ABU = Equine Corpse

[sarmed1]

Funny how the USMC and the Navy only spent like 300K on development, and everyone like the USMC pattern; the Army and Air Force 3 million, and everyone still hates them......

I am still of the old school thought; 1 nation, 1 uniform.  Recognition is easy:  "....yup they are from the US!"  1 pattern for the green stuff and 1 for the sandy stuff.  Being an Army/AF guy it pains me to say; just go with the USMC pattern for everyone: it works, they like it and everyon else seemed to try and copy it while uselessy attempting to make thier own "brand".

mk

[NIN]

As I continue to assert, CAP will never wear the ABU, and considering the adoption of it now would be foolhardy.

I think you'd be surprised

[Eclipse]

As I continue to assert, CAP will never wear the ABU, and considering the adoption of it now would be foolhardy.

I think you'd be surprised

That's why I added the caveat.  5 years ago? Maybe.  Now?  A bad decision.  At least if they'd been adopted with
the USAF, members wold have gotten soe wear out of them.   Anything that happens now would likely have a 2-year
phase-in, whicih would coincide nicely with the USAF phase them OUT which would leave us >again< not looking like the USAF
when they move away from the ABU.

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if NHQ moved to try and adopt the ABU now, if only as a matter of making the point,
Hopefully if the requests are sent up the chain for this, the USAF will disprove them because the ABU is in flux.

[J2H]

I don't know why they "changed" the name of the Multicam...

[a2capt]

NIH Mentality.

[NIN]

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if NHQ moved to try and adopt the ABU now, if only as a matter of making the point,
Hopefully if the requests are sent up the chain for this, the USAF will disprove them because the ABU is in flux.

Time will certainly tell.

[FlyTiger77]

Being an Army/AF guy it pains me to say; just go with the USMC pattern for everyone:

As another Army dude of some longevity, I have said for years that the Army should just give the USMC a billion dollars from our budget and let them redesign all of our uniforms.  The Marine Corps could use the money and the Army would get awesome uniforms for once! (Outside of the officer Dress Blues, our fashion sense tends toward awful.)

[NIN]

Outside of the officer Dress Blues, our fashion sense tends toward awful.)

If you joined the Army for fashion, you should have joined one of the sea services.

[johnnyb47]

Outside of the officer Dress Blues, our fashion sense tends toward awful.)

If you joined the Army for fashion, you should have joined one of the sea services.

"We've got a special man in the audience today, right now. It's Mr. Leo. He's a fashion consultant for the Army. "Oh, thank you, Adrian. I'm just very happy to be here. I want to tell you something. You know. This whole camouflage thing doesn't work very well." Why is that? "Because you go in the jungle, I can't see you. You know, it's like wearing stripes and plaid. For me, I want something different. You know, you go in the jungle, make a statement. If you're going to fight, clash!""

[FlyTiger77]

Outside of the officer Dress Blues, our fashion sense tends toward awful.)

If you joined the Army for fashion, you should have joined one of the sea services.

They do inhabit the "second sons of royalty" culture, do they not?

I never cared for our Class "A" uniform. Especially when the upscale version was polyester and the second-rate version was wool--exactly the opposite of the civilian sector.

[lordmonar]

You know...I work on an Air Force Base with a bunch of Air Force types....I read the AF times....I get the Chieif of Staff and CMSAF e-mails.......As far as I know....no matter what the Army may be doing........I don't see the ABU as "in flux".

As your original post said.....the USAF spent $3M on the ABU's......they are closing units, the T-birds are gounded, the USAF Weapons School is canceling Top Gun classes....most exercises are cancelled......air shows and demo flights are canceled.

I don't see the USAF bringing out new uniforms anytime soon.

[Grumpy]

Well if you ask me I think we ought to go to the Air Force blue Tu-tu.   

