Army going Retro

I think it's cool - nod to the past.  But don't understand the need to change.  Like when the NFL had the refs uniform changes.  I get cammo/field stuff for sure.  Maybe recruiting/publicity?

Because the Army Dress Blues suck. It is a terrible looking dress uniform. 

I like it.  It will be hard to tell the actual army personnel from re-enactors, though.

Gary

Looks familiar.

British army service Dress (No 2's) dates back to the start of the last century and the introduction of Kakhi uniforms.

Those look extra sharp. 

How many of our tax dollars are being wasted on this. Imagine the wasted money just on the studies they did to decide on the new uniform. What a joke.

GAF

I like it.  It will be hard to tell the actual army personnel from re-enactors, though.

Gary

 

Just look for the overage, overweight guys.... that’s usually a giveaway. If you see a youngster NCO with lots of overseas service stripes, he’s probably for real.

Seriously though, it is a much nicer looking uniform than the Army Service Blues or Dress Greens. No silly white shirt under the coat. And unit shoulder patches again instead of pocket hangers. 

I wonder if they will bring back the overseas cap with branch piping....

Tickmagnet

How many of our tax dollars are being wasted on this. Imagine the wasted money just on the studies they did to decide on the new uniform. What a joke.

 

Not much of a study involved. Unlike the digital ACUs, and then the follow on OCP or whatever they are called. Field uniforms require testing to see how effective they are in different climates, vegetation areas, and terrains. And yes those field tests take money. Dress uniforms are pretty much the whim of the folks at Army HQ in DC. SMA Dailey has been the prime one behind this change from what I’ve been reading on this over the past few years since this idea was first floated. It is his baby. On a personal level, I can say that there were more than a few folks that I served with who were not happy about going from the greens to the blues. The Army Service Blues look like an Army uniform, but it doesn’t, if that makes sense to you. All services at this point have a blue dress uniform. Going back to the Pinks and Greens gives a distinctive “Army“ look, not confused with other services. When the ASBs are worn in a Class B configuration, white shirt and blue trousers w/no jacket, it looks so weak, almost civilain.

If I was still serving, I’d much prefer this uniform. It’s not a joke. It’s about a soldier looking like a soldier.

I think it looks pretty swell. To me the current blue looks like a Toys-R-Us is missing it's gate guardian; no disrespect meant to the soldier inside it.

One concern- will soldiers have to pay to change?

Maybe the Army will bring back Ridgeway caps...

GMorrison

I think it looks pretty swell. To me the current blue looks like a Toys-R-Us is missing it's gate guardian; no disrespect meant to the soldier inside it.

One concern- will soldiers have to pay to change?

Maybe the Army will bring back Ridgeway caps...

 

LOL! When I went to my sons graduation at Lackland AFB from basic training and saw all the young Army GIs from Ft Sam Houston in their Class Bs at a local mall, that’s when I got a good look at how bad a choice the Army Blues were. The Air Force Blues Class B looked more “military”. 

New initial entry troops will get the uniforms issued. Already serving troops get a clothing allowance to buy the new uniform, as well as a “must have by” date. Like most anything else in the military, change is rarely immediate. 

Ridgeway caps and cotton OG fatigues? Starched? LOL! 

On July 1, 2019 the Knights of Columbus Color Guard uniform goes from this

to this

Tickmagnet

How many of our tax dollars are being wasted on this. Imagine the wasted money just on the studies they did to decide on the new uniform. What a joke.

 

Really? There worse things that our tax dollars are wasted on.  But military uniforms? Not so much. I actually like the new look.

stikpusher

Just look for the overage, overweight guys.... that’s usually a giveaway. If you see a youngster NCO with lots of overseas service stripes, he’s probably for real.

Seriously though, it is a much nicer looking uniform than the Army Service Blues or Dress Greens. No silly white shirt under the coat. And unit shoulder patches again instead of pocket hangers. 

I wonder if they will bring back the overseas cap with branch piping....

Yeah, the guys who look like they've been to the mess tent a few times too often... 

But the overseas cap?  What my brother called "the **** cap" (that has to do with female anatomy)?  Okay, but it wouldn't hurt my feelings any if they brought back the "crush" cap to go with those uniforms.  As long as it's not black berets... 

Gary

GAF

 

 

stikpusher

Just look for the overage, overweight guys.... that’s usually a giveaway. If you see a youngster NCO with lots of overseas service stripes, he’s probably for real.

