Forget about CAP getting ABUs

[RiverAux]

According to the AF Times, the Air Force will be moving to the MultiCam uniform and dropping the ABUs.  They're already basically starting the switch for deploying troops in certain job types.  No word on when everyone else will be switching.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2010/09/air-force-airmen-to-get-multicam-pattern-091110w/

So, considering the fact that the AF has starting wearing ABUs in 2006 and 4 years later CAP hadn't started doing so, in all likelihood, we will continue to be in BDUs for another 5 years until they complete their transition to MultiCam. 

About the only thing that might speed that schedule up is that if production of the MultiCam really shifts into super high gear.  I really have a hard time figuring out why uniform changes take so long for the  services.  Heck, WWII was quicker than the AF BDU-ABU switch. 

Of course, by the time they let CAP swithc, CAP and the AF will have been wearing different uniforms for about 10 years, which will almost have made the practice traditional.  I kinda wonder if the AF will be interested in bringing us back into the fold by then. 

[dwb]

It sounds like the USAF is providing MultiCam for airmen deployed to A-stan and working outside the wire.  I didn't see where they would be rolling it out service-wide and phasing out the ABU.

From the article:

Only airmen with jobs that take them off base, such as security forces and provincial reconstruction team members, will get the new ABS-G. Everyone else will still wear the digital tiger stripe airman battle uniform, first issued in 2006.

[PHall]

To dump the ABU would be admitting that several high ranking officers made a number of bad decisions.

Ain't gonna happen...

[Trung Si Ma]

To dump the ABU would be admitting that several high ranking officers made a number of bad decisions.

Ain't gonna happen...

Until said officers and SNCOs are retired

[DBlair]

BDUs are already getting scarce, if we are going to wear them for another 5 years, where are we going to find them?

[HGjunkie]

BDUs are already getting scarce, if we are going to wear them for another 5 years, where are we going to find them?

Propper, Ebay, Army Navy stores, and other places. I can get a new set of BDUs easily through Propper, Army Navy stores either order new ones or sell surplus.

Propper BDU Blouse

Propper BDU Trousers

Barre Army Navy BDUs


Edit- added links

[RiverAux]

It sounds like the USAF is providing MultiCam for airmen deployed to A-stan and working outside the wire.  I didn't see where they would be rolling it out service-wide and phasing out the ABU.

From the article:

Only airmen with jobs that take them off base, such as security forces and provincial reconstruction team members, will get the new ABS-G. Everyone else will still wear the digital tiger stripe airman battle uniform, first issued in 2006.

That is just what they're doing right now. 

To dump the ABU would be admitting that several high ranking officers made a number of bad decisions.

Ain't gonna happen...

The decision has been made.  Done deal.

[tsrup]

The fact that the official name for the pattern is:  "Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern" is a clue that this isn't a permanent switch force wide.  The article mentions several times that its only for airmen doing jobs outside the wire in A-stan.  It even plugs very specifically that airmen going to Iraq will not be getting it. 

The Air Force is not about to start a force wide transition to a new uniform when they're not even done with their transition to the (old)new one.  Not in this climate of budget restrictions and belt tightening.  They made their bed with the ABU, now they gotta lie in it. 

[PHall]

Congress mandated last year in the Defense Approparations bill that the services will go back to one "field" uniform.
Looks like Multi-Cam may be that uniform.

[dwb]

That is just what they're doing right now.

Well, you're the one that linked to the article.  Do you have another one that says "ABU officially being phased out"?  Or are you just conjecturing?

[RiverAux]

Several statements in the article, including the title:

Airmen will receive MultiCam, eventually

The big unknown: When airmen will get the MultiCam ABS-G and its final design.

Both certainly imply that this is going service wide at some point. 

[vmstan]

Yeah, you can't just take those two lines out of context though. Airmen working outside the wire will wear Multi-Cam. Them talking about the big unknown is when the Airman working outside the wire will get their hands on the new uniform. Not when it'll be the new branch wide USAF utilities. I think you're reading too much into it.

I agree that Multi-Cam may very well be what all the forces end up in, but the problem right now is that the Army as MultiCam-ACU and USAF will have a MultiCam-ABU. That's not really any cost savings to the end users, just more profits for the company that designed the Multi-Cam pattern.

[NCRblues]

Was rather ticked off when i read this because, well those ABU's i purchased were expensive, so i asked in our commander's call and the answer is, according to 509th BW commander, that ABU's are here to stay and that only those going to Afghanistan AND working outside the wire will receive them....so at least for several more years ABU's will be the basic uniform....

[Earhart1971]

What I am afraid of is the eventual change to a new uniform. And lets face it AWFUL taste, at CAP NHQ and the Air Force.

The awful choices that the CAP Uniform Committee (or some such decision maker at NHQ) combined with the Air Force, will make, to make us look silly and not military, like red haired step children. Yes, what awful looking combination in BDU, or ABU, they will come up with, that will have too look "different" because of wims of the Power that Be.

CAP is not in charge of our look anymore. The Air Force is. the Air Force, the AF having the worst Uniform taste in the last few years. IE Billy Mitchell and Airline LOOK, uniforms.

Maroon BDUs perhaps? Am I being sarcastic, YES!

The new dogma seems to be CAP cannot even look like we are associated with the Air Force.

I am coming from the view point of someone that meets Air Force weight standards. 6ft and athletic fit, Yeah! Hey I lost 35 lbs! Work closely with Cadets through a HOT SUMMER and see how easy it is! Is this enough gasoline on the fire for this thread?

[HGjunkie]

Is this enough gasoline on the fire for this thread?

Yep. 

[Gung Ho]

Why do we need to be in camo any way? Yes I hear the people saying because they are cheap and easy to find but so many are pushing for the new ABU's or the multi cam or what ever. There is no cheap outlet for that stuff or real used market out there. Blue is just fine for anything we need

[PhoenixRisen]

Debates of the need for camo, as well as the "too many uniform changes" aside, I'm curious as to why "authorization" for us to wear the current AF uniform has to come long after the AF starts wearing it.  We don't get our utility uniforms from the AF like we do blues through the Cadet FCU, so as far as I can see, there's not an issue of "they need to go to the Active, Reserve, Guard, ROTC, etc. first"...


Why can't we be authorized along with everyone else?  We'll just be purchasing them from civilian vendors, anyway.  Anyone care to explain? 

[HGjunkie]

It would be cool if we went to jungle fatigues like back in the day (minus the beret). I like the slanted nametapes.

[raivo]

Keep in mind that the source is the Air Force Times, which isn't exactly considered to be a paragon of journalism.

[RADIOMAN015]

Congress mandated last year in the Defense Approparations bill that the services will go back to one "field" uniform.
Looks like Multi-Cam may be that uniform.

That's what we need to do in CAP, 1 utility "field" uniform to use by all with the same color, (blue as current or maybe black) that everyone in CAP can wear regardless of weight, hair, beards, etc...   Ideally also a uniform that does not confuse us with ANY US military service :angel:
RM