Updated ABU Wear Instructions

[THRAWN]

"The best is a rigger-style belt with a hook and loop buckle." Opinion. Facts not in evidence.

"The ABU cap is the only authorized headgear with this uniform." and then goes on to discuss "Additional Items that may be Authorized." Kind of negates that "only authorized headgear" statement.

But those refer specifically to special activities, on-site only.  If it is worn in public, its ABU cap only.

But that's not what it says. It clearly states that the ABU cap is the only authorized headgear. S better choice of words would have been "The ABU cap is the only authorized headgear with this uniform, WITH THE FOLLOWING TEMPORARY EXCEPTIONS:"

And what encampments are out of view of the public?

Plus the squadron commander can, with wing, approve ball caps. Yes?

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In any conservative color but red.....again, bad editing and apparently no review before it was pushed out.

"Baseball Caps. Unit Commanders may authorize the wear of unit Baseball Caps for wear with
the ABU, when approved by the Wing Commander. These caps will be conservative in color, and will not be worn
outside of unit activities. Red baseball caps may not be authorized since this color baseball cap is reserved by the
Air Force for specific special duty units."

Unit activities? Like meetings? Unit SAREXs? Car wash? Can shake? Parades? The simple fix is to make the doggone hat the bloody ABU cap and leave it the heck alone. Daggum why is every simple thing complicated by idiocy like this?

[winterg]

Thrawn. If it were simple, it wouldn't be CAP. 

I'm with you.  Make it the ABU cap and That. Is.  It.  No exceptions. Period. 

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.

[Toad1168]

"The best is a rigger-style belt with a hook and loop buckle." Opinion. Facts not in evidence.

"The ABU cap is the only authorized headgear with this uniform." and then goes on to discuss "Additional Items that may be Authorized." Kind of negates that "only authorized headgear" statement.

But those refer specifically to special activities, on-site only.  If it is worn in public, its ABU cap only.

But that's not what it says. It clearly states that the ABU cap is the only authorized headgear. S better choice of words would have been "The ABU cap is the only authorized headgear with this uniform, WITH THE FOLLOWING TEMPORARY EXCEPTIONS:"

And what encampments are out of view of the public?

Plus the squadron commander can, with wing, approve ball caps. Yes?

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

In any conservative color but red.....again, bad editing and apparently no review before it was pushed out.

"Baseball Caps. Unit Commanders may authorize the wear of unit Baseball Caps for wear with
the ABU, when approved by the Wing Commander. These caps will be conservative in color, and will not be worn
outside of unit activities. Red baseball caps may not be authorized since this color baseball cap is reserved by the
Air Force for specific special duty units."

Unit activities? Like meetings? Unit SAREXs? Car wash? Can shake? Parades? The simple fix is to make the doggone hat the bloody ABU cap and leave it the heck alone. Daggum why is every simple thing complicated by idiocy like this?

My guess would be to appease all those units who have invested money into such items.  I'm sure there was some level of complaining about this.  I wouldn't be surprised if there are further changes to incorporate unit patches and the such.

[THRAWN]

I hope big Air Force doesn't go for all the whining. Want to recoup your money on patches and the like? Sell them. There are plenty of collectors who would pay for them. Don't want to sell them? Hand them out as "morale" patches/hats/placemats...Donate them to a local aviation museum. Donate them to the USAF Museum. Set up a patch swap. Plenty of alternatives to hosing up the uniform.

[Toad1168]

IMHO, my recommendation would be to go with an overall streamlined approach to uniforms, ALL uniforms.  Get rid of the extra patches, only name, branch, and qualification badges.  Lose the national, region, wing and squadron patches as well.  Everyone looks the same.  Dare I say uniformity?  Use the new style ABU grade insignia on the FDU and authorize the sand t-shirt there as well.  In the end, it cuts the cost of having to buy different insignia for different uniforms. 

[THRAWN]

I'd go a step further and put everybody in the CFU. Be done with the cammies.

[winterg]

Every Wing should be in a digital camo appropriate for their region.  3:)

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.

[THRAWN]

Every Wing should be in a digital camo appropriate for their region.  3:)

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YOU JUST MADE THE LIST, PAL!

[winterg]

Every Wing should be in a digital camo appropriate for their region.  3:)

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.

YOU JUST MADE THE LIST, PAL!

Worth it. [emoji12]

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[NIN]

How about the fact that ABU guidance lacks the "badge-to-badge,  not blue-to-blue" measurement specification that is similarly applied to BDUs and  BBDU

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[Toad1168]

How about the fact that ABU guidance lacks the "badge-to-badge,  not blue-to-blue" measurement specification that is similarly applied to BDUs and  BBDU

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

One would hope, and I know that is saying a lot, that members would realize that this is a basic description and that the actual requirements such as that are outlined in 39-1.