Seriously though, it is a much nicer looking uniform than the Army Service Blues or Dress Greens. No silly white shirt under the coat. And unit shoulder patches again instead of pocket hangers. 

I wonder if they will bring back the overseas cap with branch piping....

 

 

 

Yeah, the guys who look like they've been to the mess tent a few times too often... 

But the overseas cap?  What my brother called "the **** cap" (that has to do with female anatomy)?  Okay, but it wouldn't hurt my feelings any if they brought back the "crush" cap to go with those uniforms.  As long as it's not black berets... 

Gary

 

Yes, that cap. I’m seeing pictures of both types of headgear for the new uniform, the service cap (aka bus drivers) and the overseas cap (aka *** cap).... I still remember when our senior drill introduced us to that item in basic.... along with a visual demonstration of his.... 

all the demos of the service cap are being worn “50 mission crush” style. 

I wonder if the black beret is on its way out....

I’m liking the brown shoes much better as well. I guess Corcoran is gonna have to bring back the brown jump boot. Don’t worry Tickmagnet, that won’t cost the taxpayer a dime. Paratroopers have to buy their jump boots. The right to wear them is earned, but ya gotta spend part of your jump pay to buy a pair.

stikpusher

 

 

I’m liking the brown shoes much better as well. I guess Corcoran is gonna have to bring back the brown jump boot. Don’t worry Tickmagnet, that won’t cost the taxpayer a dime. Paratroopers have to buy their jump boots. The right to wear them is earned, but ya gotta spend part of your jump pay to buy a pair.

 

 

Oh man, LOVE those uniforms!! We want our guys and gals in uniform to look EXTRA sharp and these do look awesome.  

I don't care for the 50 mission crush on the wheel hat. I would like to see the return of the overseas cap. I liked mine better than the wheel hat. Plus, when I was serving, only the Green Berets wore berets. It set them apart. And rightly so. Maybe bring back the elephant-ear pockets too.

Go Air Force!

Sorry about this flashmob, Armyguy.

Great post.

Armyguy

 Army is looking at a new dress uniform.https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/to-stand-out-the-army-picks-a-new-uniform-with-a-world-war-ii-look/ar-AAAWewJ?li=BBnb7Kz

 

Cool!!!

fotofrank

I don't care for the 50 mission crush on the wheel hat. I would like to see the return of the overseas cap. I liked mine better than the wheel hat. Plus, when I was serving, only the Green Berets wore berets. It set them apart. And rightly so. Maybe bring back the elephant-ear pockets too.

Go Air Force!

 

There was no Ranger Regiment or Ranger Battalions at that time either. Only Ranger school, with most graduates serving throughout the Army. And in a couple of LRRP companies in Europe.

 Indeed they do. Glad to see that the distaff soldiers have a choice of trousers or skirt (I would imagine the selection of one or the other would depend upon the weather and tasks to be performed) and that the sorry black beret for all personnel appears headed for the dust bin of uniform history. Berets formerly were and should now be alloted ONLY to a small number of "elite" units: Hunter Green for SF, Tan for Rangers, Red for Airborne. All others can don the wheel hat (preferably sans the unearned 50-mission crush) or garrison cap. Nice to note that suitable brown footgear is making a comback as well.

Class B looks pretty sharp too.

Your dad’s?

GMorrison

 

No, my wifes father.

England-Tunisia-Corsica-Sardinia-Italy.

12th Air Force, 314 Night Fighter Squadron.

There's a khaki cap in there too.

He was a crew chief, but flew on quite a few missions as their aircraft had crews of three or four.

In Florida they flew P-70s. Only aircraft he ever bailed out of.

In England they flew Beaufighters, which they took to Africa and elsewhere in the Med. He had two of those.

In their spare time in Tunisia, he and a couple of other mechanics rebuilt a Bf-109 and flew it around a few times. Pictures to prove it but I can't post them.

In late 44 they were transferred to Pisa, and issued P-61s.

He was assigned to a B-29 after VE Day, but was honorably discharged before he went to Japan.

Somewhere in all of that, he and others went to Buffalo to test a P-40 night fighter, but he certainly never flew in one of those.

stikpusher

Because the Army Dress Blues suck. It is a terrible looking dress uniform. 

 

I'm glad they are going back to a separate service uniform that is different from the dress uniform.

Now if we could only forget the ACU years.