BDU Uniform

[addo1]

I just received my first Camo BDU in the mail today.  I am wondering if someone could post a picture of them or somebody else in their BDU so I could sort of see how the uniform is set up.( nameplate, flag, CAP, etc.)   Thanks!

[MIKE]

BDU Page 18
Reversed Flag Page 2

[addo1]

   Thanks so much!! 

[addo1]

 When cuffing your sleeves, do you tuck them in or out?  

[SARMedTech]

The only thing I disagree with is that the regs state that BDUs are worn when another uniform is inappropriate. Ive been to lots of trainings where blues would be appropriate, but BDUs are worn for comfort or where either is allowed.

[BillB]

Get a cadet to show you how. It's not hard to do, but it takes practice to get the sleeves rolled right and the outside of the cuff to cover the last roll.

[MIKE]

When cuffing your sleeves, do you tuck them in or out?  

Page 49 We wear them the same way.

[SARMedTech]

When cuffing your sleeves, do you tuck them in or out? 

Its actually sort of a combo of both. I believe the regs illustrate how to roll cuffs. Start out by laying the sleeve out flat, then bringing the cuff up near the shoulder, ie folding the sleeve in half, then its kind of a trial and error or learning how to fold em back and forth to get a decent looking cuff. Often the Marines will just roll them so you see the inside (or non patterned) part of the cuff. In IMERT, I roll mine so that the button placket at the cuff is visible. To me it just looks more finished and also has a better tendency to stay in place. If you cant find it in CAP regs, there is a really good illustration of how to roll them in the USCG uniform manual. THey are sticklers for that cuff button placket showing and if you practice it their way, it will look perfect every time. As far as them staying rolled, a little starch (I cant stand alot of it especially in hot weather) goes a long way, otherwise they can tend to droop and unroll below the elbow and look shoddy. Just make sure that the bottom edge of the roll is above the elbow. They look even better if you have good biceps, which I dont. Also I think CAP regs say that if you have skin ink, it cant show. I got my tat up a little higher on my shoulder so I dont have to roll the cuff so high. Also you want to roll them just loose enough so if it gets chilly or you just plain want long sleeves, you just grab the cuff and tug and voila! long sleeves. Also the starch will prevent them from looking all wadded and ate up if you roll them down. But again, just a little or the wrinkles will really stand out when you roll them down. I always roll mind and only take them down if I am putting a coat or sweater on over the blouse.  YMMV.

[Hawk200]

I go an easier way. I just never roll up my sleeves. Usually, if it's hot enough to roll sleeves for me, I take off the shirt.

[MIKE]

I went all last summer with sleeves down.  I think you might actually stay cooler if you leave them down... not to mention fewer mosquito bites and sun burned arms.  Make people buy tickets to the gun show. 

MAWG actually has a rule per supplement, that you can't require members to roll sleeves. 

[mikeylikey]

I went all last summer with sleeves down.  I think you might actually stay cooler if you leave them down... not to mention fewer mosquito bites and sun burned arms.  Make people buy tickets to the gun show. 

MAWG actually has a rule per supplement, that you can't require members to roll sleeves. 

You are correct Mike.  Research shows you can actually stay cooler by wearing long pants and long shirts and not rolling legs or sleeves up.  It traps the cooler air created by perspiration between the skin and the fabric.  IT is almost like air conditioning.  Why is that we see Middle Eastern guys wearing not one long sleeve shirt but like 12?  Because the more layers you have to trap air the cooler it gets. 

I am not sure where rolling sleeves in uniform came from, but I hate it.  In fact no time since I have been in the Army have my sleeves been rolled.  My soldiers don't roll their sleeves and we never once rolled our sleeves overseas.

[SDF_Specialist]

This is me in my BDUs. Don't mind the USAF race car, I was at an airshow all weekend. On my left breast pocket, I have the Communications patch. On the right pocket, I have my unit patch. On my collar, I have my rank. Above the USCAP tape is my Ground Team badge. Above my name tape is the CAP ES patch. You can't see it, but my Wing patch is on the left sleeve, and the flag is on the right. Hope this helps.

[SARMedTech]

I went all last summer with sleeves down.  I think you might actually stay cooler if you leave them down... not to mention fewer mosquito bites and sun burned arms.  Make people buy tickets to the gun show. 

MAWG actually has a rule per supplement, that you can't require members to roll sleeves. 

You are correct Mike.  Research shows you can actually stay cooler by wearing long pants and long shirts and not rolling legs or sleeves up.  It traps the cooler air created by perspiration between the skin and the fabric.  IT is almost like air conditioning.  Why is that we see Middle Eastern guys wearing not one long sleeve shirt but like 12?  Because the more layers you have to trap air the cooler it gets. 

I am not sure where rolling sleeves in uniform came from, but I hate it.  In fact no time since I have been in the Army have my sleeves been rolled.  My soldiers don't roll their sleeves and we never once rolled our sleeves overseas.

Well, kind of correct. Having taught and participated in heat exposure emergency classes, its only partly true that covering yourself with 12 shirts would keep you cooler than rolling your sleeves. First off, wearing 12 layers of anything is going to trap more heat than it releases. Secondly, as any high school bio or A and P teacher will tell you, your cooling system is based partially on the radiation of heat off the skin and primarily on the evaporation of sweat from the skin. Its not only very hard for heat to escape when your skin is covered, its also nearly impossible for the evaporation to kick in until your clothing is completely soaked through (whether 1 layer or 12). Until this happens, all you are doing is holding heat. This would also be the reason that when someone is suffering from heat stroke, one of the first procedures is to get them in the shade and a moderately cooled area and cut their clothes off...yes I can hear you now...you cut their clothes off for hypo- not hyperhermia. Actually both are correct. The reason for keeping the skin covered in uber-hot climates is to prevent sun exposure. You will be cooled wearing layers once your clothing (or all 12 layers of it) is soaked with sweat.

As for your fashion sense about not rolling your sleeves whilst in the Army, sounds like a personal choice and not based in any "cooling science." I seem to remember something about "Heat Factors" in the Army and if I remember correctly, Heat Factor 4 involves removing the BDU blouse. Hmmm. With the heat lately, our  cadets have been ordered to roll their sleeves or remove their blouse altogether and even remove their caps. Also the dark color of woodlands or BBDUs will increase heat trapped inside, not cool. Thats one reason why another organization I have joined has gone to khaki BDUs and left the black ones behind, though the official phase out is 2011 because most members have 5-6 sets. Course we wear boonies too, so go figure.

[addo1]

This is me in my BDUs. Don't mind the USAF race car, I was at an airshow all weekend. On my left breast pocket, I have the Communications patch. On the right pocket, I have my unit patch. On my collar, I have my rank. Above the USCAP tape is my Ground Team badge. Above my name tape is the CAP ES patch. You can't see it, but my Wing patch is on the left sleeve, and the flag is on the right. Hope this helps.

Thanks!  That does help.