Army ACUs as a CAP uniform

[DNall]

ABUs will be here before you know it. Just be patient.

[afgeo4]

Let's face it, the best uniforms were developed by the Marine Corps. The fabric is great, wear and tear is great, camouflage patterns work for both environments, pockets are well placed, the boots are a good color. Everything works except for the Globe & Anchor.

Now I get it, the DoD didn't have the guts to say "NO! We're going to allow ALL of our service members to get the best in field uniforms" when the MARPAT was developed, but let's just hope they'll have enough guts to say it soon. I vote for ALL services to transition to woodland and desert MARPAT uniforms and change the name to USPAT. Marines/Navy could keep the 8 point hat to be "different".

[DNall]

^ too late for that. It'd cost more money to change now than drive on with each service having their own pattern.

In another 10 years, we'll be out of this wartime cycle & things moving back to reality. The general understanding is we'll again go to a common utility uniform at that point. The popular choice at this point is multicam in woodland pattern - with desert & arctic versions avail as needed.

[Dragoon]

Let's face it, the best uniforms were developed by the Marine Corps. The fabric is great, wear and tear is great, camouflage patterns work for both environments, pockets are well placed, the boots are a good color. Everything works except for the Globe & Anchor.

Now I get it, the DoD didn't have the guts to say "NO! We're going to allow ALL of our service members to get the best in field uniforms" when the MARPAT was developed, but let's just hope they'll have enough guts to say it soon. I vote for ALL services to transition to woodland and desert MARPAT uniforms and change the name to USPAT. Marines/Navy could keep the 8 point hat to be "different".

Can't do it.  After designing a camo opattern that they claim would save live, they then went off and patented it.  And the pattern has the eagle, globe and anchor integrated into it.  So no one can use it but them.

In other words, they invented something that by their own admission could help soldiers, sailors and airmen, and then turned around and denied them its use.

I just loooove inter-service rivalry.

[Hawk200]

Let's face it, the best uniforms were developed by the Marine Corps. The fabric is great, wear and tear is great, camouflage patterns work for both environments, pockets are well placed, the boots are a good color. Everything works except for the Globe & Anchor.

Now I get it, the DoD didn't have the guts to say "NO! We're going to allow ALL of our service members to get the best in field uniforms" when the MARPAT was developed, but let's just hope they'll have enough guts to say it soon. I vote for ALL services to transition to woodland and desert MARPAT uniforms and change the name to USPAT. Marines/Navy could keep the 8 point hat to be "different".

Can't do it.  After designing a camo opattern that they claim would save live, they then went off and patented it.  And the pattern has the eagle, globe and anchor integrated into it.  So no one can use it but them.

In other words, they invented something that by their own admission could help soldiers, sailors and airmen, and then turned around and denied them its use.

I just loooove inter-service rivalry.

The MARPAT pattern was offered to the Army to use, but the Army declined as they were working on their own uniform design. Everybody could have been in the same camo, but with the Army doing their own thing, everyone else followed suit.

Each branch decides what their own truth is when it comes to uniforms, even if it looks to be purple horse crap to the rest of us. The Air Force put out to the press that flightsuits would remain the sage green that they have been, because "Nomex cannot be dyed with a camouflage pattern in a practical manner".

The Army decided to go with a white shirt. We've seen the opinions on that one.

The Navy decided to look like pseudo-Marines. 

Everyone is doing their own thing. Where do you think HWSNBN got the idea in the first place?

[ol'fido]

Who is selling the OD acu patterned shirts shown in the pictures?

[JayT]

Who is selling the OD acu patterned shirts shown in the pictures?

Propper.

[MIKE]

Who is selling the OD acu patterned shirts shown in the pictures?

Propper.

Looks like they have their own version now called the TAC U, but I'm pretty sure UKs is the TRU by Tru-Spec.

[ol'fido]

Thanks. I want one! Now imagine sounds of maniacal laughter and hands rubbing together.

[Cecil DP]

Let's face it, the best uniforms were developed by the Marine Corps. The fabric is great, wear and tear is great, camouflage patterns work for both environments, pockets are well placed, the boots are a good color. Everything works except for the Globe & Anchor.

Now I get it, the DoD didn't have the guts to say "NO! We're going to allow ALL of our service members to get the best in field uniforms" when the MARPAT was developed, but let's just hope they'll have enough guts to say it soon. I vote for ALL services to transition to woodland and desert MARPAT uniforms and change the name to USPAT. Marines/Navy could keep the 8 point hat to be "different".

Can't do it.  After designing a camo opattern that they claim would save live, they then went off and patented it.  And the pattern has the eagle, globe and anchor integrated into it.  So no one can use it but them.

In other words, they invented something that by their own admission could help soldiers, sailors and airmen, and then turned around and denied them its use.

I just loooove inter-service rivalry.

The MARPAT pattern was offered to the Army to use, but the Army declined as they were working on their own uniform design. Everybody could have been in the same camo, but with the Army doing their own thing, everyone else followed suit.

