ABU Wear Test

[sardak]

I wonder who and when this was added to the ABU wiki page:

The Air Force's auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, has wear-tested the ABU in late 2015, but no adoption date has been announced.

When is easy, who is more difficult to find, because only an IP address is listed.

On January 22, the ABU entry was changed to read: In March 2016, CAP will start using the ABU's.

On January 29, it was revised to: In March 2016, CAP will start using the ABUs (citation needed).

Later that same day it was revised to: The Air Force's auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, has wear-tested the ABU in late 2015, but no adoption date has been announced.

Then, same day, a frown was added at the end: The Air Force's auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, has wear-tested the ABU in late 2015, but no adoption date has been announced.

Again, same day, the frown was removed.

Mike

[kwe1009]

At a time the USAF is on the verge of dumping the ABU in favor of the OCP the Army's wearing ...??
The ABU is certainly the worst and least practical uniform ever fielded by the US military.
Was never intended to be worn in anything resembling a field environment.
Interesting.

Cite from a valid source?  I can tell you that is false on all accounts.

I can agree that the ABU is at least the worst Air Force utility uniform in the last 20-30 years.  The source that I am citing is myself as I have been in for nearly 30 years and the ABU is by far the worst uniform that I have had to wear.

[PHall]

At a time the USAF is on the verge of dumping the ABU in favor of the OCP the Army's wearing ...??
The ABU is certainly the worst and least practical uniform ever fielded by the US military.
Was never intended to be worn in anything resembling a field environment.
Interesting.

Cite from a valid source?  I can tell you that is false on all accounts.

I can agree that the ABU is at least the worst Air Force utility uniform in the last 20-30 years.  The source that I am citing is myself as I have been in for nearly 30 years and the ABU is by far the worst uniform that I have had to wear.

The Ripstop ABU's (RABU) aren't that bad. About the same weight as Ripstop BDU's.

[lordmonar]

I wore OD's, BDUs and the ABU.....and I prefer the ABUs over the BDUs.

YMMV. 

[Гугл переводчик]

My cadets have started asking me when we will get MultiCam... 

[kwe1009]

My cadets have started asking me when we will get MultiCam... 

1 March 20XX   

[almostspaatz]

My cadets have started asking me when we will get MultiCam... 

1 March 20XX   

When the second Tuesday of the month falls on the 15th....

[Toth]

Still waiting to hear the end of this one, in multiple ways

[JeffDG]

My cadets have started asking me when we will get MultiCam... 

1 March 20XX   

You're short one "X"

[lordmonar]

My cadets have started asking me when we will get MultiCam... 

When they join the Army. 

[kwe1009]

My cadets have started asking me when we will get MultiCam... 

1 March 20XX   

You're short one "X"

You are probably right!

[NC Hokie]

My cadets have started asking me when we will get MultiCam... 

1 March 20XX   

When the second Tuesday of the month falls on the 15th....

<COUNTS ON FINGERS>

I see what you did there!

[THRAWN]

My cadets have started asking me when we will get MultiCam... 

1 March 20XX   

When the second Tuesday of the month falls on the 15th....

<COUNTS ON FINGERS>

I see what you did there!

Lousy Smarch weather....

[MacGruff]

I wonder who and when this was added to the ABU wiki page:

The Air Force's auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, has wear-tested the ABU in late 2015, but no adoption date has been announced.

When is easy, who is more difficult to find, because only an IP address is listed.

On January 22, the ABU entry was changed to read: In March 2016, CAP will start using the ABU's.

On January 29, it was revised to: In March 2016, CAP will start using the ABUs (citation needed).

Later that same day it was revised to: The Air Force's auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, has wear-tested the ABU in late 2015, but no adoption date has been announced.

Then, same day, a frown was added at the end: The Air Force's auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, has wear-tested the ABU in late 2015, but no adoption date has been announced.

Again, same day, the frown was removed.

Mike

Well!  There you go!  You read it on the internet, so it must be true!!!!   

And, on Wiki to boot!. Wow - who can doubt that source of internet information...   

[West MI-CAP-Ret]

I retired from the Air Force back in 2004 so I have no first-hand knowledge about the ABU.  But I've read and other AF members have shared that it's not a comfortable uniform to wear.  As of two years ago, there wasn't a warm weather equivalent.  (Can someone update me if this has changed)  The ABU is a very expensive uniform to wear.  Maintenance folks pushed through an olive green boot because it was impossible to keep the suade boots clean.


Words from an old dinosaur... I love shiny boots.  Every Friday I'd order a pizza, drink my bud-light and shine my boots.  In our squadron's ready room there was one of those floor model shoe-shine machines (Red felt on one side, black on the other) and first thing Monday morning I'd put my boot under the machine's brushes and man I'd get at least a four inch shine.


Bottom line.  I think we should really think long and hard before we start using an expensive uniform, that is hard to maintain.  I also think cadets (and some adults) really couldn't take care of the suade shoes.  But that in itself is not a reason for not getting the ABU.  The ABU is just so darn expensive (also, I really like unit patches to enhance unit pride and build identity.


For the past four years I've ballooned to 25 lbs over the CAP weight standards.  So, I've had to wear the corporate uniform.  I believe we all should transition to the dark blue BDUs.  Really, did we really need to have kids running around the woods like the Michigan Militia?  Just a thought.

