New Army uniform

[Garibaldi]

Before anyone asks the inevitable, I highly doubt that this will ever, ever, EVER be authorized for CAP for a multitude of reasons.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/17/army-new-camo-pattern-will-mirror-multicam/?intcmp=obnetwork

[Luis R. Ramos]

Since now we have an uniform thread, lets see who / what is derails / is done to derail this topic into a non - uniform thread...

[Eclipse]

That much closer to a single pattern for field uniforms as directed by congress.

It might be different "enough" to withstand an infringement challenge, but as far as those on the outside looking in, it's the same.

With the USAF already wearing multicam in places they are shooting at airman on the ground, it makes all the more sense.

[antdetroitwallyball]

single pattern for field uniforms as directed by congress.

I've heard this before, but I'll see it when I believe it. You won't have sailors who work on the decks of ships wearing Scorpion. And the whole point of the CG using just a plain blue uniform was to make the CG look more Law Enforcement and less military. I've heard that they didn't want the general public feeling uncomfortable because they felt like the "military was boarding their 23' fishing boat." (which is still entirely what exactly was happening).

Furthermore, the CG does not need to ever blend in, so Camo is pointless. What CG members do need is a uniform that is cool temperature-wise to wear. They just switched from a tucked-in uniform to a non-tucked in uniform for this reason. Putting CG members in a camo uniform that can ONLY be worn sleeves-down defeats that purpose....

My whole point: forcing all services to wear the same utility uniform without many and significant exceptions is a bad idea for obvious reasons. Hopefully, someone in charge will see this fact.

[Garibaldi]

single pattern for field uniforms as directed by congress.

I've heard this before, but I'll see it when I believe it. You won't have sailors who work on the decks of ships wearing Scorpion. And the whole point of the CG using just a plain blue uniform was to make the CG look more Law Enforcement and less military. I've heard that they didn't want the general public feeling uncomfortable because they felt like the "military was boarding their 23' fishing boat." (which is still entirely what exactly was happening).

Furthermore, the CG does not need to ever blend in, so Camo is pointless. What CG members do need is a uniform that is cool temperature-wise to wear. They just switched from a tucked-in uniform to a non-tucked in uniform for this reason. Putting CG members in a camo uniform that can ONLY be worn sleeves-down defeats that purpose....

My whole point: forcing all services to wear the same utility uniform without many and significant exceptions is a bad idea for obvious reasons. Hopefully, someone in charge will see this fact.

It worked very well for almost 20 years with the BDUs. And, please don't get started on the Coast Guard. They have an entirely different mission parameter than the rest of the military and are most likely exempt from this.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Furthermore, the CG does not need to ever blend in, so Camo is pointless. What CG members do need is a uniform that is cool temperature-wise to wear. They just switched from a tucked-in uniform to a non-tucked in uniform for this reason. Putting CG members in a camo uniform that can ONLY be worn sleeves-down defeats that purpose....

I think a handful of CG personnel still wear BDU's, like Port Security Units.

I remember when my then-brother-in-law who was in the Army got his first set of BDU's, in something like 1982.  He told me then that the idea behind them was to put all five services in the same utility/duty/combat uniform.

Of course, the Marines decided they wanted their own, then the Army...leading to the multiplicity of uniforms in the Armed Forces today.

I know it is going to sound like I am picking on the Marines, and I am not.  My uncle (by marriage, anyway) is a combat Korean War veteran of the Marines.

However, they have the mindset that their uniforms must somehow be "special," and "different" to the other services, so I doubt they will be content with wearing any style of uniform that they have not designed/chosen.

As for CAP?  If BBDU's ever go out...




(The flight suit is German, but you get the idea).

[Anthony@CAP]

The Coast Guard has nothing to worry about. While congress has mandated a single uniform pattern, they have only mandated that the armed forces have a single combat uniform.

The actual language of the law can be found in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law No: 113-66) section 352:
"It is the policy of the United States that the Secretary of Defense shall eliminate the development and fielding of Armed Force-specific combat and camouflage utility uniforms and families of uniforms in order to adopt and field a common combat and camouflage utility uniform or family of uniforms for specific combat environments to be used by all members of the Armed Forces."

There are a number of additional specific stipulations and exceptions to the law (which are somewhat irreverent to this point). However, the important point is that the law only requires that any future combat or camouflage uniform be the implemented across all the branches of the armed forces. If the Coast Guard (or any other branch, if they had one) wishes to continue to use their non-combat/non-camouflage uniforms they can do so (at least as far as the effect of this law).