Each branch decides what their own truth is when it comes to uniforms, even if it looks to be purple horse crap to the rest of us. The Air Force put out to the press that flightsuits would remain the sage green that they have been, because "Nomex cannot be dyed with a camouflage pattern in a practical manner".

The Army decided to go with a white shirt. We've seen the opinions on that one.

The Navy decided to look like pseudo-Marines. 

Everyone is doing their own thing. Where do you think HWSNBN got the idea in the first place?

In this era of Joint Operations you would believe that everyone would be wearing the same utility uniform. Instead the DoD is wasting millions of dollars creating 4 different styles. In addition uniform stores at Joint Command bases now have to have 4 times the storage capacity for all the different uniforms.

[DNall]

Yeah, it's absolutely insane, but too late now. It'd cost more to standardize now than ride this out for the next decade & then standardize. It is what it is, close ranks & move on.

[KyCAP]

Dear Mr. CAP-USAF Uniform person:

Hint Hint.  http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=6217.0

Got Milk?

[DNall]

Dear Mr. CAP-USAF Uniform person:

Hint Hint.  http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=6217.0

Got Milk?

I'm sure there's not a "CAP-USAF uniform person," but what's your point? Another year and you'll probably be in ABUs that look quite similar to the AF.

[KyCAP]

Seems like a lot of hum drum over getting our uniforms updated for the ABU ACU while other branches programs have moved on with great ease without crazy colored name tapes.

[CAPLAW]

Solution....... If you want to wear ACU'S join the Army.   :clap: :clap:Why would CAP even try to adopt the Army Uniform?

[KyCAP]

Typo .. adjusted.

I was trying to be subtle and point out that CAP and USAF are hashing out the adoption of the ABU while the Army Cadet program has had the Army blessing to adopt the ACU faster than we can shake a stick.   Seems like process and bureaucracy has stifled the progress at this point for what appears to be little or no reason when compared to peering programs.

To pinpoint this from my perspective even in the "designs" posted in other threads here and our current uniform we have blazen colors to make us "distinct" from our USAF bretheren.   Apparently, the Army doesn't see a problem with having their programs be able to procure a uniform that is more or less available from US Calvary or any other supplier of gear.   If you look closely at the pic from COL Land even the name tape is ACU...   I am just pointing this out as my "attempt" to bring it to the attention of those I know lurk on this board on the CAP Uniform Committee that precedent has been set for CAP to be able to acquire the ABU down to the name tape and not be stuck trying to source this from one place for what ever reason.

So much for being subtle.

I also vote for a "Uniform Reduction Act" if there is such a thing.  Let's start cutting back on the number of uniform variations in CAP to some level of trying to be "Uniform" (hashed out in other threads).  Like a 50% reduction would be a good start.   

[CAPLAW]

Good point.  I would just like to see CAP use olive drab BDU'S.

[PHall]

Typo .. adjusted.

I was trying to be subtle and point out that CAP and USAF are hashing out the adoption of the ABU while the Army Cadet program has had the Army blessing to adopt the ACU faster than we can shake a stick.   Seems like process and bureaucracy has stifled the progress at this point for what appears to be little or no reason when compared to peering programs.

Big difference in the programs.

The ACA is a "pure" cadet program. The care and training of cadets is what they do.
They have a minimal number of adults in their program and they do enforce the Army weight and grooming standards.

CAP has multiple "missions" with the  cadet program being just one part of the organization.

We have more adults then we have cadets. Many do not meet the Air Force weight and grooming standards and unless they're wearing the "Air Force" style uniform, they don't have to.
And we seem to have a real problem enforcing the weight and grooming standards too.

Yes, we will probably transition to the ABU, for cadets at least. But I would not be surprised in the least if seniors were barred from wearing the Air Force style uniforms in the future just because of our demonstrated history of noncompliance with the uniform regs.

[KyCAP]

How about applying the converse to that logic?   One could also argue that the CLOSER the CAP uniform is to the USAF uniform ABU then the LESS likely folks would be to wear it that are outside of the weight and grooming standards because it WOULD be policed more closely?   Personally, let's set the standard higher for the USAF uniforms, not wider (tongue in cheek) to give us an OUT by wearing ultramarine name tapes.   

I have NEVER seen anyone in a Green NOMEX flight suit with a beard or overweight.

[RiverAux]

I was trying to be subtle and point out that CAP and USAF are hashing out the adoption of the ABU while the Army Cadet program has had the Army blessing to adopt the ACU faster than we can shake a stick.

Just because someone is wearing a uniform does not necessarily mean that they have been authorized to wear it. 

If CAP was not the Air Force auxiliary we could wear the BDUs we have right now without asking permission from anyone in the military.  And we could switch to ABUs right now with the name tags as well.  Since the ACA isn't actually formally affilitiated with the Army, they can get away with a lot more.  Should the time come when they are actually an Army program, things will change for them.