[THRAWN]

How about the fact that ABU guidance lacks the "badge-to-badge,  not blue-to-blue" measurement specification that is similarly applied to BDUs and  BBDU

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One would hope, and I know that is saying a lot, that members would realize that this is a basic description and that the actual requirements such as that are outlined in 39-1.

Maybe. But if you're going to put out a directive instruction, make it complete and not full of "refer to" references. Otherwise, just create an addendum to the regulation. Or, even better in this case, use chapter 7 to provide a complete regulatory guidance.

But there I am thinking like someone who uses regs on an hourly basis...

[Toad1168]

How about the fact that ABU guidance lacks the "badge-to-badge,  not blue-to-blue" measurement specification that is similarly applied to BDUs and  BBDU

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

One would hope, and I know that is saying a lot, that members would realize that this is a basic description and that the actual requirements such as that are outlined in 39-1.

Maybe. But if you're going to put out a directive instruction, make it complete and not full of "refer to" references. Otherwise, just create an addendum to the regulation. Or, even better in this case, use chapter 7 to provide a complete regulatory guidance.

But there I am thinking like someone who uses regs on an hourly basis...

True.  It just seems to me that this was meant as a stop gap to enable the wear of the uniform until 39-1 can be revised.  But I do agree with you.

[winterg]

How about the fact that ABU guidance lacks the "badge-to-badge,  not blue-to-blue" measurement specification that is similarly applied to BDUs and  BBDU

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

One would hope, and I know that is saying a lot, that members would realize that this is a basic description and that the actual requirements such as that are outlined in 39-1.

Maybe. But if you're going to put out a directive instruction, make it complete and not full of "refer to" references. Otherwise, just create an addendum to the regulation. Or, even better in this case, use chapter 7 to provide a complete regulatory guidance.

But there I am thinking like someone who uses regs on an hourly basis...

True.  It just seems to me that this was meant as a stop gap to enable the wear of the uniform until 39-1 can be revised.  But I do agree with you.

Who has 15 years to wait around for that?

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.

[THRAWN]

How about the fact that ABU guidance lacks the "badge-to-badge,  not blue-to-blue" measurement specification that is similarly applied to BDUs and  BBDU

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

One would hope, and I know that is saying a lot, that members would realize that this is a basic description and that the actual requirements such as that are outlined in 39-1.

Maybe. But if you're going to put out a directive instruction, make it complete and not full of "refer to" references. Otherwise, just create an addendum to the regulation. Or, even better in this case, use chapter 7 to provide a complete regulatory guidance.

But there I am thinking like someone who uses regs on an hourly basis...

True.  It just seems to me that this was meant as a stop gap to enable the wear of the uniform until 39-1 can be revised.  But I do agree with you.

Who has 15 years to wait around for that?

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.

It should take 15 minutes. Chapter 7 is empty and it is the only change that is being made. Thought the whole idea was to do away with the massive amount of trash that is generated by ICLs, policy memos, policy letters, instructions and the like....

[DakRadz]

Unless they want to ensure they have all the details hammered out with USAF, so that Chapter 7 can exist once rather than updating the entire manual 3 times- an entire manual, or even chapter, is a lot more paper.

ICLs were overused, not useless. They still have a place.

[Hyperion]

Examples  of  these  items  would  be  Baseball  caps,  berets (Blue  Beret  activity  only)...

Took less than a month for the authorization of berets to sneak back in. I wonder how long will it take before it's fully authorized for the ABU outside of special activities? 

[MSG Mac]

IMHO, my recommendation would be to go with an overall streamlined approach to uniforms, ALL uniforms.  Get rid of the extra patches, only name, branch, and qualification badges.  Lose the national, region, wing and squadron patches as well.  Everyone looks the same.  Dare I say uniformity?  Use the new style ABU grade insignia on the FDU and authorize the sand t-shirt there as well.  In the end, it cuts the cost of having to buy different insignia for different uniforms.

They got rid of the Wing Patches by making them optional.

[PHall]

IMHO, my recommendation would be to go with an overall streamlined approach to uniforms, ALL uniforms.  Get rid of the extra patches, only name, branch, and qualification badges.  Lose the national, region, wing and squadron patches as well.  Everyone looks the same.  Dare I say uniformity?  Use the new style ABU grade insignia on the FDU and authorize the sand t-shirt there as well.  In the end, it cuts the cost of having to buy different insignia for different uniforms.

They got rid of the Wing Patches by making them optional.

Read it a little closer. Your Wing Commander is the one who makes the choice about Wing Patches.

[JeffDG]

Examples  of  these  items  would  be  Baseball  caps,  berets (Blue  Beret  activity  only)...

Took less than a month for the authorization of berets to sneak back in. I wonder how long will it take before it's fully authorized for the ABU outside of special activities? 

Those are only authorized at the events themselves.  So no funny hats once folks leave WI, and no funny hats in WI except for one week.