Forget about CAP getting ABUs

[RiverAux]

Folks, we've got plenty of other threads to discuss alternative uniform options. 

[Spaceman3750]

Heritage is an important thing to keep. To revert to a uniform that is no longer made is neither practical nor cost effective. I know, we don't need to be camouflaged but we do need to stay with our parent service.

A good deal of people in the real Air Force don't need to be camouflaged either. Special ops, SP, etc, sure... your normal average everyday Airman working in the hanger? Probably not.

Don't even get me started about the Navy camo.

But I do suppose none of these people put on camo, and then a bright orange vest to be seen, either.

No, but they do put on a reflective belt... From what I hear there's quite the love affair going on between airmen and their reflective belts.

[DC]

But I do suppose none of these people put on camo, and then a bright orange vest to be seen, either.

Have you been to a military base lately?

Reflective belts are everywhere.

EDIT: Sorry, spaceman beat me to the punch.

[tsrup]

Don't even get me started about the Navy camo.

The purpose of the NWU is not that of hiding the wearer.

[tsrup]

Blouse

Trousers

I noticed in the description that these items are "vintage washed"..
Maybe appropriate in an Americrombie Eagle & Finchpostalister catalog, but not so much on an Uniform item..

[Patterson]

Maybe appropriate in an Americrombie Eagle & Finchpostalister catalog, but not so much on an Uniform item..

Those stores are crazy..... Note to all....don't buy knock off Finchpostalister shirts from tsrup.. 

[NCRblues]

reflective belts everywere on my base....except for security forces, fire department, and emt's...you know, the ones that are never always in the road and Aircraft taxi ways.....

[Smokey]

This from the Air Force Times......

At the Air Force Association's fall conference.....
Chief Master Sgt of the Air Force James Roy got a round of applause with a one-word answer: No.

The question: "Do you see any new uniforms in the future?"

After the clapping subsided, Roy added, "We have an airman battle uniform. ... It works very well for us. I sure would like to lighten that thing up a little bit, and we have steps in process and we [are] doing that."


As a side note......Not one BDU visible in the clothing store in the BX at Edwards AFB on a recent visist.

[Stonewall]

This from the Air Force Times......

At the Air Force Association's fall conference.....
Chief Master Sgt of the Air Force James Roy got a round of applause with a one-word answer: No.

The question: "Do you see any new uniforms in the future?"

The CMSAF is not a "battlefield airman" and thus cannot understand the distaste by airmen with boots on the ground for the ABU.  Likewise, he has probably not conducted missions (training and real) where it is painfully obvious that the ABU color scheme stands out like a sore thumb in almost every enviornment.  Last November my squadron was in Michigan doing some exercises that ranged from recon and surveillance to CQB.  During our AARs the OPFOR continued to say "your techniques were great, but no matter what you did we could always pick you out against the wooded background".

[Patterson]

^ You would think that after almost 230 years the American Military would be smart enough to develop camouflage that works!

Honesty, as a taxpayer I am disapointed in my elected representatives not stopping all of this uniform madness.  We can't get funding for disease research becasue it is all going into prototype uniforms and advisory boards etc.

Woodland pattern and "sand flavor" BDU's seemed to work for almost 25 years.  The witch to me seems all about recruitment. 

Honesty my wife wears ABU's they are just modified BDU's, nothing more.  It would have cost less to modify the BDU's instead of inventing all these different uniforms.     

[Stonewall]

[smg id=256]

An example of Air Force MultiCams.  This is what is currently being issued to Army combat troops in Afghanistan and will soon (within the year) be issued to "Battlefield Airmen" in the Air Force.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Another issue with the ABU and Multicam is that we would have to change badges and patches. The ABU does not allow for sewing on patches, neither does the Multicam. Badges would have to be pin on, then the question is, do we use silver or subdued, that is in order to stay with USAF standards by using pin on badges. The rank would also have to change... well we could use pin on rank on the collar, but then that makes the neck tab useless. There is a velcro strap to close the neck like a turtle neck, it really helps in cold weather and to keep bugs out. That would become useless with pin on rank. If we went with subdued badges we would have to make name tapes and the rank subdued also, which would just be pointless.

All this said, I do think we should be in the same uniform as USAF. It would just be one heck of a process.

[HGjunkie]

The uniform manual could always be changed to allow sewing on patches...

[davidsinn]

The uniform manual could always be changed to allow sewing on patches...

We use our own manual anyway. It would increase the differences between the AF and us which should make them happy.

[Hawk200]

Another issue with the ABU and Multicam is that we would have to change badges and patches. The ABU does not allow for sewing on patches, neither does the Multicam. Badges would have to be pin on, then the question is, do we use silver or subdued, that is in order to stay with USAF standards by using pin on badges. The rank would also have to change... well we could use pin on rank on the collar, but then that makes the neck tab useless. There is a velcro strap to close the neck like a turtle neck, it really helps in cold weather and to keep bugs out. That would become useless with pin on rank. If we went with subdued badges we would have to make name tapes and the rank subdued also, which would just be pointless.

All this said, I do think we should be in the same uniform as USAF. It would just be one heck of a process.

You need to do a little more research. The uniform you are describing is the Army Combat Uniform (ACU), not the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU). The ABU is little more than a warmed over BDU. It simply adds a few pockets and a couple pencil slots.

[HGjunkie]

And Velcro. Lots of Velcro.

[tsrup]

And Velcro. Lots of Velcro.

You are also confusing the ABU with the ACU

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Another issue with the ABU and Multicam is that we would have to change badges and patches. The ABU does not allow for sewing on patches, neither does the Multicam. Badges would have to be pin on, then the question is, do we use silver or subdued, that is in order to stay with USAF standards by using pin on badges. The rank would also have to change... well we could use pin on rank on the collar, but then that makes the neck tab useless. There is a velcro strap to close the neck like a turtle neck, it really helps in cold weather and to keep bugs out. That would become useless with pin on rank. If we went with subdued badges we would have to make name tapes and the rank subdued also, which would just be pointless.

All this said, I do think we should be in the same uniform as USAF. It would just be one heck of a process.

You need to do a little more research. The uniform you are describing is the Army Combat Uniform (ACU), not the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU). The ABU is little more than a warmed over BDU. It simply adds a few pockets and a couple pencil slots.

I just took a look at the ABU, your right, it doesn't have it. That is too bad. It is a really useful addition to the other digi pattern uniforms. I still wonder what they would do with badge placement. Are badges allowed on the ABU in patch form or are they metal only like the ACU and MARPAT?

[jimmydeanno]

Are badges allowed on the ABU in patch form or are they metal only like the ACU and MARPAT?

It's all sewn on patches, with the moss green as a background color.

[raivo]

My favorite thing about the ABUs is how, after all these years, they STILL come in four different shades of green-gray.