Will Civil Air Patrol get DCU or ABU?

[Ford73Diesel]

A hearty second to that, Sir. The Army really got it right with that design. The Air Force, it seems to me, didn't really try to make any huge improvements on the BDU when they were designing the ABU. (besides camo pattern, of course)

I don't know if I would consider the pattern on the ABU an improvement. Even the manufacturer of the pattern admits it. Read near the bottom:

http://www.tigerstripeproducts.com/airforcetiger.htm

[SARDOC]

How is it Fair and dignified and cohesive team building if we have some of our members that can't even wear the same uniform?  It creates and artificial division among some folks.

...we already have some members that can't wear certain uniforms.
I guess I'm confused. Are you refuting my idea, SARDOC, or are you expressing your dislike for the current uniform system?

We'll lose a lot of connectivity with the USAF personnel who see us, and we'll be less on the same page as them IE on the Air Force team. I hate to say it really badly, but looks are important for organizations.

We're already wearing a uniform that NOBODY in the US Air Force wears (BDU's). Why would it he so bad if we changed the camo to a more mission effective color scheme? That's all I'm advocating. BDU's with a different color (that isn't camo).

My real disdain is for the "separate but equal" nature of our current uniform system.  I believe we should have a "Uniform" uniform system.  I find it perfectly acceptable that the Civil Air Patrol wear a uniform that is a USAF style..as long as everyone can wear it.  The priority is for us to celebrate our own heritage and help develop us as a team, if the USAF isn't willing to let certain members wear an AF style uniform then it defeats the whole point and we should move away from it to something we can all wear.

It's more important for us to develop our own sense of organizational pride than become dependent on the organizational pride of another group. 

[titanII]

I don't know if I would consider the pattern on the ABU an improvement. Even the manufacturer of the pattern admits it. Read near the bottom:

http://www.tigerstripeproducts.com/airforcetiger.htm

You know what, I agree! I have no idea what I was thinking when I typed that. I usually detest the ABU camo pattern!

[CAP_Marine]

Wow, that is pretty heavy commentary from the manufacturer. I am amazed about how our armed forces are continually allowed to make poor choices in developing field uniforms. We've got the "Almost Camoflage Uniform" or ACU that by all accounts is comfortable and wears well, but doesn't blend in any sort of environment short of a gravel pit. We've got the ABU, which the MANUFACTURER feels the need to apologize about. Navy drops three new digital patterns into the supply chain including the blue digital, which, by the way, is probably the smartest decision of all if it really does hide grease, paint, etc. Jarheads are running around in MARPAT. And what do most services adopt in theater in the 'Stan? A commercially available all terrain pattern that, despite it's effectiveness, will be quickly dropped from the supply system after the drawdown because of it's very status of being "commercially available". Seriously?

Let's just latch onto the BDU as hard as we can and push for availability for all members. If the GSA ever wises up and actually fixes the US military field uniform problem CAP will never be able to keep up with the changes!!

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

My real disdain is for the "separate but equal" nature of our current uniform system.  I believe we should have a "Uniform" uniform system.  I find it perfectly acceptable that the Civil Air Patrol wear a uniform that is a USAF style..as long as everyone can wear it.  The priority is for us to celebrate our own heritage and help develop us as a team, if the USAF isn't willing to let certain members wear an AF style uniform then it defeats the whole point and we should move away from it to something we can all wear.

Doubtless some five-watt bulb with a talent for pointing out the obvious will say, "we already have a uniform that everyone can wear...the aviator greys and polos!"

That's about on the level of (hi, JeffDG!) back in 1968 when Canada unified it's armed forces and the uniform was "any colour you like as long as it is green...you want your Navy and Air Force historical identity, that's what the cap and collar badges are for."


(this was from a former RCN officer)

Fortunately, though, they decided that one unpopular pattern does not fit all.  We haven't.