Army sets wear-out date for uniform items

[CommunityEditor]

Soldiers will no longer be allowed to wear the battle dress uniform, the desert battle dress uniform and eight other uniform items beginning April 30, the Army announced Jan. 8 in a worldwide message to all commands.

The April 30 wear-out date applies to soldiers in the active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve. The wear-out date for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps is April 2009.

This is the first time the Army has announced a wear-out date for the BDU and desert BDU, Army spokesman Dan Baggio said.

The BDU and desert BDU were replaced by the Army Combat Uniform in 2004, and virtually all soldiers now wear the ACU.

The transition to the ACUs was not seamless, when soldiers complained almost immediately after the uniform’s debut in combat that the ACU wasn’t sturdy enough for the harsh conditions on the battlefield.

The Army is now re-stitching 1 million pairs of ACU trousers in an attempt to fix the problem of crotch seams ripping open in theater. The work, which began in the spring, likely will cost $3 million to $5 million and take about 18 months to complete.

In addition to the BDU and desert BDU, these items also have an April 30 wear-out date:

* Brown T-shirt

* Black leather combat boots

* Woodland and desert camouflage pattern caps

* Olive drab green name tape and U.S. Army tape

* Subdued olive green shoulder sleeve insignia and subdued combat patches

* Black rigger belt

* Web belt with open-faced black buckle

* Green and black jungle boots

Beginning Sept. 30, 2009, active, Guard and Reserve soldiers also must stop wearing the black knit cap and black micro fleece knit cap. The woodland camouflage field jacket will have a wear-out date of Sept. 30, 2010.

The announcement was made in an All Army Activities message, which is issued periodically and between formal revisions of AR 670-1, “Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia.”

The next formal revision of AR 670-1 isn’t expected until after Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey announces his decisions on pending uniform issues such as how wartime service is displayed on the new Army Service Uniform.

The Army has announced the move to ditch the dress greens in favor of the dress blues, but the official change will not take place until Casey signs off on all the details. No timeline has been set for that change.


Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/20...iforms_080114/

In a time when my main concern is to make it to retirement alive, and with all my limbs.....the Army seems more concerned with hosting a Branch-wide fashion show. With a PT uniform change around the corner, I really wonder what the priorities of our command is. Nothing was learned from the mistake of the black beret, or the ACU cammo pattern that only blends in at the Military Clothing Store. Maybe a new dress uniform will help me forget the years I have missed with my children. Maybe.

What about our Airborne, Ranger , and Special Forces Troops? If their berets, and jump boots are taken from them, will they still wish to be the elite troops they now are? Such a distintion is paramount to their morale. How many suych Troopers willo n o longer wish to remain in "Harms Way" doing their regular duties, along with their combat mission s?

Reading this tells me just how old I am. I remember when all of that stuff came into the inventory and we had to convert to it from what we had during Vietnam. In addition to being old I am now no longer fashionably correct!

I will retain my corcoran jump boots and beret as well as my Army Green Uniform so that I will have something to be buried in; just like the uniform.

I agree with the first two readers. Changing the uniform to ACUs was not cost or needed effective especially when the change came at the same time as this war began. The BDUs were fine just the way they were, sew-on patches and all.

I agree, some units need their own distinction why take that away from them, They deserve to dress different.

[thomasewatts@bellsouth.ne]

I retired in 1983 as a combat arms sfc ,in my 25 years the army canged uniforms from od to green in late 50 early 60s. now it appears that fashion is more important than weapon upgrade traing and equipment to do the job. it is ashame that being prety and in fashion is more important..but can they fight and survie i wonder
all unit pride and respect is gone. a very sad day?????

[JD99FRASER]

The Army prides itself on early morning PT with its inherent darkness and foggy conditions. Why then do we produce a black and gray PT uniform? Obviously no commander believes the current uniform is safe or there wouldn't be a universal requirement to supplement the issued uniform with a bright orange/yellow/blue etc. belt or vest. At Fort Hood, some commanders required us to wear the vests in the gyms. The Army needs to give up the PT fashion show and just produce a uniform that is functional and safe! Make it bright orange/yellow etc so that it shows up in the dark, catches headlights so that we don't need a stupid vest/belt supplement. The the idea of making the PT uniform a camouflage pattern so that we really blend into the early morning fog is beyond ridiculous. SAFETY FIRST????

I love the ASU. Just hurry up. I've said for 25 years we need the standard uniform to be the blues. But, why change much more. Just let us wear the combat patch we're accustomed to. The beret should only be for the ACU. With the exit of the black boot there obviously won't be anymore blousing of the Class A uniform, green or blue. That's going to be a big change for people. Why not the Stetson for the Class A. It's after all and "American" headgear, unlike the beret. If we want to wear the beret we should have units wearing kilts. After all it's the Scots from whom we borrowed our version of beret, not the French. We are the only former colony of the UK not to continue the tradition of the Kilt. I'd love the kilt actually but still, let us wear our Stetsons with the blues, after all both come from the cavalry tradition that won the West.

I just had to pay for another Gore-Tex....when is the ACU going to save me any money. The seams all over the uniform, especially in the shoulders are fraying because the manufacturers didn't use enough material to fold over the seams. They are ok uniforms, just make them better. Also the Army should allow us to DX our BDU pattern gear we bought to match the DCU and BDUs.

V/R
CPT Du Pre

I have been retired from the Army for several years and still understand the need for unit and individual pride. The Army Blues need to include the indivudual's combat patch on the right shoulder! Every soldier earned that and deserves the honor of displaying it. I also think that unit pride comes from the unit patch displayed on the left shoulder, it needs to be there, too. Just like combat and service stripes need to be on the lower sleeves. Don't take all the pride markers off the new Army Blues, the troops have earned them!!

what idiot thinks this is a good idea???How much does it cost???and why are the new uniforms so
CHEAPLY Made??? from A Viet Nam Vet...1967-68...