[Storm Chaser]

I don't understand why some people make such a big deal about the ABU and are constantly asking when CAP is getting it. It doesn't add anything to our current missions. The only benefit may be improved availability. Changing to ABUs (or any other future Air Force uniform) just means spending more money upgrading to that uniform. If we want to replace the BDU, I say we either go to the BBDUs as our only utility uniform or design a distinctive uniform suitable for CAP missions. From a practical sense, the BDU was never appropriate for what we do in CAP and neither is the ABU.

[Devil Doc]

What? No ABU's!!!! Thats Absurd!! Marpat for everyone!!!

[NIN]

I don't understand why some people make such a big deal about the ABU and are constantly asking when CAP is getting it. It doesn't add anything to our current missions. The only benefit may be improved availability. Changing to ABUs (or any other future Air Force uniform) just means spending more money upgrading to that uniform. If we want to replace the BDU, I say we either go to the BBDUs as our only utility uniform or design a distinctive uniform suitable for CAP missions. From a practical sense, the BDU was never appropriate for what we do in CAP and neither is the ABU.

As has been discussed here a thousand million times (it seems), from the standpoint of representing the Air Force (which is a big motivator/retention item for cadets in particular), the USAF Auxiliary going *away* from a USAF uniform is counter-intuitive.

[EDIT: Replaced "bit" with "big" ... Typing too fast -NIN]

[Eclipse]

I don't understand why some people make such a big deal about the ABU and are constantly asking when CAP is getting it. It doesn't add anything to our current missions. The only benefit may be improved availability. Changing to ABUs (or any other future Air Force uniform) just means spending more money upgrading to that uniform. If we want to replace the BDU, I say we either go to the BBDUs as our only utility uniform or design a distinctive uniform suitable for CAP missions. From a practical sense, the BDU was never appropriate for what we do in CAP and neither is the ABU.

As has been discussed here a thousand million times (it seems), from the standpoint of representing the Air Force (which is a bit motivator/retention item for cadets in particular), the USAF Auxiliary going *away* from a USAF uniform is counter-intuitive.

I don't necessarily disagree, but then again, so is wearing camouflage for SAR missions or having a selection of "uniforms".

[Luis R. Ramos]

To please everyone, I am proposing the following changes to the uniform.



The BBDU for everyone. Same insignias as on the BDU, same place.



One 3-inch stripe, orange reflective tape following the seam of each leg.



One half-inch wide strip of the BDU at the bottom of each leg.



One half-inch strip of ACU at the end of each sleeve.



One two-inch strip at the waistband, MARPAT



And an ABU beret...

:angel:

Flyer

[NIN]

Go sit in the corner after that.

[That Anonymous Guy]

You know...I work on an Air Force Base with a bunch of Air Force types....I read the AF times....I get the Chieif of Staff and CMSAF e-mails.......As far as I know....no matter what the Army may be doing........I don't see the ABU as "in flux".

As your original post said.....the USAF spent $3M on the ABU's......they are closing units, the T-birds are gounded, the USAF Weapons School is canceling Top Gun classes....most exercises are cancelled......air shows and demo flights are canceled.

I don't see the USAF bringing out new uniforms anytime soon.

Unless they just use the Marpat design. Airman pay for their uniforms correct?

[arajca]

I don't understand why some people make such a big deal about the ABU and are constantly asking when CAP is getting it. It doesn't add anything to our current missions. The only benefit may be improved availability. Changing to ABUs (or any other future Air Force uniform) just means spending more money upgrading to that uniform. If we want to replace the BDU, I say we either go to the BBDUs as our only utility uniform or design a distinctive uniform suitable for CAP missions. From a practical sense, the BDU was never appropriate for what we do in CAP and neither is the ABU.

As has been discussed here a thousand million times (it seems), from the standpoint of representing the Air Force (which is a bit motivator/retention item for cadets in particular), the USAF Auxiliary going *away* from a USAF uniform is counter-intuitive.

I don't necessarily disagree, but then again, so is wearing camouflage for SAR missions or having a selection of "uniforms".

One of the complaints against the ABU is it does not hide the wearer in any environment, so replacing the bdu with the abu would actually make the wearers more visible.