ABU Wear Test

[Al Sayre]

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?

Why go out and procure a new uniform when you can authorize existing ones from other services when needed with a couple of pen strokes from the appropriate authorities? ...

[wacapgh]

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........

Hmm. I would have gone the other direction - Phase out the Woodland camo and allow the blue for everyone (including Cadets). We'd still have a more "civilian" looking alternative when needed, and not have mixed camouflage patterns.

[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.

Hmm. I would have gone the other direction - Phase out the Woodland camo and allow the blue for everyone (including Cadets). We'd still have a more "civilian" looking alternative when needed, and not have mixed camouflage patterns.

Someone asked this question, and one of the main reasons to not phase out the Woodland BDUs is that would obligate CAP to buy the $300,000 of BDUs that Vanguard has in stock. 

[MacGruff]

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.

Hmm. I would have gone the other direction - Phase out the Woodland camo and allow the blue for everyone (including Cadets). We'd still have a more "civilian" looking alternative when needed, and not have mixed camouflage patterns.

Someone asked this question, and one of the main reasons to not phase out the Woodland BDUs is that would obligate CAP to buy the $300,000 of BDUs that Vanguard has in stock.

Wow, that makes so little sense!!!

Take out the Woodland BDUs that the cadets and some SMs wear and make the other SMs start wearing it because someone has inventory? Why keep the two different styles? I thought we were trying to get away from the woodland BDUs? And then, what happens if/when Vanguard runs out of stock? Will they then buy more due to the "demand"

[Storm Chaser]

BDU as a corporate uniform? That definitely makes no sense. The blue corporate field uniform should've been the one adopted for all, including cadets.

I don't see much use in adopting the ABU, especially since it's only a matter of time before the Air Force phases it out in favor of a DoD unified field uniform. Even if the purpose is to be closer to our parent service, the black boots will distinctively set us apart. While some may prefer the black boots to the suede alternatives, there is a reason none of the services, except for the Navy and Coast Guard, are wearing them with their camouflage uniforms.

[PHall]

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.

Hmm. I would have gone the other direction - Phase out the Woodland camo and allow the blue for everyone (including Cadets). We'd still have a more "civilian" looking alternative when needed, and not have mixed camouflage patterns.

Someone asked this question, and one of the main reasons to not phase out the Woodland BDUs is that would obligate CAP to buy the $300,000 of BDUs that Vanguard has in stock.

It would be no problem for Vanguard to sell those Woodland BDU's. Paintballers and Hunters come to mind as customers.

[NIN]

It would be no problem for Vanguard to sell those Woodland BDU's. Paintballers and Hunters come to mind as customers.

$300,000 worth of BDUs?

thats (rough guesstimate back of the envelope) 5,000 sets of BDUs (5000 pants, 5000 shirts)

that seems... off.

[Spaceman3750]

It would be no problem for Vanguard to sell those Woodland BDU's. Paintballers and Hunters come to mind as customers.

$300,000 worth of BDUs?

thats (rough guesstimate back of the envelope) 5,000 sets of BDUs (5000 pants, 5000 shirts)

that seems... off.

Additionally, the Vanguard page for BDUs states that they're used by CAP and Young Marines, so why are we responsible for buying out the entire supply?

[Spam]

Plus, woodland camo BDUs are in fact being used by DoD, as covered here in other threads. There's always a market for them.

V/R
Spam

[Jester]

ABUs and black boots may be the most atrocious thing I've ever heard.

[Spaceman3750]

Any word on how the vote went (not sure when it is slated to happen)?

[Laplace]

Any word on how the vote went (not sure when it is slated to happen)?

Just happened!   61 in favor of ABU and switch to navy/silver tapes.   Blue BDUs were voted by majority as corporate uniform, NOT the Woodland BDU.

Next step is submission to Air Force.

[Spaceman3750]

Any word on how the vote went (not sure when it is slated to happen)?

Just happened!   61 in favor of ABU and switch to navy/silver tapes.   Blue BDUs were voted by majority as corporate uniform, NOT the Woodland BDU.

Next step is submission to Air Force.

This sounds like a perfectly reasonable compromise and one that I'm happy with. Hooray for status quo . Black boots with ABUs will look weird but I understand the cost implications for members who don't have gobs of money to spend on boots.

[PHall]

Any word on how the vote went (not sure when it is slated to happen)?

Just happened!   61 in favor of ABU and switch to navy/silver tapes.   Blue BDUs were voted by majority as corporate uniform, NOT the Woodland BDU.

Next step is submission to Air Force.

This sounds like a perfectly reasonable compromise and one that I'm happy with. Hooray for status quo . Black boots with ABUs will look weird but I understand the cost implications for members who don't have gobs of money to spend on boots.

Black boots will help in making us look different from the Air Force. Plus black boots are available just about everywhere.

[Spaceman3750]

Any word on how the vote went (not sure when it is slated to happen)?

Just happened!   61 in favor of ABU and switch to navy/silver tapes.   Blue BDUs were voted by majority as corporate uniform, NOT the Woodland BDU.

Next step is submission to Air Force.

This sounds like a perfectly reasonable compromise and one that I'm happy with. Hooray for status quo . Black boots with ABUs will look weird but I understand the cost implications for members who don't have gobs of money to spend on boots.

Black boots will help in making us look different from the Air Force. Plus black boots are available just about everywhere.

Yup, no disagreement here.

[RiverAux]

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.

Somewhere in the depths of CAPTalk is a thread I started suggesting that the Woodland BDU could now be used as our corporate uniform.   

However, I would agree with the later comments here that switching over people currently with BBDUs into camo doesn't make a lot of sense.  I could see putting everyone in camo though. 

[wings15]

COPIED FROM MICHIGAN WING FACEBOOK:

The Civil Air Patrol Command Council just voted to transition to the ABUs and to keep the current dark blue BDUs for the CAP Corporate uniform. The name tapes and rank will also change to dark blue with silver thread *** The ABUs/name tape change still need to be approved by the Air Force, do NOT go out and buy the ABUs***

The ABUs are not approved for wear yet, CAP only voted to move forward to try and get the Air Force to approve this uniform for us.

PICTURE OF ABU'S:
https://www.facebook.com/MIWGCAP/photos/a.10151055245118845.439978.9548473844/10153534448528845/?type=3&theater

[MedCadet]

Can anyone provide any insight on the transition period length, and the approximate waiting period for USAF approval?

[NIN]

Can anyone provide any insight on the transition period length, and the approximate waiting period for USAF approval?

No.

[NIN]

This sounds like a perfectly reasonable compromise and one that I'm happy with. Hooray for status quo . Black boots with ABUs will look weird but I understand the cost implications for members who don't have gobs of money to spend on boots.

I've been eyeball shopping for ABU boots (you know, just in case) and the cheapest "name" ABU boots I've been able to find were Bellevilles for about $130.

(I'm sure you'd be able to find some no-name brand knock offs shipped by the containerload from China for less, but I was looking for boots that would last me more than a year or two)

Daggone ABU boots are *expensive*