[antdetroitwallyball]

I think a handful of CG personnel still wear BDU's, like Port Security Units.

Deployed CG personel wear a varient of desert camo BDU's. But thats a very small percentage of the CG.

While congress has mandated a single uniform pattern, they have only mandated that the armed forces have a single combat uniform.

Thank goodness. At least there is a shred of common sense used here...

[GroundHawg]

The USCG no longer wears the BDU in any form. The only uniformed service that still wears the BDU is the USPHS. The USCG switched to the NWU type 2 and 3.

[The14th]

The USCG no longer wears the BDU in any form. The only uniformed service that still wears the BDU is the USPHS. The USCG switched to the NWU type 2 and 3.

The Army Jungle Warfighter School students in Hawaii wear BDUs still.

[Eclipse]

I believe some Seabees are still wearing woodland as well, at least at their initial schools.

[CAPAPRN]

And Navy Costal Riverine Squadrons- but as a former Sailor I don't mind saying it seems to be a Navy tradition to have even more uniforms (far more) and more uniform threads (read any Navy Times) than CAP ever dreamed of. The Navy also has organizational clothing- so a ship, sub etc. can choose to issue coveralls, orange turtlenecks (deck) etc.

[MisterCD]

I believe some Seabees are still wearing woodland as well, at least at their initial schools.

They typically wear the blue NWU I pattern uniform until graduation, where they then switch over to the NWUIII with AOR 2 camouflage.

[Garibaldi]

How long was it that the Marines, Air Force, and Army all wore the OG fatigues? The Navy was always a special case...

[PHall]

How long was it that the Marines, Air Force, and Army all wore the OG fatigues? The Navy was always a special case...

About 40 years. (1930ish to 1970ish)

We were all in BDU's for over 20 years.

[LSThiker]

How long was it that the Marines, Air Force, and Army all wore the OG fatigues? The Navy was always a special case...

About 40 years. (1930ish to 1970ish)

We were all in BDU's for over 20 years.

The OG Shade 107s were introduced in 1952.  The BDUs were introduced October 1981, while the hot weather BDU was 1988.  The ACUs were in Jun 2004.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

The OG Shade 107s were introduced in 1952.  The BDUs were introduced October 1981, while the hot weather BDU was 1988.  The ACUs were in Jun 2004.

I always wondered why the OG's in M*A*S*H* had no nametapes or "U.S. ARMY" tapes.  My dad served not long after the Korean War and he had both, with the "U.S. ARMY" tape being embroidered gold-on-black (or dark green?).  I still have one of his original black-stencilling-on-white background nametapes.

I could see it for Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John and BJ Hunnicutt, given their lack of respect for the uniform, but even sticklers like Col. Potter, Majors Burns, Winchester and Houlihan didn't have them.

[Garibaldi]

The OG Shade 107s were introduced in 1952.  The BDUs were introduced October 1981, while the hot weather BDU was 1988.  The ACUs were in Jun 2004.

I always wondered why the OG's in M*A*S*H* had no nametapes or "U.S. ARMY" tapes.  My dad served not long after the Korean War and he had both, with the "U.S. ARMY" tape being embroidered gold-on-black (or dark green?).  I still have one of his original black-stencilling-on-white background nametapes.

I could see it for Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John and BJ Hunnicutt, given their lack of respect for the uniform, but even sticklers like Col. Potter, Majors Burns, Winchester and Houlihan didn't have them.

The odd thing is that they kept changing shirts throughout the series. I even saw once where the patches had been ripped off one, the fading was obvious.

[Luis R. Ramos]

I do not know whether this was covered before in this thread so I apologize if it was. I just found out in response to a search I started for Cyborg the US Army tape was adopted as part of a treaty with the North Koreans. The nametape rose out of local policy thereafter, both in 1953...

I do not know how true it is but I would trust them. It is a survey from the US Army History section on uniforms... See page 103.

http://www.history.army.mil/html/museums/uniforms/survey_uwa.pdf

[Shuman 14]

I always thought it was silly to see people on the same FOB in 5 different uniforms: ACU, ABU, MARPAT-Desert, NAVPAT-Desert, and BDU-Desert. 

There should be Theater specific camouflage and everyone in that Theater should be in it.

As to Garrison work uniforms, solid olive drab works for me and if the Sea Services want to use blue when afloat... no harm, no foul.