniforms that I have to account for.  This isn't going to be a real good PR move...

That's only the first year, from there they become expendable items.

An increasing number of units make their cadets sign an agreement for return if they quit within the first year.  If a theft report is what it take, so be it.

As with all things CAP, if you don't want to be involved, don't pull them from DRMO.

Our experience has been that we get a lot of serviceable pants, but that the DRMO's spend an inordinate amount of time destroying the sleeves of enlisted shirts.

But even those shirts can be used "sleeves up" in the summer, and if it puts that extra emergency shirt in a cadet's ES kit, well, the price is right.

[DNall]

Also, in March the NB may approve LtCol White's re-write of 39-1, and we may start phasing in ABU's either this year or next.

That may be delayed to the winter boards, primarily because LtCol White is out of the process. But, it is pre-approved and will happen.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Dennis:

I'm sorry, but I thought the March board meeting was, at least traditionally, where uniform issues were resolved.

[NHQ-OS-126 Frank]

It would be good if the ABU's would be approved soon. Since the base clothing sales doesn't have any BDU's anymore and only ABU's we really have had troubles getting BDU's for the new cadets.

We are working close with the airman's attic but very soon they won't have any BDU's and black boots either.


We hope we can very soon use the ABU's because clothing sales stocked up a lot with those.

[Eclipse]

It would be good if the ABU's would be approved soon. Since the base clothing sales doesn't have any BDU's anymore and only ABU's we really have had troubles getting BDU's for the new cadets.

Should read:

Since the Air Force base clothing sales doesn't have any BDU's anymore and only ABU's we really have had troubles getting BDU's for the new cadets.

[broken record]
As to getting BDU's for cadets, if you're buying them anyway there are plenty of retail and online sources.
[/broken record]

Don't hold your breath for ABUs, it'll be 2-3 years guaranteed, but at least by then there may be some in the DRMO and secondary channel which is nearly non-existent today.

[DNall]

Dennis:

I'm sorry, but I thought the March board meeting was, at least traditionally, where uniform issues were resolved.

It is, and that was the intent, but the effort was derailed a bit when LtCol White was removed from the effort - we won't get into that publicly. The effort to fix the manual, to include the ABU proposal (which has been favorably reviewed by CAP-USAF), is still ongoing. With a big push, the product could be ready for the March board, but the politics of getting it approved should have already started if we were going to make that date. I'm not sure at this stage if that's feasible now.

I can tell you ABUs will be approved for initial wear in less than 2-3 years, but may be 1-2 years rather than months as we'd hoped. The mandatory date more like 5yrs out. Anyone that's in need of BDUs should go that route, as you'll still be able to wear them for several years regardless of what happens with ABUs.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Drop me a PM on LtCol White.  I noticed he hasn't been haunting the boards lately, and I wondered what was up.

[Flying Pig]

USAF, probably not, but the Navy and Marines still wears lots of them, up in these parts, so I expect to start stocking up again...

Marines quite wearing "utilities" many years ago.  Marines NEVER wore BDU's