[NIN]

Bottom line.  I think we should really think long and hard before we start using an expensive uniform, that is hard to maintain.  I also think cadets (and some adults) really couldn't take care of the suade shoes.  But that in itself is not a reason for not getting the ABU.  The ABU is just so darn expensive (also, I really like unit patches to enhance unit pride and build identity.

A generalization.

I have two sets of ABUs hanging in my closet. It cost me less than $50 for both sets combined.  I can obtain BDUs for a similar price, but if they're used, generally they're not in nearly as good shape due to the fact that they're probably 10+ years old now.

Also, suede boots require next to no care.

How can you say "people can't take care of suite shoes" right after a paragraph detailing how much care you had to put into black leather boots with a straight face.

I have three pairs of the tan ACU combat boots that I wore while I was in the Army Cadets. In seven years, all I ever did was a quick brush with a stiff bristle brush. Anybody who knows me understands that I'm a stickler for personal appearance in uniform.

Bottom line: the maintenance aspects of that uniform are far simpler than BDUs.

I believe we all should transition to the dark blue BDUs.  Really, did we really need to have kids running around the woods like the Michigan Militia?  Just a thought.

I believe we are the Air Force's official auxiliary. Why wouldn't we wear our parent service's uniform? With all the orange jim-jam we're expected to wear in the field, I suspect nobody in their right mind would think we were "the militia."

With all the touting of "Total Force," ask yourself this:  Would anybody think it a good idea to say to the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard "hey, you guys, wear something different than the Air Force uniform?"  No.

[PHall]

I retired from the Air Force back in 2004 so I have no first-hand knowledge about the ABU.  But I've read and other AF members have shared that it's not a comfortable uniform to wear.  As of two years ago, there wasn't a warm weather equivalent.  (Can someone update me if this has changed)  The ABU is a very expensive uniform to wear.  Maintenance folks pushed through an olive green boot because it was impossible to keep the suade boots clean.


Words from an old dinosaur... I love shiny boots.  Every Friday I'd order a pizza, drink my bud-light and shine my boots.  In our squadron's ready room there was one of those floor model shoe-shine machines (Red felt on one side, black on the other) and first thing Monday morning I'd put my boot under the machine's brushes and man I'd get at least a four inch shine.


Bottom line.  I think we should really think long and hard before we start using an expensive uniform, that is hard to maintain.  I also think cadets (and some adults) really couldn't take care of the suade shoes.  But that in itself is not a reason for not getting the ABU.  The ABU is just so darn expensive (also, I really like unit patches to enhance unit pride and build identity.


For the past four years I've ballooned to 25 lbs over the CAP weight standards.  So, I've had to wear the corporate uniform.  I believe we all should transition to the dark blue BDUs.  Really, did we really need to have kids running around the woods like the Michigan Militia?  Just a thought.

Ripstop ABU's became available in the past couple of years. They wear the same as Ripstop BDU's.
I don't miss the patches. I don't miss shining boots. And in Clothing Sales, the ABU costs about the same as the BDU did. Adjusted for inflation of course.

[lordmonar]

Ripstop ABU's became available in the past couple of years. They wear the same as Ripstop BDU's.
I don't miss the patches. I don't miss shining boots. And in Clothing Sales, the ABU costs about the same as the BDU did. Adjusted for inflation of course.

I loved the wash and wear.  I loved the idea that it was a work uniform, and not a green and black inspection uniform.  The first version of the uniform was very hot.  It had four layers of fabric on the front when you considered the pocket, the front of the shirt, and then two layers for the map pocket.   They have removed them from follow on uniforms.

+1 about the cost.  When you factor in the savings of no patches it covers the slight cost increase.

As for availability.....Like Nin said.   They are hitting the surplus stores.  The Airman's Attic are full of them (they keep trying to give them to us!).  BDUs are getting scares, getting expensive and getting worn out.

It's time.

[USACAP]

LOL.
Yeah, the ACU was pretty bad, but not nearly as bad as the ABU ...
ABU is preposterously poor in all ways. It is in NO way a "battle uniform."
The USAF bubbas downrange I see outside the wire are all wearing Army uniforms - ACU in the ITO, Multicam/OCP in ATO.
Word inside the Beltway, despite this:
http://m.military.com/daily-news/2014/09/03/air-force-says-no-to-new-camouflage.html
Is that the USAF is going to pick up OCP.

At a time the USAF is on the verge of dumping the ABU in favor of the OCP the Army's wearing ...??
The ABU is certainly the worst and least practical uniform ever fielded by the US military.
Was never intended to be worn in anything resembling a field environment.
Interesting.

That distinction belongs to the ACU.
And not to sound broken recordish, where are you getting your info from?

[Laplace]

I'm here in Washington DC at the Winter Command Council meeting.  ABUs discussion was on the agenda yesterday, with a Command Council vote set for today. 

Proposals are the adoption of the ABU with dark blue tapes/silver lettering and black boots.  Along with this would be the phase out of the blue BDU corporate uniform and the adoption of the woodland BDU uniform as a corporate uniform able to be worn by all.

This discussion also included a continuing/renewed effort to get us mail order access to AAFES.

There was talk of doing away totally with the current ultramarine blue tapes and going with dark blue on all the field uniforms.  This would entail CAP buying out Vanguard's supply of ultramarine tape.

Command Council will vote today by ballot on these 3 separate items.  This vote is only to narrow down what CAP proposes to the Air Force. 

Interesting........